Jimmie Johnson Returning to NASCAR as Driver, Owner with Petty GMS
Johnson is returning to NASCAR in a driver/ownership role that will have him competing in select Cup Series races next season. The agreement with the Petty GMS organization brings together two seven-time Cup champions along with founder Maury Gallagher. The team currently has two full-time cars, with Erik Jones returning to the No. 43 Chevrolet next year, and Noah Gragson driving the No. 32 in his rookie campaign.
The team will field a third car for Johnson in a handful of races, and he will make his 20th Daytona 500 start in February. Johnson is a two-time winner of the Great American Race, and has a total of 83 career Cup victories. This will be his first start since the 2020 season finale and his first race with a different team. All of Johnson's 686 starts have been with Hendrick Motorsports.
"It's great to be back in NASCAR," Johnson said. "When the IndyCar season ended I started on this journey of what was next. Maury and I connected, this opportunity came to light, and it's the perfect fit for me. I've had a watchful eye on the ownership part and what's happening with NASCAR, and I want to be part of it."
When the opportunity came to light, Johnson immediately reached out to Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, who were excited for him. "This is a tremendous day for our sport," Hendrick said. "Seeing Jimmie in a fire suit with his name on the roof of a Chevrolet at the Daytona 500 is going to be very special for a lot of people. We welcome his return to NASCAR and look forward to the next chapter of a truly remarkable career."
Today's announcement should not come as a major surprise. Gordon had an ownership role in Johnson's No. 48 car during his career. Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin are both full-time drivers that are also co-owners in the sport. The rise of teams like GMS and Trackhouse Racing with Justin Marks are just another example of the opportunities that exist.
Johnson, who just turned 47 years old in September, has a few other races on his bucket list for next season. He is hopeful that NASCAR will make him eligible for the 2023 All-Star race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The four-time Coca-Cola 600 winner would also like to compete in that race again, which leads to the big question - what about doing "The Double" next year?
The 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year is certainly up for the challenge, but he is currently in a holding pattern regarding the IndyCar side of things. Chip Ganassi Racing is still working on finalizing their program for next season, which may or may not have a seat to bring Johnson back.
More details of the races, sponsors, car number, etc for Johnson will be announced at a later date.
