Johnson grins and collects it

NEW YORK – The only time the smile has left Jimmie Johnson’s face this week is when somebody mentioned his upcoming appearance on stage Friday night at NASCAR’s annual awards ceremony.

There hasn’t been much else to frown about for Johnson in 2007, a season in which he improved on most of his 2006 numbers on the way to a second straight Nextel Cup championship.

“I’ve been having a great time since I crossed the finish line at Homestead (two weeks ago), knowing that we had the championship wrapped up,” Johnson said. “But every time I think about making that speech, I get a little bit of nerves and wish that part was over. We’re not trained for that kind of stuff.”

At least this time, Johnson managed to prepare the speech early in the week. Last year, the then-new champion kept putting it off because, first, he couldn’t figure out how to get started and, once he did get going, he couldn’t figure out how to cram all the thank yous into the allotted time.

“That’s the hardest part of it,” Johnson said as he prepared to step onto the stage at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to collect another big payout. “You want to thank everybody who ever did anything to help you get to this point and, believe me, that’s a lot of people.”

The banquet was highlighted by a tribute to Bill France Jr., the late NASCAR chairman who died in June at the age of 74.

Johnson will collect the winner’s share of the huge season and points fund payout. He collected a record $15,770,125 last year and came up just a little short of that this year at $15,313,920, including $7,646,421 from the season points fund.

Series runner-up Jeff Gordon collected $10,926,687, including $3,280,915 from the points fund, and raised his all-time leading earnings total to $93,300,213. Gordon wound up second in the points despite a record-setting 30 top-10s in 36 races and an average finish of 5.1 in the Chase. Johnson beat him with an average finish of 5.0.

Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick, who finished 10th, took home $8,861,128.

Juan Pablo Montoya was rookie of the year.