Jimmie Johnson Is Going To Attempt A New Kind Of Double Duty For Indianapolis 500 And Coca-Cola 600
Kyle Larson won't be the only one who is going to have an insanely busy day on May 26 with news that NASCAR great Jimmie Johnson will be pulling double-duty that day, only he'll be doing it in a way that no one has before.
Sure, Larson will be the first driver to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 since Kurt Busch did it in 2014, but it has been done before a bunch of times. No one has ever done what Johnson is going to do and that is being part of the Indianapolis 500 broadcast, then jetting down to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600.
It was announced on Tuesday that Johnson will be part of NBC's pre and post-race coverage for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" and then will drive the No. 84 Toyota for the NASCAR Team he co-owns, Legacy Motor Club.
Sure, physically, it might be a little easier than what Larson's doing, but it's awesome that no one has ever done it before.
Jimmie Johnson is going to have a busy day on May 26. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
"To have the opportunity to experience ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ once again is such an honor," Johnson said in a statement. "I was part of the NBC broadcast team in 2021, and it just fueled the fire I needed to make my childhood dream of racing in the Indianapolis 500 one day a reality. Competing in this race as a driver was a chance of a lifetime, so to be able to experience the pageantry again is just so special."
Johnson took part in the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2022 and finished 28th.
"Even though I’ve never been able to do the ‘double’ as a driver, May 26th is going to be a very busy day. After the broadcast, I’ll fly to Charlotte Motor Speedway and drive in the Coca-Cola 600. I’m so thankful to NBC for the opportunity and continued partnership."
I'm a sucker for this kind of thing. It's always cool to see drivers getting involved with different series no matter how they're doing it.
Now, I'm wondering if he and Kyle Larson will split a private jet from Indy to Charlotte or take their own and crank CO2 into the air like Taylor Swift.