(Photo: Cody Porter | The Podium Finish)
CONCORD, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson is set to make his third NASCAR Cup Series start since becoming a part owner of LEGACY Motor Club. The first two races haven’t necessarily gone to plan.
Johnson survived most of the Daytona 500 in February before picking up damage in a late-race crash to finish 31st. At Circuit of the Americas, he crashed on the first lap and finished 38th.
Two months removed from his last start, the seven-time Cup Series champion will have another opportunity in NASCAR’s backyard: the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
However, Johnson has lacked seat time in the Next Gen car. Outside of a brief test at Phoenix Raceway in January, Johnson hasn’t turned any laps with the new car at a traditional oval. Practice and qualifying were canceled Saturday because of weather, meaning his first competitive laps will come at the drop of the green flag.
“I feel about as ill-prepared for a race than I ever have in my life with the threat of rain and not getting any seat time in a Next Gen car at this particular track,” Johnson told the media on Saturday. “I was hopeful to get some laps today. The way that sim time works out and what’s available to the team – I think I made 30 or 40 laps a couple of weeks ago and was very hopeful that today I could be on track and develop a feel for the car and an idea of what to expect.”
Johnson raced in an era where multiple practice sessions and weekday tests were a norm in the Cup Series schedule. He said that the Gen 6 superspeedway package translated well to Daytona in the Next Gen car, but dealt with a learning curve at COTA.
“I rolled into COTA thinking – alright, it’s going to be like Daytona – and I was mistaken for that,” Johnson said. “These cars really do drive much differently – the mechanical grip level versus the aero-grip is much different. The shocks and the way the internal bump stops work, in addition to the external bump stops on the car. None of that was taking place when I was in the car last and the car drives so much different as a result.
“It is sad to me that in today’s world, we can’t go test to get ready for a race. And then a practice and qualifying session rains out and you get zero track time, you have to depend on the simulator. We’re very low on the totem pole with resources and sim time – I get 30 laps of sim time to get ready for a race. It’s a 600-mile race and we’ll make the best of it. But just logically, as I think through how big our sport is, how big this race is, how big the opportunity is – it’s just crazy that I can’t get properly prepared for this race.”
(Photo: Sean Folsom | The Podium Finish)
Beyond Sunday’s race, Johnson’s schedule as a driver hasn’t been announced. However, he’ll partake in history in two weeks as NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, Goodyear and IMSA are partnering to field an entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The car is a modified version of the Next Gen car.
Johnson will co-pilot the car with Mike Rockenfeller and Jensen Button — both legendary road racers with experience driving the Next Gen car. He’s set to leave for France on Monday, but that could be delayed should the weather lead to the postponement of the Coca-Cola 600.
“The reason I need to arrive early is to run in their simulator and learn their procedures and protocols,” Johnson said. “They’re aware of the potential rain delay and the fact that I might arrive to Paris later than my scheduled session on Wednesday morning. It appears that they’re willing to work with us and try to figure out how to get me some simulator time on Thursday or Friday, or even Wednesday evening if my flight just gets in late and has me behind schedule. So we’re actively working on that and feel really good about our options.”
Going forward, Johnson’s top priority is leading LEGACY M.C. as it prepares for a switch to Toyota in the off-season. He’ll likely climb behind the wheel of the No. 84 in more road course races as he said it benefits the program.
The fine line is balancing his competitive nature with what’s best for the organization, Johnson said.
“Getting through this weekend is going to be a big step in me deciding – we choose a lot of road course races for me in 2023, trying to help LEGACY Motor Club get better on road courses,” Johnson said. “We feel like we’ve seen some gains from that, especially the time I’ve been able to spend with Noah (Gragson) and Erik (Jones) – going to the sim, going to a driving school, driving some other cars and really just spending time together and honing that craft.
“I really do find that I’m thinking more about what’s best for the company than what’s best for me as the racer, especially coming back to NASCAR … When we take the No. 84 car to the track, is it hurting our program or is it helping our program? And if so, in which ways? When you think about crew personnel, inventory of parts and pieces, that’s one conversation. Notoriety, popularity, sponsorship dollars, all of those other aspects are another conversation. We’re always weighing the pros and cons out, and here before long we’ll start thinking about 2024 and what races make sense for me.”
