While nine races remain in Jimmie Johnson’s final NASCAR Cup Series season, the legendary seven-time champion is already firming up his plans, which will keep him active behind the wheel of race cars long after he walks away from NASCAR.
On Wednesday, Johnson released a video to Twitter, which reveals that he will be partnered with Chip Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar team during his part-time venture into the open-wheel series in 2021.
https://twitter.com/JimmieJohnson/status/1303708338035847168?s=20
“This is what I want to do in 2021,” Johnson said in the video, which was taken following his IndyCar test from earlier in the year. “Now it’s time to get to work. Find sponsorship for the team. I checked that box today, this is what I want to do in 2021.”
According to NBC Sports, Johnson’s IndyCar deal with Ganassi is a two year deal.
Chip Ganassi Racing, while being a NASCAR Cup Series team, is also one of the most successful IndyCar teams out there. CGR’s Scott Dixon leads the IndyCar championship standings after nine races in 2020. Dixon has already racked up four wins this season. So, Johnson will certainly have solid equipment to work with next season.
Johnson will run the full road course and street course event schedule in the 2021 and 2022 IndyCar seasons.
The 44-year old is without a doubt a first-ballot NASCAR Hall of Famer. In addition to his record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, Johnson has amassed 83-wins, 231 top-fives and 373 top-10s over a 677 race career.
Johnson barely missed out on the Playoffs in his final season as a full-time NASCAR Cup Series competitor, but even with a rocky finish to his career, his legacy remains very well intact.
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