Gray Leadbetter, (USA) / Travis Pastrana (USA), LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.)
Jimmie Johnson may have seven NASCAR Cup Series titles and be in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, but he is far from done racing. Not only is he the co-owner of a team with fellow NASCAR legend Richard Petty, but he’s proven in recent weeks that not only can he make the Daytona 500, again, he is ready to race in other forms of motorsports.
Legacy Motor Club, and Johnson announced recently they would field an entry in the Extreme E series, an FIA-sanctioned motorsport that races all-electric SUVs.
Johnson wasn’t able to make the first event of the series in Saudi Arabia. He was instead in Daytona Beach, Florida getting ready to race a Legacy fielded car in the Daytona 500 for the 22nd time. It’s a race he’s won twice. Without a Charter Johnson didn’t qualify for the race on speed, so had to race his way in via one the Dual qualifying races. He was able to secure his spot in the Great American Race by make a last lap pass in his Dual race.
As for the Extreme E series, his entry is much more than just a vanity project, or a chance to offroad race again like he did when he started his career. Instead, it’s a serious effort he hopes will help Legacy Motor Club.
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 14: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #84 Carvana Toyota, poses for a … [+] photo on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
“I think anything that we do as a company in any form of motorsports that we compete in, I intend on it coming back, somehow or some way to benefit our Cup program,” Johnson told me at Daytona. “NASCAR is our core product, and I think there are many opportunities in Extreme E to reach a new fan base, reach new partners.
“There’s some new technology coming out in 2025 with those vehicles that happens to align very well with Toyota and their vision of sustainable forms of energy to race with in the future, so there is a lot of layers to it.”
Johnson said the five-event schedule is perfect for him and the team.
“It is easy for us to get in and get our feet wet and see and decide what we want to do for ‘25,” he said. “But really excited for the opportunity.”
Johnson moved his family to England last year, and he said that has helped expand his knowledge of sponsorships for the Extreme E team and all motorsports.
Travis Pastrana teamed with Gray Leadbetter in place of Johnson in Saudi Araba.
“It’s a similar process and I’m trying to understand that landscape better,” Johnson said. “I can say with my time in the UK the last six or seven months, that I’m just impressed with the amount of fandom around all forms of motorsports, and the corporations that are active in European racing and the amount of interest in what’s going on over here in the States. So, I’m definitely taking advantage of my time in the UK and try to network and expand, and time will tell if it really comes together, but car culture and motorsport fandom in England is impressive.”
Action sports star Travis Pastrana subbed for Johnson in Saudi Arabia with Gray Leadbetter who Johnson’s teammate will be moving forward. In their debut the team finished third and fourth in the heat races in the first round and second in the “Redemption Race” for those who didn’t advance to the main race. In the second round they were fourth in the first heat and second in the second heat race but got a 17-second penalty for a Switch Zone infringement and failed to transfer to the main event. In the second round Redemption Race they finished second.
The next rounds will come in Europe in July. Pastrana will be replaced by Johnson.
“I’m really excited to go get dirty again,” Johnson said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been either off the ground or upside down, and I think both things could happen in Extreme E.”
