“There’s Definitely an Interest” – Jimmie Johnson on His Desire to Tackle Road Courses in NASCAR

Recently, news broke regarding the 2021 NASCAR calendar, which is set to feature multiple road courses. However, Jimmie Johnson will have very few opportunities to compete on them. This is because he is walking away from full-time NASCAR racing after the 2020 season.

Speaking at a ‘Drive for the Cure 250’ event, he said, “There’s definitely an interest. I feel like road course racing for a part-time car number driver is probably the most competitive style of racing that I could compete in. I’ve not had any conversations and don’t know where this will go. Now I see the schedule this morning and understanding where they’re racing. There’s definitely some interesting tracks that I’d love to race on.”

What does the future hold for Jimmie Johnson?

With his NASCAR chapter closing, Johnson is set to start a new one with IndyCar. The 45-year-old is teaming up with the Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) team on a two-year deal and will partner with Scott Dixon.

The seven-time NASCAR champion is aiming to finalize a sponsorship with the team to race on road and street courses. Once he successfully secures funding, his contract allows him to compete in select NASCAR events.

This is largely because CGR fields only two cars in the Cup Series. Going back to long-time employers, Hendrick Motorsports, is out of the question, as the outfit fields a maximum of four cars and there would be no room for Johnson.

The good news is that Jimmie Johnson is not a complete novice in the open-wheel format. Aside from a couple of demo runs in a Formula One car, he tested an Indy car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Ganassi in July.

Johnson’s 2021 schedule will feature approximately 15 events. It is noteworthy that the initial 2020 schedule of the IndyCar Series comprised of at least 12 road and street course events. However, nobody could have predicted a global pandemic crashing down on the world and forcing several cancelations.