Johnson wins Best Driver at 16th annual ESPY show

Two-time defending Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is now a first-time ESPY winner. Johnson was honored with the Best Driver award Wednesday night at the 16th annual ESPN-hosted sports awards show at Nokia Theatre.


JohnsonThe ESPYs are determined by online fan voting. Johnson was chosen over current Cup points leader Kyle Busch; 2007 Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar Series champion -- and now NASCAR rookie -- Dario Franchitti; this year's Indy 500 winner, Scott Dixon; Formula One star Lewis Hamilton; and four-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher.

"I'm so honored the fans voted for me," Johnson said. "There were so many great drivers nominated, and I'm humbled that I was chosen for the ESPY. It was definitely a team effort, and my guys are the best in the garage."

Johnson was nominated for Best Driver last year but lost out to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon. Johnson won 10 races in 2007, a career high.

Johnson was NASCAR's only winner Wednesday night. Busch, NASCAR's dominant driver this season with seven Cup victories, five Nationwide Series wins and two in the Craftsman Truck Series, also was nominated in the Best Breakthrough Athlete category. Fans voted that award to Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.

The 2007 Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway received a nomination in the Best Finish category for Jamie McMurray's .005-second victory over Busch -- the second-closest margin of victory since NASCAR instituted electronic scoring in 1993. The Best Finish honor went to Western Kentucky's first-round NCAA Basketball Tournament win over Drake on a last-second 3-pointer.