Indy 500 veteran describes how Jimmie Johnson helped him find his feet in NASCAR: “He was able to lead me”

Sage Karam acknowledges that seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson played a pivotal role in guiding and mentoring him in areas where Karam lacked experience or knowledge for his transition from IndyCar to NASCAR.

Karam is known for his success in open-wheel racing, notably in the IndyCar Series and the Indy 500. He had limited experience in NASCAR before seeking advice from Johnson.

NASCAR has its own unique challenges, techniques and nuances that might differ significantly from other racing disciplines, like IndyCar. In an interview with Speed Sport, Karam said:

“He was able to kind of lead me in directions that I didn't really have answers for at the time before I drove a stock car. He definitely helped me with clearing up a lot of those questions I had before I got in it. But ultimately. I had to just take the bull by the horns and get after it”

Karam emphasized that Jimmie Johnson's experience in both IndyCar series and NASCAR make him the ideal person for him to consult with and discuss ideas to prepare for his stock car transition.

“I knew if there was one person I could really bounce ideas off of, it was Jimmie, just because he knew the current Indy car that I was used to and he has every bit of stock car knowledge you could think of being Jimmie Johnson." Karam added.

Sage Karam made his NASCAR debut in Xfinity Series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021, finishing 22nd. He made 13 starts in the 2023 Xfinity season and recorded his best finish of P4 of his NASCAR career at Road America.

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“I helped him set up his iRacing and stuff like that” – Sage Karam helped Jimmie Johnson in IndyCar Series

Sage Karam discussed his role in helping Jimmie Johnson's initial foray into Indy car racing.

Karam said that he provided assistance to Johnson by helping him set up his virtual racing equipment, specifically mentioning iRacing, a popular racing simulation platform:

“I actually helped him a little bit when he first started to come over to the Indy car side.

"I helped him set up his iRacing and stuff like that, and get him going on that before he actually was able to start the real days in testing and the real simulator with what the teams provided with the manufacturer,”

Jimmie Johnson competed in the IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing from 2021 to 2022.