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Jimmie Johnson to test a Ganassi IndyCar UPDATE

July 28, 2020 at 6:02 PM

UPDATE 3: Jimmie Johnson finally fulfilled his childhood dream of driving an Indy car with a test session Tuesday. When the seven-time NASCAR champion finished turning laps, he was sold on figuring out how to race next year in the IndyCar Series.

“It only lit the fire more. I want to do this more than ever before,” Johnson said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “It was something new, something different. NASCAR has been so good to me and I am so proud of the success I’ve had. But to try something new, man, this was really cool.”

Johnson still hopes to test with McLaren later this year and is determined to get into road or street course races in 2021. He’s softened his stance toward racing on ovals and the Indianapolis 500 because of IndyCar safety advancements, but said Tuesday that 2022 is probably the earliest he could consider expanding his schedule.

He also noted that his IndyCar future is contingent on finding sponsorship and hoped a successful first test will spark conversations about funding.

— Associated Press —

UPDATE 2: NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has rescheduled his outing with the Chip Ganassi Racing NTT IndyCar Series team for next Tuesday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

The seven-time Cup title winner will take to the road course after it’s used this weekend by the Ferrari Challenge series, and again on Monday by IndyCar and IMS with Myles Rowe, the first driver selected to test as part of the new Race for Equality & Change program launched by Penske Entertainment.

— Racer —

UPDATE: Due to Johnson’s positive COVID-19 test, his IndyCar test has been postponed.

ORIGINAL POST – 6/29/2020: Jimmie Johnson tweeted Monday that he will test an IndyCar next week. Chip Ganassi retweeted Johnson and announced that the test would be Wednesday, July 9 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Johnson has expressed an interest in running an IndyCar after he retires from NASCAR at the end of this season. Earlier this year Johnson competed in the IndyCar iRacing event at virtual Watkins Glen, finishing 16th.