Lewis Franck presents Jimmie Johnson with the First Quarter DOTY award and TISSOT watch.

On the track and in the media’s opinion, Jimmie Johnson was simply the best as he was voted the winner of the DRIVER OF THE YEAR for the first quarter of the 2010 racing season.

Johnson, the four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion and three-time DRIVER OF THE YEAR, led his series’ points standing and garnered the most first-place votes in the balloting by leading broadcasters and journalists in the United States.

The driver of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet humbly reacted upon learning of his media accolade.

“I certainly appreciate the motorsports press recognizing the efforts of the No. 48 Lowe’s team and respect the competition we were up against,” Johnson said.

Johnson, 34, had a streak of three wins in four races, and six top-nine finishes in the first quarter, which ended on April 19th.

Barry Schmoyer, President of the Driver of the Year Foundation, said “Johnson’s performance is a lot like that tune, ‘Simply the Best’. He and his team perform like no others.”

In the voting, Johnson took 11 first-place ballots and totaled 129 points according to the DRIVER OF YEAR points system. Australia’s Will Power, the Penske Racing driver of the IZOD IndyCar Series No.12 Verizon car was second with two first-place votes and 101 points. Power won two of the four races, three poles and no finish worse than fourth.

John Force the 1996 DRIVER OF THE YEAR, racing in the NHRA’s POWERade Funny Car division was tied with NASCAR’s Sprint Cup driver, Denny Hamlin for third in the voting with 48 points. Force had three first-place votes and Hamlin had two.

A total of 18 drivers scored points in the first quarter voting, including fifth place Jason Meyers, from the World of Outlaws, who had one first-place vote.

In its’ 44th year, the DRIVER OF THE YEAR title is unique. A panel of 20 leading journalists from across the U.S. determines the winner. In quarterly voting, points are awarded on a declining 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis. Johnson will receive a trophy and a Tissot wristwatch to be presented at Infineon Raceway Toyota/SaveMart 350 weekend June 18-20.

“It’s been a good start to the season and I’m proud of what our team has accomplished so far,” Johnson added as he seeks an unprecedented fifth-straight Sprint Cup title.

. President of the DRIVER OF THE YEAR Foundation is Barry Schmoyer, businessman and sportsman of Sarasota, Florida.

Further information on the award may be obtained from DRIVER OF THE

YEAR Foundation, PO Box 49827, Sarasota, Florida 34230 or from (941) 379-2318 or email: HYPERLINK “mailto:barrydoty@yahoo.com” barrydoty@yahoo.com

– Lewis Franck is a member of the DRIVER OF THE YEAR panel of journalists