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Jimmie Johnson, the legend of stock car racing, is gearing up for his first full-time season in IndyCar. Johnson was impressive last week during the second day of the Indy 500 Open Test at 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
During last week’s testing, driving the No. 48 Carvana Honda, Jimmie Johnson finished as the eighth fastest and recorded the fastest lap of his career at 227.900 miles per hour.
In an interaction with the media, Johnson spoke about his No. 48 Honda's speed, saying:
“You notice it. It's a very cool sensation. Now I understand why when I've asked any of these guys, any of my friends that are drivers here, what it's like to go fast around here, they have a smile that I've always wondered what it's like. I haven't really been on the full boost, full power, qualification trim setting yet. I'm starting to get that grin. I look forward to having that big smile that all these guys have experienced.”
The California-native will not drive anywhere near that speed at the 2.3-mile-long, 17-turn Barber Motorsports Park, but the road course comes with its unique challenges.
In addition, Johnson has been stronger in the Indy 500 on ovals as compared to street and road courses. Last year, in his only Indy 500 oval race at Texas Motor Speedway, the 46-year-old finished sixth.
He backed that up with an amazing performance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week.
“I think there's actually two road course races before we get on the oval” - Jimmie Johnson
Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will compete in a couple of other races before the Indy 500. He knows that he struggled on the streets and road courses. He will try his hardest to finish as high as possible on Sunday at the Honda Indy Grand Prix in Alabama.
Johnson said:
“Between now and the Indy 500, I have to sit and wait. I think there's actually two road course races before we get on the oval. So, my expectations for the streets and road are keep improving, try to work my way in the mid pack, and when we get back here, I think my expectations will go up quite a bit.”
The Honda Indy Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, May 1 and the green-flag drops at 1:15 p.m. EST. Coverage will be live on NBC and Peacock.
