Jimmie Johnson has best race of his INDYCAR season

The most unique and iconic portion of the 11-turn, 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca in Monterey County, Calif., is known as the “Corkscrew.” It’s where a high-speed racing driver flies blind. 

Turns 8 and 8A of the track is the Corkscrew which winds like a snake over a steep drop-off from the highest elevation on this magnificent and beautiful road course on the coast of Central California. Because of its shape and that this area of California is part of “wine country,” that portion of the track earned the name the “Corkscrew.”

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda at Chip Ganassi Racing, mastered the Corkscrew in the Sept. 18 Firestone Grand Prix for his best result of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.

Johnson showed improved speed in practice and qualifications, but the faster drivers in qualifying excelled and the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion started 25th in the 27-car starting lineup.

It was Johnson’s third time in an INDYCAR at Laguna Seca after the racing legend tested on two separate occasions. That familiarity with the race course and experience helped Johnson race with even more confidence and command.

He finished 17th in the race and continued his progression that began with an improved run in the Aug. 15 Big Machine Spike Coolers Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Since that race, each race thereafter, Johnson has been better than the previous contest.

“Today was really a big day for me in terms of confidence and comfort in the car and in traffic, understanding where to place the car and where to set up for passes,” Johnson told The American Legion. Johnson said he felt the most race ready and “confident in the car” than he has been all year long.

“I think I was really ready to shine in Nashville in early August and maybe I was too overconfident on a tricky track and had some issues. After Nashville, I dialed it back about five percent and made sure I got in every lap and put in consistent laps. That is what has happened here at the end of the season.

“That was fun, that was really fun,” Johnson said on pit lane. 

With less than 20 laps remaining in the race, Johnson and veteran driver James Hinchcliffe were battling for 17th place. That was before Johnson was able to successfully “corkscrew” the Andretti Autosport driver with a magnificent pass through the Corkscrew that would have made any INDYCAR veteran driver proud to see a rookie make that maneuver.

“I made a couple passes up there,” Johnson recalled. “I was really good from Turns 3, 4, 5 and 6, which would let me stay with someone and set up a pass in the Corkscrew. I saw a couple guys doing that early in the race and understood how to position myself up the hill. I passed two or three cars like that.”

Even Hinchcliffe was impressed with Johnson’s ability to make the pass in that part of the race course.

“I knew he had pace on me,” Hinchcliffe said. “He was on fresher Reds (softer compound and faster Firestone tires), and I was on older Blacks (harder compound and more durable tires). I saw the move coming. We got to go side-by-side through there, we gave each other room, and it was a fun battle.

“From the first test, every single time he has gotten in a car, he has closed the gap to the leaders. It has been really impressive to see his progression over the season and it will be exciting to see what he does next year, especially on the ovals.”

Johnson’s other big moment came in the Corkscrew when fellow rookie and former Formula One driver Romain Grosjean was in third place attempting to catch Johnson’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Alex Palou.

Grosjean looked like NASCAR’s Kyle Busch, flying over the hill and banging Johnson’s No. 48 Honda in the Corkscrew. Johnson’s car went off the track briefly, but he was able to regain control and finish the race in 17th place.

It looked like something from Johnson’s NASCAR days Bristol Motor Speedway.

“He was too big of a hurry at that point,” Johnson said of Grosjean.  “That was a high-risk, low-success opportunity that he took. He was so far back going up the hill, I never thought he would be there. Next thing you know, I’m getting run over.

“I knew he was coming, and I was going to give way to a lead-lap car, but man, he damn near took us both out.”

The steering wheel in Johnson’s car spun around and whacked Johnson on the wrist, but Johnson was uninjured.

Watching Grosjean’s impending move develop from the timing stand was Johnson’s race engineer, Eric Cowdin.

“I don’t think there was any doubt about how that was going to end up, but he didn’t need to almost put us out of the race,” Cowdin told The American Legion. “It almost put us out of the race. It crossed Jimmie up and it hurt his wrist. He is going to fine, but it certainly hurt a little bit.

“Jimmie is one of the most respected guys out there in the learning process, getting up to speed and giving guys room.”

Cowdin, however, thought Johnson showed tremendous savvy when he was able to “Corkscrew” Hinchcliffe.

“It’s been a long road for Jimmie, and he has done a really good job.

“Today was very important. We put the effort in and when you see the progress, that keeps motivating you to continue working hard. Right now, we are racing. At the beginning, we were just covering the basics of racing, getting in and out of the pits, trying to be consistent with the pace. Step-by-step, he has gotten to the point where he has actually progressed in racing and passing people for position and being competitive.

“That has been the goal the whole time.”

The season started in mid-April and will conclude this weekend in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“I’m used to the season going much longer,” Johnson said. “It’s like one-third of the NASCAR Cup season right now.

“It’s been a great year with a lot of learning. I know I will be better next year. I’m learning the race craft in these cars, and they are much different than a NASCAR Cup car. But it’s coming. I’m glad people can see it and that it is showing now.”

With his rookie season out of the way, just how good will Johnson be in his second season in INDYCAR in 2022?

“I think I should take a significant step-up next year just knowing tracks, confidence, preseason testing, more simulator time. All of this is going to directionally help.”