Jamin Davis calls meeting Jimmie Johnson ‘dream come true’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Jamin Davis grew up watching Jimmie Johnson set records as a NASCAR Cup Series driver, hoping to one day get behind the wheel of a racecar himself.
While the Washington Football Team’s first-round pick may have to settle for a career in the NFL instead, Davis did get the chance to meet his childhood hero Sunday ahead of the IndyCar Detroit Grand Prix.
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“I kept up with him pretty much my whole life, religiously,” Davis told the Associated Press’s Jenna Fryer. “Just watching races every Sunday, me, my younger brother, older sister. She was a Dale [Earnhardt] Jr. fan, like he found out, and my brother was a Jeff Gordon fan. And I’m just like, ‘Dang, who was that [number] 48? He just [keeps] winning.’
“Next thing I know, he’s a seven-time champ. I was always just a big Jimmie Johnson fan and now that I’ve met him it’s just like a dream come true.”
Davis wasn’t the only rookie athlete out at the track in Detroit this weekend. Pistons forward Saddiq Bey was the grand marshal for the event Sunday, participating in pre- and post-race ceremonies in addition to waving the green start flag from the pace car. Lions head coach Dan Campbell handled the duties during Saturday's race in Detroit.
