Jimmie Johnson’s been suffering from final 12 months’s “scary” Daytona 500 qualifying expertise. However after Wednesday’s qualifying run, incomes a locked spot in Sunday’s race, he would possibly lastly take pleasure in a peaceable evening’s sleep once more.
“It is a massive weight lifted off to say the least,” mentioned the Legacy Motor Membership co-owner. “The expertise I had final 12 months, it has been ringing via my mind at evening. I’ve jumped off the bed a number of occasions with some nightmares as today bought nearer.”
The 2-time Daytona 500 winner is taken into account probably the most profitable lively drivers within the sport counting 83 profession wins and 7 championships to-date. But even with all his expertise, none of it ready him for 2024’s race.
Trying to race his means into the “ultimate present” through the Duel qualifying race, Johnson discovered himself spinning late within the working. He marched again via the sphere fixated on the one automobile he wanted to move: journeyman driver J.J. Yeley, who was trying to tug off a David vs. Goliath upset. Trapped behind Yeley on the ultimate lap, Johnson pleaded for help from his Toyota teammates, however had nowhere to go. He was moments away from the embarrassment of lacking the 2024 Daytona 500 race and letting down sponsors when the surface line checked up because the race leaders jostled. Yeley, compelled out of line, left Johnson a gap to scramble via. The 2 drivers touched doorways as Johnson swiped Yeley’s switch spot for himself simply seconds from the end line.
JJ Yeley, NY Racing Group, 100 Coconut Water Chevrolet Camaro, Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Carvana Toyota Camry, Todd Gilliland, Entrance Row Motorsports, gener8tor Ford Mustang
Picture by: Danny Hansen / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
This 12 months, the 49-year-old NASCAR Corridor of Famer can concentrate on having fun with the Duel races — freed from taking pointless dangers, spending the race studying extra about his automobile, and his groups’ automobiles in preparation for Sunday. He has three automobiles within the Daytona 500, which is big for a company like LMC that’s making an attempt to construct up its program. “Cash equals velocity,” he mentioned. “The extra we will carry within the door, the higher we will be. Excited for that. Simply hope we will roll some automobiles again on the vehicles when the race is over. That can assist the underside line, too, on the finish of the 12 months.
“We’re doing a lot to show Legacy Motor Membership round, have it level in the best route. The partnership with Carvana and bringing Shaquille O’Neal in, what’s within the days forward, what we now have deliberate, man, it could have actually been a bummer to overlook the race.
“Simply excited. The partnership with Carvana, Shaq being onboard, Reebok emblem on the automobile. Hopefully we will develop the connection extra and have an amazing exhibiting right here.”
Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Membership Toyota
Picture by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Pictures
Disaster averted
Johnson locked himself into the five hundred alongside Martin Truex Jr., one other Cup champion and fellow Toyota driver. Each of them qualifying on velocity helps NASCAR to keep away from a doubtlessly awkward state of affairs on Thursday evening.
NASCAR’s newly launched Open Exemption Provisional, which ensures a beginning spot to a ‘world-class driver’ and is offered to Helio Castroneves (ought to he want it), was seen by some as disrespectful to champions like Johnson and Truex. Critics claimed it wasn’t honest that two Corridor of Fame-level drivers must face doable exclusion from the game’s largest race whereas Castroneves was assured a spot. Kevin Harvick was outspoken about it, saying on his Joyful Hour podcast: “I assume it caught lots of people off guard. I like the intent and I like the truth that it’ll entice individuals from different types of racing. However I do not like the truth that it ignored our personal.”
Johnson wasn’t even conscious of the provisional till it was introduced, saying previous to qualifying on Wednesday: “Evidently, it was buried within the constitution settlement that got here out. However when the rule got here out, I neglect the time of the morning, three minutes later, we had been on the telephone with NASCAR and acknowledged it wasn’t throughout the 90 day-window (to use) and we weren’t eligible. So, we’ve had a whole lot of talks with everybody at NASCAR and I’ve a greater understanding of the intent of the rule, and I’d anticipate some modifications following right here (Daytona) to higher outline and make clear that. When first learn, our response wasn’t nice, however it’s what it’s and hopefully, we now have a fast-enough automobile to get in.”
The modifications Johnson referenced might contain opening the provisional as much as high drivers of the game in open rides comparable to Johnson and Truex, making it harking back to the champion’s provisional of previous. However NASCAR is unquestionably respiratory a sigh of aid as each of those veterans made their means into the sphere — Truex for his twenty first begin within the 500 and Johnson, for a twenty second.
Learn Additionally:
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Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Jimmie Johnson
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