Jimmie Johnson Withdraws From NASCAR Race After Tragic Family Deaths

2024-12-24 10:58:50 source: category:My

Jimmie Johnson is taking a step back from racing. 

The race car driver's team, Legacy Motor Club, shared that they will be withdrawing his car from the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series event amid his family's heartbreaking tragedy. 

"LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has elected to withdraw the No. 84 Carvana Chevrolet from this weekend's NASCAR Cup Series event in Chicago," the team wrote on their website. "The Johnson family has asked for privacy at this time and no further statements will be made." 

The announcement comes after Jimmie's family suffered the loss of his mother-in-law Terry Janway, 68, father-in-law Jack Janway, 69, and 11-year-old nephew Dalton in an apparent murder-suicide in Oklahoma on June 26.

Terry, the mother of Johnson's wife Chandra, is believed to be the primary suspect in the killings, authorities confirmed to E! News.

Muskogee Police Department Chief of Police Johnny Teehee said in a press release that at approximately 9:05 p.m. on June 26 officials received a call from a woman who stated "that there was a disturbance and someone had a gun and then hung up."

"When officers arrived on scene they saw a subject laying in the hallway inside the front door," he continued. "Shortly after arriving officers heard another gunshot from further inside the house. Officers conducted a rescue of the subject laying inside the hallway and determined the subject was deceased."

After authorities requested for occupants inside the house to emerge and additional officers arrived, "a search of the residence was conducted and two more subjects were found deceased inside the residence."

No further details have been shared publicly at this time.

In the wake of the news, Jimmie's racing family sharing their support for his family.

"We are saddened by the tragic deaths of members of Chandra Johnson's family," NASCAR said in a statement to E!. "The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest support and condolences during this difficult time to Chandra, Jimmie and the entire Johnson & Janway families."

Muskogee Mayor Marlon Coleman also addressed the tragedy, noting his personal connection to the family.

"It was traumatizing to find out that a long-standing family who had made so many contributions to our community were involved in this type of incident. It was even more bone-chilling to find out there was a child involved," he told Fox23. "I knew Dr. Janway. Dr Janway has worked on me, we've been acquaintances for a very, very long time since I've been in Muskogee. Just knowing that it was him and his family took a different toll on me."

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