When Jimmie Johnson shifted his career from NASCAR to IndyCar in 2021, he joined one of the most successful teams on the grid.
Chip Ganassi Racing was the reigning series champion with Scott Dixon, who had just earned his sixth personal title, and the team was stacked with talent even before the seven-time NASCAR champion was brought aboard.
Despite having such established success, Chip Ganassi felt that Johnson could add an element to his team that nobody else could provide.
Heading into this year’s Indy 500, Ganassi still feels that bringing him aboard was the right decision, and that the entire team has benefitted from his presence.
“Unquestionably it’s a good thing for our team,” said Ganassi. “I’ve said it before, anytime you can bring a seven-time champion of anything into your team it’s going to lift your team up.
“I think when Jimmie came into our team in ’21 we were the champions in ’20, and he lifted our team, even though we were the champions. I think for me, it’s been a very, very positive experience, and I look forward to continuing it.
“His [performance] is just a nice curve of improvement. I think more importantly, just a nice — you can tell by talking to Jimmie at the end of the day or whatever that he seems to be very comfortable in the car and no surprises.
“So I think that’s the best any car owner could ask for is, when you’re talking to your drivers at the end of the day they’re not amped up or nervous or talking in a high tone of voice or talking real quickly or down and out or something. They seem very comfortable and calm.”
This year, Johnson agreed to run the entire IndyCar schedule, adding the oval discipline to the open wheel road course experience he gained last year.
That has so far proved to be a worthwhile transition, as the 46-year-old has used his oval prowess to grab is first IndyCar top 10 finish at Texas Motor Speedway and helped the Ganassi team to place all five of its drivers into the Top 12 qualifying session for the Indy 500.
With a combined 15 top-level championships between the drivers on his team, Chip Ganassi’s motto of ‘I like winners’ is currently providing the successful owner with plenty to smile about.
… the slowest, clumsiest driver in Chip Ganassi Racing history, the principle reason Johnson has a CGR seat is, he makes good television commercials. Embarrassment to organized motor sport, Jimmy Johnson is slower than Tatiana Calderón –
Face facts, sad truth be told, Jimmy Johnson sucks. Everybody knows it. What bugsabout the deal, how Indycar assumes it viewers are mindless dittoheads; how Indycar marketing has its 3 whores — Leigh Diffy, Townsend Bell, James Hinchcliff — glossing up Jimmy Johnson, selling us how much he’s improved! How he’s doing so much better!
You can’t make a silk purse from a sows ear. Moose slow, Jimmy Johnson’s the slowest guy on Indycar’s grid since Milka Dunno and Danica Patrick.
Chip Ganassi pimps tin-top Johnson an Indycar ride, but for one reason: because the Carvana people say so.
Texas, where the IRL mandates horsepower to 60%, Johnson might manage a top 10. Uncork that Dallara, dial up the boost, anything beyond 500 horsepower, Johnson’s is a fish out of water. The only people Johnson is impressing are, the Carvava people, who could care not one iota how many of Chip Ganassi’s cars Johnson crashes.
It’s all about the money when it comes to Johnson. Carvana are paying millions for Jimmy to race in Indycar. I am a JJ fan, but if he is serious about this Indycar ride they need to put him through the road to Indy program. He continues to ride around in the back of the pack. He is taking a ride from a young driver that deserves a chance.