Jimmie Johnson, a 7x Cup champion, and winner of the Daytona 500 on two occasions, is feeling the pressure ahead of the Great American Race. After making it into the main event through the Duels, Johnson is aware of the weight on his shoulders ahead of the 500.
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It all comes down to the business side of things. Besides being a part-time driver, he is also the co-owner of a full-fledged NASCAR team, that houses two full-time entries: the driver of the #42 machine John Hunter Nemechek, and the driver of the #43 Toyota, Erik Jones.
So naturally, the pressure of living up to the expectations of his sponsors is huge.
“It’s heavier,” Johnson admitted. “I feel the weight of the partnerships, from corporate partners to my partner Maury Gallagher action everybody at Legacy Motor Club. I’ve always had a sense of team and have felt that I’m out there representing a team.”
“This just had a much different feeling of representing a lot more people on a lot deeper level.”
Amidst qualifying miseries, can Jimmie Johnson snap his winless streak?
While talking about the general lack of pace in the new Toyota Camry XSE, Jimmie Johnson told Bob Pockrass that he has expected more out of himself and his team. “I had higher expectations for sure,” he said. “We are lumped right there with the other Toyotas. The #43 car got a little bit more out of it, so I wish we got a bit more out of ours, but it is what it is.”
“I’ve never been in this position… I came down here mentally prepared to race my way in if that was required. Spent a lot of time studying the environment in the Duels, and the way the race will unfold and just get out there and race hard,” he added.
Jimmie Johnson on not locking into the Daytona 500 field during single-car qualifying with his fate determined by the duels Thursday: “I thought we were going to be in a little better position than this. But it is what it is. We’ll go to work.” pic.twitter.com/XxCG76wXHB
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 15, 2024
In general, Johnson’s usual self, or the self most NASCAR fans associate him with, hasn’t been seen since his return as a part-time driver last season. All three races he took part in last year ended up with a DNF result. Johnson also has an active 133-race-long winless streak going on to Sunday’s race at Daytona International Speedway.
But then again, he is a 7x Cup champion, a Hall of Famer, a 2x Daytona 500 winner who really has nothing to prove anymore.
