SWITCHING GEARS
With seven championships and 83 victories, Jimmie Johnson wrapped up one of the most decorated careers in NASCAR Cup Series history when the 45-year-old native of El Cajon, Calif., climbed from the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for the final time Nov. 8 at Phoenix Raceway.
“This is not a retirement from driving race cars. This is slowing down from 38 weekends a year,” Johnson emphasized. “Nineteen years in Cup and two in the Xfinity Series, plus everything before that. I want a little bit more balance.”
And that balance will include a limited schedule of races in the NTT IndyCar Series where Johnson will run the street and road course events in a car fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing.
“When I tested Chip’s Indy car earlier in the year, it only lit the fire more,” Johnson said.