Jimmie Johnson no longer has the inclination to participate in racing on a full-time basis, but he is not yet prepared to completely abandon competition.
At the age of 48, Johnson will participate in nine NASCAR Cup Series races this season for Legacy Motor Club, the team he co-owns. However, the organization is also venturing into Extreme E, and Johnson, a former off-road racer, will share driving duties with Gray Leadbetter.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer retired from full-time stock car racing in 2020 and subsequently competed in the NTT IndyCar Series in 2021 and 2022, participating in select sports car events.
“The demanding nature of it – the constant grind – does take a toll on me, which is why I decided not to extend my participation in IndyCar and sports car racing last year,” Johnson stated prior to this weekend’s Daytona 500. “I had the opportunity to do so, but the commitment required to compete in a full-time season in any championship was something I knew I didn’t have the capacity for, to participate in 17 IndyCar races and a few sports car races. However, I still yearn for the desire to drive, race, compete, experience the nervousness and excitement, and the intense focus that racing demands.”
Johnson aimed to establish a schedule consisting of nine or ten races for this season, ultimately settling on nine due to available resources and sponsorship. As a two-time Daytona 500 champion, Johnson commences his campaign with the goal of securing a spot in the field. This marks the third time in his career that he must qualify for the race due to the absence of a guaranteed starting position (2002; 2023; 2024).
“I believe we all understand that there are certain aspects of the job that we wish didn’t exist while being on the road, but in order to truly perform the job, I love it,” Johnson continued. “I have pursued it my entire life, and it’s difficult… to put it into perspective, it’s like asking a guitarist or someone similar to set aside their instrument at the age of 48 or 45. Even in stick and ball professional sports, most athletes have to retire in their late 30s.
“When you spend your entire life pursuing your passion as a career, and then you have to let it go, it just doesn’t seem realistic to me. That’s what I continue to chase.”
While Johnson’s presence in NASCAR is not unfamiliar, his partnership with Legacy Motor Club is. For the first time in his Cup Series career, Johnson will be driving a vehicle other than a Chevrolet, as Toyota has become the manufacturer partner of Legacy Motor Club.
David Wilson, the president of TRD, humorously remarked in January, “… we have Jimmie Johnson driving a Toyota Camry. Can you believe that? Fans are going to be ecstatic.”
On Wednesday night, Johnson will take to the track in his No. 84 Toyota Camry for the first time. When asked about his expectations for the reception he will receive this season, Johnson responded with a laugh, stating, “Everyone on Twitter has been so kind that I’m expecting a standing ovation out there.”
According to the Source racer.com