Why Jimmie Johnson wanted to be a Grand Prix rookie in IndyCar

Normally, Johnson told his wife, we'd be sitting in Talladega right now, staring outside the motorhome window at the same patch of grass we've looked at for 20 years.

Instead of making yet another stop on the NASCAR Cup Series grind, Johnson was sitting with his wife and two daughters, enjoying a picturesque morning at a cafe, listening to race cars buzz in the distance. When the meal was over, Johnson could walk to work at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where heâll race Sunday in a prestigious series (IndyCar) for a powerhouse team (Chip Ganassi Racing) with exactly zero expectations of success.

What do you do next when you retire as a 7x champ in your sport? Well if youre @JimmieJohnson, you go learn a new one and compete at the highest level.

Ahead of todays Grand Prix of St. Pete, @rachelwest__ caught up with Johnson to talk all about his arrival to IndyCar pic.twitter.com/TKrrCS0k9C

— Sports by Tampa Bay Times (@TBTimes_Sports) April 25, 2021

Long before Johnson became a NASCAR legend, he grew up wanting to race in events like this. He got hooked on racing as a California kid who attended the famed Grand Prix of Long Beach a waterfront street course that is IndyCar's closest comparison to St. Petersburg.

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