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Jimmie Johnson’s ownership stake in Petty GMS and plans to compete in select NASCAR events next year have cast doubt on whether he will compete in the Indianapolis 500 again.
That is now looking less likely, for reasons including but not limited to the manufacturer conflict which his deal to buy into Petty GMS creates.
The squad runs Chevrolets whereas Chip Ganassi Racing, the team which fielded the 47-year-old in IndyCar, is a Honda outfit in that category.
Opportunities to drive a Chevrolet-powered car in the Indianapolis 500 also look thin on the ground, not that Johnson gave any indication that he was in talks with anyone else while speaking on the Petty GMS deal.
“I’ve kept Chip in the loop,” said the seven-time Cup Series champion.
“We’re obviously hopeful there is some form of IndyCar involvement for me. That’s still very much an objective for myself.
“Chip’s trying to figure out what makes sense for the four full-time cars and ‘Will there be a fifth car at Indy?’
“In conjunction with that, he’s got a WEC [World Endurance Championship] programme that’s he’s trying to start and get people over to Europe with cars and equipment, so he’s been very busy.
“We’ve talked a few times. He knows what’s going on, and we both still do have an interest to try to have me in one of his Indy cars.
“There’s still just a lot to sort out, including, of course, the manufacturer piece.”
A second stumbling block is what Johnson’s own calendar looks like, including the potential for direct clashes with parts of the Indy 500 event.
Petty GMS’s announcement stated that he “will compete in a select number of NASCAR Cup Series events in 2023, to include the running of the 65th annual Daytona 500.”
However, another of the events which the Californian is eyeing off is the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro on May 21, the second day of qualifying at The Brickyard.
That much is a moot point if Johnson does not qualify in the top 12 and the Indy 500 format does not change, although it is something which Johnson is mindful of.
“I noticed that on the schedule,” he remarked.
“But I haven’t arrived at that conversation yet.”
Johnson also previously stated a desire for eight to 10 IndyCar races this year, but that could become a stretch for someone who is no longer a full-time driver once his NASCAR events are factored in.
Thus far, Ganassi has its other three 2022 IndyCar full-timers locked in for the season ahead, namely Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, six-time champion Scott Dixon, and 2021 champion Alex Palou.
