Arrow McLaren to Prioritize Championship Battle Over Jimmie Johnson Debut in IndyCar: Reports

Both NASCAR and IndyCar are steadily approaching championship season and all eyes will be focused on that. However, the Arrow McLaren SP team is also looking forward to a test day with Jimmie Johnson. Unfortunately for the 44-year old, that test may be put on hold while the team focuses on the championship.

According to managing director Taylor Kiel, they are eager to help Patricio O’Ward challenge series leader Scott Dixon. There are just five races left this season, and time is running out for O’Ward, who sits in third. Admittedly, Dixon has built a 119-point lead to Ward, but he is 23 points away from Josef Newgarden.

“We’re focused on closing out this championship. We’ve got a shot. It’s a long shot with Mr. Dixon doing what he does on a day-to-day basis, but we’re battling till the very end,” Kiel said. “And that takes a lot of focus and effort on our part, so that’s really where our energy and effort is focused right now.”

Kiel is confident that Jimmie Johnson would echo his sentiments and focus on ending his NASCAR season. Only then will he be able to shift gears onto other ventures.

When will Jimmie Johnson make an appearance in IndyCar?

Initially, Johnson would have had a run in early April, but the COVID-19 pandemic threw a spanner in the works. Later on, Jimmie Johnson announced that 2020 would be his final full-season in NASCAR.

He tried to schedule another test in early July, but he tested positive for the virus. This put him out of that weekend’s NASCAR race. At last, he got his first taste of IndyCar machinery in late July, when he clocked nearly 125 laps with Scott Dixon at Indianapolis.

Recently, Jimmie Johnson spoke to former rival, Dale Earnhardt Jr in the Dale Jr podcast, about his Indy designs. He said, “Literally, following that test date, it sparked what I needed, and I’ve been able to tell the teams I’ve been talking with, ‘Hey, the interest is there.'”