Johnson brings early thrills in comeback
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — “New leader ... 84.”
Jimmie Johnson sent a jolt through the track when he shot to the top of the leaderboard in practice for the Daytona 500. Ol’ seven-time has returned to NASCAR after a humbling two years in IndyCar as part owner and sometimes driver at what’s called Legacy Motor Club.
Legacy is the Johnson-led rebrand of what began as Petty Enterprises in 1949 — a year after NASCAR began. The Daytona 500 on Sunday starts NASCAR’s celebratory 75th season and all eyes are on Johnson, who just over three months ago did an about-face, returned to NASCAR and energized Richard Petty’s limp race team.
Johnson is not driving the No. 48, the only number he’s ever used at NASCAR’s top level; that now belongs to Daytona 500 pole-sitter Alex Bowman, Johnson’s successor at Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson is in the No. 84 Chevrolet.
Everything is different at this new Legacy organization, which Petty said Saturday would be completely run by Johnson within five years. But Johnson showed he still knows his way around Daytona International Speedway, even if FanDuel lists him as 40-1 longshot for Sunday.
“The large majority of it is familiar. I’m remembering little details as I make laps and get into the zone,” Johnson said. “It drives like a stock car. It doesn’t drive like an IndyCar, thank God. We know how that went.”
Try no podium finishes in two seasons. As a team owner, Johnson is a stabilizing figure for the two-car organization of Erik Jones and Noah Gragson. The two-time Daytona 500 champion turns 48 this year, and is a mentor for Gragson — who has the wattage to be a superstar but struggled with maturity issues during his climb into a Cup ride.
He signed last year with what he thought was Petty GMS, a mediocre team with a legend in Petty in the team masthead. In reality, the 24-year-old has gotten is unrestricted access to one of the greatest sportsmen of his generation.
Gragson is soaking in every bit of wisdom Johnson has to offer, and the deal came with spotter Earl Barban, who debuted with Johnson in that 2006 Daytona 500 victory.
“New leader ... 48,” was Barban’s trademark call as Johnson led nearly 19,000 laps in his career.
Johnson didn’t want a new spotter, but made a business decision to help his young, new driver.
“Wearing my team owner hat and knowing the experience that Earl has and what he can share with Noah ... I just sensed it was the right thing to do,” Johnson said.
Other things to watch on Sunday:
Bumper cars
NASCAR is in the second year of its new Next Gen car and still seeking solutions to a problem with the bumpers that caused several concussions last season.
The rear bumpers were supposed to be softened this year so that the car would absorb more energy during routine contact, but drivers earlier this month complained the hits were just as hard in the exhibition race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Racing at Daytona requires deliberate bump drafting and it’s an aggressive race in which the stakes are higher than a typical Sunday.