Johnson eyes IndyCar road races in future
Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson says he’s interested in running IndyCar but is likely to opt for road course races than the ovals he’s more used to running in stock cars.

Following his ride-swap with Fernando Alonso, in which Johnson drove a Formula 1 2013 McLaren-Mercedes MP4-28 V8 at Bahrain International Circuit, and Alonso drove a Hendrick Chevrolet NASCAR, Johnson was asked if open-wheel racing would be of interest.
“Without a doubt,” responded Johnson, who grew up with Indy car legend Rick Mears as his hero. “2020 is my last year under contract with Hendrick, and I’ve been approached many times about the Indy 500.
“I’m not overly excited about those fast ovals, but I think with my status and relationships I could put together some road course races in IndyCar.
“I’ve done sportscar racing in the past, I’ve finished second in the Rolex 24 a couple of times in the Prototype division, I’d love to get back to doing that. Anything’s open.
“I’m far from done, I want to keep driving and hopefully I can find some good opportunities.”
Johnson who, like Mears, started his four-wheel career in off-road racing, admitted that the last time he’d tried an open-wheel car had been a “single-seater desert buggy [with] a 1600cc Volkswagen engine in it – maybe ’94…” confirmed he’d not driven an open-wheel car on a circuit. He explained that he approved of racers being more versatile.
“I feel like drivers at a young age have to decide if they’re going to drive sedans or open-wheel cars,” he stated. “I don’t know if that’s right, if it’s right for that judgment to take place.
“I look back at some of my heroes – and I know some of them are yours – but when you look at Parnelli Jones, Mario [Andretti], Dan Gurney, Emmo [Fittipaldi], they raced anything. And I don’t know where that got lost. In the ’80s or ’90s, it was ‘You’re just open wheel and you’re just sedan.’
“I don’t know why that’s there. I feel like an open-minded driver – and one that’s ready to work – could cross and go either direction. We’ve seen quite a few open-wheel guys try NASCAR and they’ve been competitive. I don’t think there’s been as many victories as some would have thought, but they’ve been competitive.
“No-one has gone the other way. So I would love to see somebody go the other way.”

Previous article
Wickens walks with aid of gait trainer
Next article
Gateway IndyCar race to be supported by NASCAR K&N Pro Series

About this article
Series | IndyCar , NASCAR |
Drivers | Jimmie Johnson |
Author | David Malsher-Lopez |
Johnson eyes IndyCar road races in future
Trending
IndyCar: Romain Grosjean tests the car
IndyCar Rookie of the Year: Rinus Veekay
IndyCar: Scott McLaughlin's rookie testing
Is Arrow McLaren SP ready for IndyCar’s title fight?
With Patricio O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist leading its line-up, 2021 could be the year Arrow McLaren SP-Chevrolet joins the IndyCar elite, writes David Malsher-Lopez.
Dale Coyne picks the Top 10 drivers in his giant-slaying team
Over 37 seasons, Dale Coyne has run no fewer than 80 Indy car drivers – including himself! Ahead of his first season running Romain Grosjean, we asked Coyne to pick the best 10 drivers ever to compete for him. By David Malsher-Lopez.
Why enigmatic Marco Andretti will be missed
Last Friday, Marco Andretti announced he is withdrawing from fulltime IndyCar racing. David Malsher-Lopez explains how this third-gen racer was a puzzle in the car, but a straight shooter off-track.
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Is the mighty McLaren M16 the greatest ever Indy car?
When founder Bruce McLaren died in June 1970, his team could have folded. Instead, his loyal band rallied to produce a string of winners - including an Indy car game-changer that won three Indy 500s in six years.
How Newgarden delivered his best season, yet still lost
Josef Newgarden was our pick as top IndyCar driver of 2020 but his finest season-long run of performances failed to yield the championship. David Malsher-Lopez explains why.
2020 IndyCar Review and Top 10 drivers of the year
David Malsher-Lopez explains how the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series was unlike any other, and why it featured familiar and unfamiliar faces competing for glory.
How Dixon won his sixth IndyCar title, in his own words
Chip Ganassi Racing’s newly crowned six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon takes us round by round through his remarkable season. David Malsher-Lopez listens.