Courtesy Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson has sent the checkered flag waving too many times to count, but the dad’s latest competitor may be too tough to beat.
While his daughter Genevieve Marie shows interest in his race cars, the NASCAR champ admits her latest fan loyalties lie with Taylor Swift.
“She loves music. Anytime we’re in the car, she’s asking for [Taylor],” Johnson told PEOPLE Jan. 28 at a New York City photo shoot for ESPN The Magazine‘s upcoming music issue, which hits newsstands Friday.
“She knows the name of the songs she wants to hear.”
While her dad is revving it up on the racetrack, Genevieve prefers to spend time playing with princesses and all things pink. “She is all girl … and I mean everything,” he says. “Down to her plate and her fork — it is all princesses [and] Cinderella.”
The only thing balancing out the 2½-year-old’s fairytale collection? Her mini Matchbox replica of Johnson’s race car.
“She knows about my race car and watches racing and always asks, ‘Daddy’s race?’ I’m like, ‘No, wrong car, wrong style of race car,’” he shares. “She has a little race car of mine that she’ll carry around … [it's] the one part she has [that's not girlie].”
Matthias Clamer/ESPN The Magazine
– Anya Leon with reporting by Michelle Ward
