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Jimmie Johnson doesn't plan on giving up racing altogether, but his full-time career is over.
The seven-time NASCAR champion told Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press that he's stepping away from a full-time schedule and will only race in "bucket list" events.
“It’s been an interesting process to feel so fulfilled with the experience and then also try to make a decision,” Johnson said. “In the big scheme of things, there is so much life-planning going on with the kids. We’ve always had an idea of trying to live abroad for a year or two. We love Colorado and want to spend more time there, and there’s just so much swirling personally and professionally that I just wanted to take some time and make the decision not on the back of a positive or negative experience on the racetrack.”
The 47-year-old retired from NASCAR after the 2020 season for open-wheel racing. He spent the last two years racing for Chip Ganassi Racing in IndyCar, where he had little success. The No. 48 driver had only one top-five finish over the last two years and only two top-10s.
“I do have a desire to go back; it’s just at this point, I know what’s required to do a full schedule, and I don’t have that in me,” Johnson said. “I don’t have that passion that I need for myself to commit myself to a full season.”
Racing in his first Indianapolis 500 this year, Johnson placed 28th. One event—or, rather, one accomplishment—that continues to pique Johnson's interest is The Double, which sees a driver race in both NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 and the Indy 500 on the same day.
Johnson has not competed in NASCAR since his 2020 retirement, but he maintains he'd be open for a potential return in the right situation.
Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden was hospitalized after collapsing in the Iowa Speedway motorhome lot Sunday. He had been involved in a late crash in Sunday's Salute to Farmers 300.
Per ESPN, IndyCar medical director Dr. Geoffrey Billows said Newgarden was transported by helicopter to Mercy One Des Moines Medical Center for evaluation. He had cut open the back of his head when he collapsed, but he was awake and alert while he was being transported.
A driver for Team Penske, Newgarden led 148 of the 300 laps in the race before his car broke with 64 laps remaining. He spun hard into the outside wall and was noticeably rattled during his mandatory check after the crash.
"Definitely was a bit of a shot. I want to cry, so sad for my team. I don't know what happened," Newgarden said. "Everything felt fine to me. Totally unexpected and it caught me by my surprise. Team Penske is the best. I never have this stuff, so maybe we were due. We can't afford it for this year. But we'll fight back. We have a great team here."
Billows said Newgarden passed all his tests at the infield care center and also spoke to the medical staff a second time before returning to the motorhome lot. There was a plan in place for him to be re-evaluated in Indianapolis on Thursday before he collapsed.
The initial report from Chevrolet was that the suspension broke on Newgarden's car. The race was won by Pato O'Ward of Arrow McLaren SP.
A late penalty in the pit area by Scott Dixon opened things up for Marcus Ericsson to take the checkered flag at the 2022 Indianapolis 500 in a thrilling finish Sunday.
Ericsson and Pato O'Ward were in a virtual deadlock in the two-lap showdown when the final lap began. They were separated by .013 seconds when the white flag came out. Ericsson was able to create a little bit of breathing room coming around the first turn to hold on for the win.
Each of the top four finishers all started inside the top 10, including Ericsson from the No. 5 spot in the second row. O'Ward, Tony Kanaan and Felix Rosenqvist rounded out the top four.
2022 Indianapolis 500 Results
1. Marcus Ericsson
2. Pato O'Ward
3. Tony Kanaan
4. Felix Rosenqvist
5. Alexander Rossi
6. Conor Daly
7. Helio Castroneves
8. Simon Pagenaud
9. Alex Palou
10. Santino Ferrucci
11. Juan Pablo Montoya
12. JR Hildebrand
13. Josef Newgarden
14. Graham Rahal
15. Will Power
16. David Malukas
17. Kyle Kirkwood
18. Christian Lundgaard
19. Ed Carpenter
20. Devlin DeFrancesco
21. Scott Dixon
22. Marco Andretti
23. Sage Karam
24. Jack Harvey
25. Takuma Sato
26. Dalton Kellett
27. Stefan Wilson
28. Jimmie Johnson
29. Scott McLaughlin
30. Colton Herta
31. Romain Grosjean
32. Callum Ilott
33. Rinus VeeKay
Dixon and O'Ward were in a close battle for the top spot throughout most of the race. Dixon appeared to be in control when he made a pit stop with 25 laps remaining, but he was called for a speeding violation when his car locked up that cost him a lap.
After Dixon was penalized, Helio Castroneves, last year's champion, briefly moved into the No. 2 spot. He was eventually passed and slowed down on the final stretch to come in seventh place.
The drama increased in the homestretch of the race, as a red flag with four laps left paused the action before a restart. Jimmie Johnson, who briefly took the lead with 12 laps to go in his first career Indianapolis 500, crashed into the wall hard, leading to the flag.
Ericsson was in the lead when the race resumed. He had a significant advantage over the rest of the field before Johnson crashed. The brief pause and restart gave hope to the drivers directly behind the Swedish star.
The win marked Ericsson's first at the Indy 500 and third of his IndyCar career. He has four top-10 finishes in six races this year.
"I couldn't believe it," Ericsson said after his victory. "I was praying so hard there wasn't going to be another yellow."
This also marks the first Indianapolis 500 win for Chip Ganassi Racing since 2012 (Dario Franchitti).
Dixon's costly penalty kept him from winning this event for the first time in 14 years. He wound up in 21st place overall, his fourth-worst finish at the Indianapolis 500. The Iceman has finished outside the top 15 after starting on the pole each of the past two years.
After Sunday's race, Ericsson now holds the top spot in the IndyCar Series standings. He has 226 points overall, 13 more than Pato O'Ward (213). Alex Palou (212) and Will Power (202) are the only other drivers with at least 200 points.
The next race is the Grand Prix of Belle Isle on June 5 in Detroit.
It all came down to the final two laps.
Jimmie Johnson's crash with just four laps to go forced a red flag, essentially setting up a two-lap sprint to the finish. That left Marcus Ericsson, who had a solid lead before the crash, to defend his advantage in far more hectic circumstances.
But defend it he did, holding off Pato O'Ward's attempts to pass him to win the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500.
"I couldn't believe it," Ericsson said on the NBC broadcast about the red flag after his win. "You can never take anything for granted, and obviously there were still laps to go, and I was praying so hard it was not going to be another yellow. But I knew it was probably going to be one. It was hard to sort of refocus, but I knew the car was amazing. ... It was still hard, I had to do everything in the end to keep them behind."
It was Ericsson's first Indianapolis 500 victory, his first win on the season and the third of his career.
O'Ward finished second, with Tony Kanaan, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi rounding out the top five.
It was a tough day for the front row of Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay. Dixon, the pole-sitter, led for 95 of the 200 laps but was penalized for a speeding violation on a pit stop near the end of the race, eliminating him from contention.
Palou, meanwhile, had to go to the back of the field after getting nicked for an unlucky illegal pit stop following a crash involving Callum Ilott. Because he had run out of fuel and wasn't going to be able to continue pace lapping, he was forced to pit while they were closed.
And VeeKay had a nasty crash against the wall in the 39th lap, ending his day prematurely.
"We put the car on the front row. We were in P2, but it was tough out there. The car was a little bit free all race," VeeKay said after the crash. "Yeah, I just turned into Turn 2, the car gets loose. Once that happens, you're a passenger and couldn't do anything. Yeah, just a bummer, really. I think we had a good shot at a good finish or maybe a win. But yeah, just caught me off guard."
Turn 2 also claimed Johnson, Ilott and Romain Grosjean, proving to be the track's trickiest conundrum on an exciting day of racing.
A day that ultimately belonged to Ericsson, an unexpected but deserving winner.
Scott Dixon has been a fixture on the front row of the Indianapolis 500 over the last decade, but he has been unable to secure his second victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The six-time IndyCar Series champion sits on pole for the second straight year after he dropped the fastest speed in the race's qualifying history.
Dixon produced a four-lap average of 234.046 miles per hour, highlighted by a second-lap speed of 234.162 miles per hour to start first on Sunday.
Dixon's quest to return to Victory Lane at Indy for the first time since 2008 faces challenges from a handful of young drivers.
Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay start alongside Dixon on the front row. Both drivers are looking to earn their first victories in the prestigious open-wheel racing event.
Starting on the front row is typically a good sign for race day. Three of the last four Indy 500 winners came from the first three positions on the starting grid.
Indy 500 Starting Grid
Row 1: Scott Dixon (pole), Alex Palou, Rinus VeeKay
Row 2: Ed Carpenter, Marcus Ericsson, Tony Kanaan
Row 3: Pato O'Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Romain Grosjean
Row 4: Takuma Sato, Will Power, Jimmie Johnson
Row 5: David Makulas, Josef Newgarden, Santino Ferrucci
Row 6: Simon Pagenaud, JR Hildebrand, Conor Daly
Row 7: Callum Ilott, Alexander Rossi, Graham Rahal
Row 8: Sage Karam, Marco Andretti, Devlin DeFrancesco
Row 9: Colton Herta, Scott McLaughlin, Helio Castroneves
Row 10: Kyle Kirkwood, Dalton Kellett, Juan Pablo Montoya
Row 11: Christian Lundgaard, Jack Harvey, Stefan Wilson
Full list of qualifying speeds can be found here on the track's official website.
Recent Indy 500 history suggests that Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay have the best chances of crossing the finish line in first place.
Will Power won from third in 2018, Simon Pagenaud took the pole and the race win in 2019, and Takuma Sato began his 2020 victory in third place.
Helio Castroneves broke that streak last season, but he was not too far down in the starting order. The Brazilian started on Row 3 in eighth position.
Alexander Rossi was the last Indy 500 winner to emerge from Row 4 or worse when he won as a rookie in 2016.
Dixon, Palou and VeeKay should be considered favorites to win the race because they can avoid traffic from the start if they get in front, and their qualifying speeds were far better than any other drivers.
Palou and VeeKay clocked in over an average of 233 miles per hour. Palou's first of four qualifying laps was over 234 miles per hour.
Eight of the nine drivers starting on Rows 1-3 recorded an average lap speed of at least 232 miles per hour in qualifying.
Unless the back of the pack picks up their pace, one of those drivers has to be considered as the potential champion on Sunday.
Dixon carries the most experience of those drivers, but he did not have success from the pole position in 2021. The New Zealander finished in 17th place and led just seven laps.
Palou and VeeKay were two of three drivers to lead more than 30 laps last May. Conor Daly led the most laps with 40.
The experience gained from being out in the lead last year could be vital for Palou and VeeKay if one of them get into the front from the start.
Other drivers could surge to the front by way of a fast car, or a different pit strategy than the leaders. Daly started in 19th place and led the most laps last year.
The recent results at Indy tell us that the fastest cars from qualifying typically are near the front during the final laps of the race.
Dixon, Palou and VeeKay, as well as the next few starters below them, should be in the mix for the victory as long as they avoid wrecks or bad pit stops on Sunday.
Former NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson announced Wednesday he will make a full transition to IndyCar in 2022, including the Indy 500:
The 46-year-old was a seven-time champion of the NASCAR Cup Series before retiring from full-time participation in 2020. He began competing in IndyCar last year but avoided oval courses while limiting himself to street and road tracks.
Johnson will now compete full-time next year for Chip Ganassi Racing in all 17 events.
"I'm really excited about this next chapter of my career and competing in the No. 48 with Carvana for the 2022 season," he said, per Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press. "The safety of these cars has come so far, and after I tested the ovals at Texas and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, I realized this was a challenge I wanted to undertake."
Johnson struggled during his rookie season in IndyCar, ending the year 26th in the point standings while his best finish in any race was 17th at both Laguna Seca and Long Beach.
He skipped the Indy 500 in May, the biggest event on the calendar.
There is still plenty of potential for a driver who won 83 races in NASCAR, including two at the Daytona 500. His seven titles are tied for the most all time alongside Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.
Johnson will try to join Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt as the only drivers ever to win the Daytona 500 and Indy 500 in their careers.
Al Unser Sr., one of four drivers to hold the record for Indianapolis 500 wins, died at his home in New Mexico on Thursday. He was 82 years old.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced the news Friday:
Unser's first appearance in the Indy 500 came in 1965, and he remained a stalwart in the sport's marquee event through 1994, a three-decade run that included victories in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987.
The New Mexico native also won three Indy car national championships and recorded 39 victories during his career. He was inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1998.
His four wins in the Indy 500 are among nine by the legendary Unser racing family. His brother Bobby won three and his son, Al Unser Jr., captured two.
Bobby Unser died in May, and his son, Bobby Jr., died in June.
Al Unser Sr. remains the oldest winner in Indy 500 history at age 47 in 1987.
"I will always remember Big Al welcoming me to the speedway," fellow four-time winner Helio Castroneves told the Associated Press on Friday. "He and Johnny Rutherford were the two helping me with my rookie orientation. He will be missed."
A.J. Foyt and Rick Mears are the event's other four-time winners.
Unser's other honors include induction in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
