The only time the smile has left Jimmie Johnson’s face this week is when somebody mentioned his upcoming appearance on stage Friday night at NASCAR’s annual awards ceremony.

There hasn’t been much else to frown about for Johnson in 2007, a season in which he improved on most of his 2006 numbers on the way to a second straight Nextel Cup championship.

“I’ve been having a great time since I crossed the finish line at Homestead (two weeks ago), knowing that we had the championship wrapped up,” Johnson said. “But every time I think about making that speech, I get a little bit of nerves and wish that part was over. We’re not trained for that kind of stuff.”

At least this time, Johnson managed to prepare the speech early in the week. Last year, the then-new champion kept putting it off because, first, he couldn’t figure out how to get started and, once he did get going, he couldn’t figure out how to cram all the thank yous into the allotted time.

“That’s the hardest part of it,” Johnson said as he prepared to step onto the stage at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel to collect another big payout. “You want to thank everybody who ever did anything to help you get to this point and, believe me, that’s a lot of people.”

Chandra Johnson, Jimmie’s wife, understands her husband’s nerves.

“He doesn’t worry about driving a race car 200 miles an hour inches away from other drivers, but standing up there, in front of everybody, telling people how much they mean to him is tough.

“But you know, it means he’s the champion, and he’ll get through it just fine.”

The banquet was highlighted by a tribute to Bill France Jr., the late NASCAR chairman who died in June at the age of 74.

There was a moving tribute by longtime TV anchorman and France friend Tom Brokaw, who said France, known to everyone as Bill Jr., was the “personification of the American dream.”

Another special moment came when the Bill France Award Of Excellence, named after Bill Jr.’s father, NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., was given to longtime broadcaster Barney Hall.

Johnson will collect the winner’s share of the huge season and points fund payout. He collected a record $15,770,125 last year and came up just a little short of that this year at $15,313,920, including $7,646,421 from the season points fund.

That brings Johnson’s career earnings to $59,531,336.

More at Myfox/AP