Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will become the first athlete to guest host ESPN's show SportsCenter this week on Nov. 19.
Johnson, who won his sixth title on Nov. 17, will be joined by anchors Lindsay Czarniak and John Anderson for the 6 p.m. show on ESPN, according to NASCAR.
"I don't know if SportsCenter knows what they are getting themselves into," Johnson said in a statement, according to NASCAR. "It's probably a good thing I'm there pretty much all day preparing. I've got some tough shoes to fill with Billy Crystal and Ken Jeong but I've met most of the anchors and I am really looking forward to becoming the first athlete to ever guest host SportsCenter."
The 12-year NASCAR veteran will join Billy Crystal and Ken Jeong as the only non-anchors to host ESPN's flagship show. Chrystal hosted in 2012, and Jeong hosted earlier this month on Nov. 1.
Johnson has appeared on SportsCenter a number of times during his 12-year career in the studio and via satellite, but never as a host. He has also appeared in a memorable commercial for the show where he is seen using a pickaxe to remove speed bumps in the ESPN parking lot.
SportsCenter debuted on Sept. 7, 1979 and reached the 50,000-episode mark in 2012. The show has aired more episodes than any TV show in U.S. history.
"We're always looking for opportunities to change it up and give SportsCenter viewers a different take on the day's news, have some fun and do some memorable television," said Jack Obringer, SportsCenter senior coordinating producer, in a press statement. "And having a six-time champion like Jimmie Johnson on your set is pretty cool."
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