Getty Jimmie Johnson makes his way through the Cup Series garage area.
When Jimmie Johnson joined Petty GMS — now Legacy Motor Club — as a co-owner, there was some surprise that he was joining a team other than Hendrick Motorsports. According to the seven-time champion, he actually declined an ownership opportunity with his former team.
Johnson provided insight during a Daytona 500 Media Day sitdown with NASCAR Studios. He explained that this particular offer came well before the current era. There wasn’t really any collaboration between the teams and NASCAR as they pursued a more affordable landscape. There also weren’t any charters in place.
“I had an opportunity to become an owner with Mr. Hendrick back in the day through contract negotiations,” Johnson told NASCAR’s Alex Weaver and Mamba Smith. “But a lot of this framework I just spoke of wasn’t around.
“Rick even very kindly said, ‘I’m not sure this is a good idea to take ownership. I don’t even know if you’ll be able to enjoy what it accumulates to someday.’ So I declined at that point. He was the first person I went to when I thought about ownership, just to get his opinion.”
The Situation Changed Late in the 2022 Season
GettyJimmie Johnson (left) poses before the Bluegreen Vacations Duel races.
Johnson did not take Hendrick up on his offer. Instead, he finished out his career with the championship-winning organization and then retired in 2020 so that he could pursue starts in the NTT IndyCar Series.
Fast-forward to late in the 2022 season, and Johnson began examining his future once again. As he explained during a press conference at Phoenix Raceway in November, he did not know exactly what he wanted to do. Though creating a fun, limited racing schedule was on the list.
“Needless to say, things escalated quickly,” Johnson told media members at Phoenix in November 2022. “I really did feel like I would run some Cup races and was pursuing a few different options. I still have a great relationship with Chip Ganassi and the team, and I am interested in some IndyCar races, interested in sports car racing.
“When this opportunity came along — and it really came through the offices of Alan Miller, he’s been my longtime kind of agent, if you will. I know he hates that term, but not only does his office look after my interests but also Erik Jones, and Michael Bill has kind of been the point person in recent years.
“As Michael learned about my desires to continue to drive and to try to find a different way to be involved in the sport, he said, man, you really need to talk to Maury [Gallagher]. I feel like there’s an opportunity here that really makes sense on both sides. That was the catalyst and start of it.”
Johnson New Deal Led To More NASCAR Cup Series Starts
Johnson ultimately reached an agreement with Petty GMS, which led to several changes. The team became Legacy Motor Club while former co-owner Richard Petty moved into an ambassador role.
The seven-time Cup Series champion also added some Cup Series starts to his schedule. He first revealed that he wanted to take on the Daytona 500 once again and then he later added the Chicago Street Race to his schedule.
The time has now come for Johnson to get back behind the wheel of a Cup Series car, albeit one that has changed considerably since he walked away after the 2020 season. He clinched his spot in the Daytona 500 during qualifying, and he beat out multiple other open cars to do so. Now, he has an opportunity to pursue another win in The Great American Race.