NASCAR and the IndyCar Series are the two eyes of motorsports in America. Drivers often transition from one to the other in the hopes of cementing their legacy further in racing history. One legend who went down that route is the seven-time Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson. He spoke about this changeover in a recent conversation with former IndyCar Series driver Paul Tracy.
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Stock car racing and open-wheel racing have an ocean of differences between them. Adapting between them is one hell of a job, as Kyle Larson’s difficulties with completing the Double on Memorial Day Weekend proved. Johnson and Tracy discussed the same in extensive detail, the former being an individual with a bunch of experience in both disciplines.
The NASCAR icon raced in the IndyCar Series in 2021 and 2022, after retiring from his Cup Series career. He said, “I had two amazing years and a lot of fun. But one thing that was really tough for me to grasp and part of that unlearning, I had to unwind and then relearn… is that in IndyCar, as you start getting close to pace, the car starts moving around a little bit.”
“In a stock car, when it moves around, you’re at the threshold of the mechanical grip that’s available because it’s more mechanical grip than aero grip. So, you back up a step. In an Indy Car, you’re just getting into the bottom side of the performance window. When it moves around, you’ve got to commit more, and there’s more if you’re going faster.”
