Getty Jimmie Johnson will make a return to NASCAR, per a report.
Two of the most successful champions in NASCAR Cup Series history are teaming up. According to a report by The Athletic, Jimmie Johnson is purchasing a stake in Petty GMS.
Jordan Bianchi dropped the news on November 2 ahead of the trip to Phoenix Raceway. He cited sources close to both Petty GMS and Johnson, who said that the ownership stake would begin with the 2023 Cup Series season. An announcement is expected to take place during the final week of the season.
Along with a new role on the team, Johnson will also make his return to the race track. Bianchi reported that the seven-time champion will make starts in select races. This means that he will become teammates with Erik Jones and Noah Gragson while driving a third entry.
Johnson Previously Expressed an Interest in Select Starts
GettyJimmie Johnson celebrates a win at Daytona International Speedway.
This opportunity to join forces with the original seven-time champion is significant for Johnson. He will be back involved with NASCAR once again after retiring in 2020, and he will have a seat that he can use to make some limited starts.
Johnson previously announced on September 26 that he was going to step away from full-time IndyCar Series competition. He explained that he was going to focus on spending time with his family and that he could make some limited starts in IndyCar, IMSA, and NASCAR among other things.
One of the possibilities that Johnson mentioned was The Double, which features the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. This is a marathon day that requires transportation between two states, seats in both races, and support from key sponsors.
Johnson already has Carvana on board to support him in whatever he does next. Now he should have a guaranteed seat for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, provided he confirms the report by Bianchi.
Two other options for Johnson will be the first-ever Cup Series street race in Chicago and the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. He has previously expressed an interest in both, and he could suit up for these historic races.
Petty GMS Has Undergone Multiple Changes
GettyErik Jones (left) watches during practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The reported addition of Johnson is the latest big move for Petty GMS Motorsports. The team has undergone multiple changes over the years dating back to 2009 when Petty Enterprises shut down and merged with Evernham Motorsports.
The company became known as Richard Petty Motorsports, and it later merged with Yates Racing before switching to Ford stock cars. The changes continued in 2010 with Medallion Financial Corporation purchasing a controlling stake in the team.
This arrangement continued through the end of the 2021 season when Medallion sold its controlling interest to Maury Gallagher and GMS Racing. Richard Petty Motorsports officially became Petty GMS, which featured Erik Jones and Ty Dillon as the primary drivers.
Following the season finale at Phoenix Raceway, Dillon will no longer be the driver of the No. 42. He will move over to Spire Motorsports to become teammates with Corey LaJoie while Gragson will move up from the Xfinity Series and join Petty GMS.
With the report of Johnson purchasing an ownership stake, there will now be some more changes for the Cup Series team. Though the latest ones will feature a partnership between two of the sport’s seven-time champions.