Six-time NASCAR Cup champion finished 21t in the standings while running full season in 2022.
- Jimmie Johnson also did not reveal how many IndyCar races he will compete in—or if he’ll compete in any at all—next season.
- In 2022, Johnson competed in the full 17-race NTT IndyCar season, finishing 21st in the season standings.
- Johnson will take part in a media teleconference Tuesday morning to discuss his decision further.
In a somewhat vague statement Monday morning, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said he will not return to a full-time schedule in the NTT IndyCar Series in 2023.
However, Johnson also did not reveal how many IndyCar races he will compete in—or if he’ll compete in any at all—next season.
Speculation is the El Cajon, Calif. Native will likely drive in just a handful of races, while also exploring opportunities in other racing series including IMSA and WEC.
“This was a difficult choice for me, but in my heart, I know it’s the right one,” Johnson said in his statement. “I’m not exactly sure what the next chapter holds but if an opportunity comes along that makes sense, I will consider it. I still have a bucket list of racing events I would like to take part in.”
Jimmie Johnson has made 29 NTT IndyCar Series starts during his two years in the series.
Icon SportswireGetty Images
IndyCar is expected to announce its 2023 schedule in the next week. Where the series races could have a profound impact on what Johnson does going forward. Speculation already has him racing in the Indianapolis 500 for a second time, as well as the Long Beach Grand Prix and potentially a few other races, but that remains to be seen.
However, team owner Chip Ganassi may have dropped a big hint about Johnson’s future when he said in the same statement, “We are fully supportive of Jimmie. He has been a valued member of our team and if we can find a way to continue working together, we would like to do so.”
The operative words “if we can find a way to continue working together” doesn’t exactly project a lot of confidence in multiple races. It’s possible Johnson may ultimately wind up doing what his teammate, Tony Kanaan, did in 2022, racing only in the Indianapolis 500 for Chip Ganassi Racing (finished third). Kanaan is expected to repeat his Indy-only ride, pending sponsorship, for CGR in 2023.
Johnson, 47, spent the last two seasons racing for CGR. He competed in a part-time schedule in 2021, taking part in 12 of the series’ 16 races (he skipped all oval races), ending up 26th in the final standings. In 2022, he competed in the full 17-race season, finishing 21sr in the season standings.
His best finish in 29 races was fifth in the second Iowa race this past season, as well as sixth at Texas—not coincidentally, both tracks are ovals, which is Johnson’s specialty as a race car driver.
However, facts are facts: Despite all his success in NASCAR, Johnson couldn’t translate that to open-wheel racing, unfortunately being a back-marker for much of his IndyCar “career.” He finished 20th or worse in 18 of his 29 starts, including a 28th-place finish in his first effort in this year’s Indianapolis 500.
Johnson will take part in a media teleconference Tuesday morning to discuss his decision further, and potentially enlighten the media on his plans for 2023.
Sponsorship for Johnson may also have played into his decision to step back from full-time racing. Carvana was his primary sponsor in the 2022 season, but has had financial and legal difficulties for the last several months and its future is uncertain.
However, Carvana pledged Monday that it will continue to support Johnson in whatever racing exploits he takes part in, be it IndyCar, IMSA, WEC or perhaps even a one-off return to NASCAR—which appears unlikely anyway.
“During the past two years, Jimmie Johnson has been so amazing to collaborate with,” said Carvana co-founder and Chief Brand Officer Ryan Keeton. “Our team admires his passion, hard work and commitment to continuous improvement while also having fun, and we look forward to continuing to support him next year in this new chapter.”
Johnson chose to make his announcement on the same day that the final episode of the eight-part docuseries “Reinventing the Wheel,” which followed Johnson through his sophomore season in IndyCar, was released. It also has Johnson explaining further his decision to step back from a full-time schedule.
To watch the full series, click here.
Here is the full statement from Jimmie Johnson:
“I’ve made the decision that I will not compete full-time in 2023. This was a difficult choice for me, but in my heart, I know it’s the right one. I’m not exactly sure what the next chapter holds but if an opportunity comes along that makes sense, I will consider it. I still have a bucket list of racing events I would like to take part in. Competing at this level in INDYCAR has been such a great experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to race for than Chip Ganassi and Chip Ganassi Racing. Everyone worked extremely hard for the last two seasons, pushing to get the best performances out of me every single week. The support from my crew and teammates Dario (Franchitti), Scott (Dixon), Tony (Kanaan), Marcus (Ericsson) and Alex (Palou) went above and beyond anything I could have ever asked for. I’m thankful for the partnership with a company like Carvana for allowing me to take this journey in INDYCAR, for seeing the value in our partnership and being open to future opportunities together. They have truly showed me that there are no finish lines in life. Along with Carvana, The American Legion, Ally, cbdMD and Frank August were there every step of the way and I couldn’t have done it without all of them. Most importantly – and the true rockstars in all of this – my family – Chani, Evie and Lydia… they have always allowed me to chase my dreams and we are all just really excited about what the future holds for all of us. I have enjoyed every minute of these last two years.”
Follow Autoweek correspondent Jerry Bonkowski on Twitter @JerryBonkowski
Keyword: Jimmie Johnson Scaling Back IndyCar Schedule in 2023