Former NASCAR champ tests No. 48 American Legion car at Texas Motor Speedway.
American Legion INDYCAR driver Jimmie Johnson discovered a way to beat the heat, and the infamous traffic around the Dallas Metroplex, by having his first-ever oval test in an Indy car at an hour when many people are still asleep or just getting up.
It also allowed the Chip Ganassi Racing INDYCAR driver to catch a flight in time to attend The American Legion Convention in Phoenix.
Johnson completed a private test session in the No. 48 American Legion Honda at the 1.44-mile Texas Motor Speedway that began at 6 a.m. Central Time and ended at 1 p.m. CT. That allowed Johnson to take the necessary step toward a run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval while still appearing at The American Legion National Convention in Phoenix Monday and Tuesday.
It was a relatively cool 75 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday morning and finished with the heat index at 100 degrees.
“To know that I could come here and test and experience it as a driver was important to me,” Johnson said. “Let’s go to the tough one. It’s one thing by myself. I feel like I can control my environment, and I’m very thankful that I’m able to go out here and do it. The way INDYCAR has advanced their safety and certainly what the tracks have done to increase the safety, my concerns are much less and that’s why we’re here today. Now that my concerns are at a certain point, now it’s time to get in the car and see what my point of view is from there.
“The car drives way different. It’s much more responsive so I’ve found the majority of the day just trying to acclimate to this new environment, one that’s much faster and certainly a bit more sensitive to the inputs that the driver gives to the car. But it’s been really nice to be on a familiar track. I know where I am, I know what to do, I know the line around this place, and even down to simple things like knowing where the hotel was last night or knowing how to drive into the tunnel and get into the infield. There’s been some small wins that are nice to have.”
Six-time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion Scott Dixon drove the initial laps around the IndyCar-measured 1.44-mile tri-oval, using the knowledge that’s taken him to five victories at TMS, including the 2021 Genesys 300 on May 1.
Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull was not at the test, leaving it up to the No. 48 Honda operation to conduct Johnson’s all-important next step toward a potential run in the 106th Indianapolis 500 in 2022.
Johnson also had insight from three-time Indianapolis 500 winning driver and four-time INDYCAR Series champion Dario Franchitti at the test. Franchitti won the 2011 race at TMS.
“It’s a challenging thing that Jimmie’s doing as I say, but so far he’s done very well,” Franchitti said. “Track conditions were a little nicer this morning at 6 a.m. when Scott (Dixon) went out and those early runs Jimmie did, but it’s heated up now, and he’s learning a little bit about how the Indy car slides around a bit when it gets hot.
“It’s all about the subtleties. It would be like a person that plays cricket and plays for the English team or whatever … it’s got a bat. It’s got a ball. Then I’m going to play baseball. It’s got a bat. It’s got a ball. Everything else is different, and I think that’s the difference between a stock car and an Indy car. Everything you learn on the way up, and everything you learn when you’re the top in either of those fields, doesn’t prepare you in any way to do the other. In fact, it hurts you.”
Per INDYCAR rules, Johnson has to pass a rookie test at an oval before he is allowed to run at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway in another test in October after this season concludes.
Once he passes INDYCAR’s scrutiny, he will then be allowed to compete in the Rookie Orientation Program for next year’s 106th Indianapolis 500.
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