INDIANAPOLIS – Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will get his first taste of the NTT IndyCar Series virtually.
Johnson, who has expressed interest in competing in the NTT IndyCar Series once his NASCAR career is over at the end of the season, has been named a guest driver for Saturday’s inaugural race of the IndyCar iRacing Challenge.
The event will feature most of the NTT IndyCar Series field taking on the virtual Watkins Glen Int’l in the American Red Cross Grand Prix.
Johnson was scheduled to test an Indy car April 6 with Arrow McLaren SP at Barber Motorsports Park, but those plans were put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic.
For the time being, he will settle for some virtual racing against the series’ best, and may get an opportunity to take on Barber Motorsports Park if he is planning to compete in round two of the IndyCar iRacing Challenge.
The event, which will last approximately 90 minutes, will be streamed through IndyCar.com. IndyCar’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, as well as iRacing’s Twitch, will serve as additional outlets for viewing.
The race is slated to begin at 4 p.m. ET.
The NBC broadcasting team of Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy will be calling the action. The pre-race activities will be highlighted by iconic national anthem singer Jim Cornelison adding his voice, as he has for the past three Indianapolis 500s.
The 25-driver entry list also includes Indianapolis 500 winners Will Power, Tony Kanaan, Simon Pagenaud and Alexander Rossi, defending NTT IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden and Australian Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin.