Jimmie Johnson is still “behind the scenes” on plans to make his 24 Hours Le Mans debut in 2023 with the next-gen Camaro from NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports.
The Seven Cup Series champion said Tuesday morning “eagerly” confirms the confirmation of the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series schedule, which is expected to have an open weekend to allow for the celebratory endurance race in France.
I want to go to Le Mans It would be a wonderful experience to go with Hendrick and Action Express and see how this whole company works,” said Johnson. “But I think being released on the ballot is really pivotal, so I can understand if I can, and even part of the company, what kind of drivers were at the top of them Thanks to the informant, I’ve had a few conversations with them, and I know what’s important. I’m sure that’s a ton of interest to do. We’re still waiting for the first owner to shoot.
“I feel like the interest is really high on both sides. We couldn’t do anything more formal to talk about what didn’t come out.”
When announcing the decision in March, team owner Rick Hendrick has named Johnson as the first waiting candidate for Garage 56’s entry in Le Mans next year.
The proposal will be visible from Hendrick motors vice president Chad Knaus and Mariners captain Chad Knaus for seven Johnson Cup titles also this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans two weeks ago. Some performance races from IMSA, Chevrolet and Hendrick drew up Chief operator Jeff Gordon, who is also on the Hendrick list of potential drivers) will be admitted to the Garage 56 meeting, which IMSA chairman John Doonan told NBC Sports in January.
Johnson still maintains his 2023 racing schedule, but hopes to include it along the same line as this year – the full IndyCar season and endurance race ballots in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series. Next month before his Indy 500 debutJohnson said it will probably be a few months before he would find out more about the return of sponsor Carvana with No. 48 Dallara-Honda in IndyCar.
With premier model DPi class LMDh platform rebranded GTP category next year with replaced by newThere is some question about whether enough chassis will be available to be programmed part-time, such as the No. 48 Cadillac Partner, who has been on campus for Johnson’s Action Express for the last two years.
“I really think sheet-permitting, opportunity-permitting,” said Johnson. “There is such a clash in the racing sports drivers within the last year, I don’t know whether the arena is really set yet to understand where the opportunities lie. I still think in the next month or two, it will be clearer for me and a few others out there. As this series really comes together and we know the cars and the cars and the opportunities that are there.”
Johnson’s recent report on IndyCar could only abolish him next year.
“I don’t know where it came from; I haven’t had any discussions or thought about the process I had,” said Johnson, who is in his first full season of IndyCaro since 2021. “What I did, it was so much fun and fun. Go ahead and get better: Actually, we hope to do something similar again next year.
Jimmie Johnson ‘pushing behind the scenes’ to run 24 Hours of Le Mans next year first appeared in NBCSports.com