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FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 20: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, speaks to the media after the NTT IndyCar Series XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway on March 20, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
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FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MARCH 20: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, speaks to the media after the NTT IndyCar Series XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway on March 20, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Without a doubt, the biggest bombshell dropped near the end of the 2022 Cup season. Jimmie Johnson was returning to the NASCAR Cup Series. However, this was not a reunion with Hendrick Motorsports, but a tie-up with fellow 7-time Cup champion Richard Petty. The best part is that not only is he a part-owner of the Petty GMS Motorsports team, but he will also be racing.
Of course, one big question will be about the racing number that Johnson will use. Despite his history, the #48 is out of the question, as Alex Bowman is using it. Additionally, the Hendrick Motorsports team owns that number, and they have no plans to give it up.
And then my mind says, I was born in 75… so maybe that’s my move. https://t.co/YUxoklMG8J
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) December 17, 2022
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With that out of the way, the big question is, which number will Johnson use? The Petty GMS Motorsports team decided to tease the fans a little, in this aspect. They dropped a small riddle, suggesting the number that he should use for the upcoming campaign. The ploy worked, and it wasn’t long before it went viral.
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How did Jimmie Johnson react to the fun?
Petty GMS Motorsport’s suggestion was that he should use the #74 number. However, Johnson countered that with his own suggestion of #75. His justification was that he was born in 1975, so in his words, ‘that was my move’. Of course, this kind of statement could mean anything, and this is just his way of messing with the fans. Whatever he and the team decide, it will be exciting to see which number he will use.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – JANUARY 29: Jimmie Johnson driver of the #48 Ally Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi, looks on before the start of the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway on January 29, 2022 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
The first opportunity will be at the Daytona 500. Over the season, there will surely be other chances for him to race in. Without a doubt, an announcement may soon come where the team will confirm his racing number. One also has to wonder whether his two seasons away from the NASCAR Cup Series will affect him. After all, this could be his first time in the Next Gen car, and the other drivers have grown used to it.
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