After hanging up his NASCAR helmet in 2020, Jimmie Johnson shifted gears and tested the waters in IndyCar, running full-time seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 and 2022. His best showing came at Iowa Speedway in 2022, where he bagged a P5 finish after starting 12th and even led two laps in the Indianapolis 500.
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His second-best result came at Texas, where he placed sixth. However, by September 2022, Johnson announced he would not return full-time in 2023.
While his decision to step back from the country’s premier open-wheel series almost coincided with his move to purchase a stake in Legacy Motor Club that November, a deal likely already in the pipeline, it wasn’t the only factor. Johnson recently shed light on another reason — the punishing physical demands of driving an IndyCar.
Speaking on The Racer with Paul Tracy, a former Canadian standout in Champ Car, IndyCar, and CART, Johnson didn’t mince words about the toll it took.
“I couldn’t believe the physicality of the IndyCar. And you talk about no power steering and the implications of that, but man, the high heart rate stuff that I had to do to get ready, like the first offseason getting ready, and I used gym leo pit fit, I’m like, do I really need to do this much?”
He continued, “I went to I think my first test at Barber is when I realized the physical requirements and the intensity, the high heart rate intensity that went with it. Just such a physical challenge in those cars. Even hitting the brake pedal like we don’t have any brake pedal assist in IndyCars. So yeah, that 1400-1600 PSI, I mean, you’re generating that through your leg.”
Since then, while Johnson has made scattered NASCAR Cup Series appearances, he has stayed away from IndyCar racing. With his focus now firmly planted on building Legacy Motor Club from the ground up, he has entered only two Cup races this season, a sharp drop from the nine starts he made last year.
With Legacy MC’s recent switch to Toyota as a manufacturer and their alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, the newfound team owner is looking to build a winning team from the ground up. This could also serve as a chance for Johnson to continue with his cameo appearances n NASCAR, which is a win-win situation for his fans and the sport in general.
