NASCAR heavyweight Jimmie Johnson unites with Tom Brady for Chip Ganassi Racing’s Indy 500 charge

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson has been linked to Chip Ganassi Racing alongside former American quarterback Tom Brady for this year’s running of the Indianapolis 500. The duo will compete as co-owners of the fourth entry expected to be driven by Sebastien Bourdais with a sponsorship from Carvana.

Notably, this is going to be the 109th iteration of the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar's first season on FOX. In a recent episode of the Tony D. Podcast, host Tony Donohue reported,

“Tom Brady and Jimmie Johnson are joining forces to be co-owners alongside Chip Ganassi of the fourth entry for the 19th Indianapolis 500 coming up in May, and the driver would be Sebastien Bourdais.”

Here is a tweet by journalist Adam Stern reporting the same:

Johnson himself raced full-time in the IndyCar Series in 2022 following his retirement from NASCAR. However, there is no news of him entering the event as a driver this year. Instead, Johnson will call this year’s Indianapolis 500 as a part of NBC’s motorsport coverage.

“To have the opportunity to experience ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ once again is such an honor,” Jimmie Johnson said (via Forbes). “I was part of the NBC broadcast team in 2021 and it just fueled the fire I needed to make my childhood dream of racing in the Indianapolis 500 one day a reality. Competing in this race as a driver was a chance of a lifetime, so to be able to experience the pageantry again is just so special.”

Johnson is going to be super busy during the Memorial Day weekend due to his duties as a team owner, a sportscaster and a competitor in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. Following his duties on the Indy front on May 26, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will fly to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the crown jewel race.

Jimmie Johnson sends his wishes to people affected by California wildfire

Jimmie Johnson sent his best wishes to the survivors of the catastrophic fire that has been raging across the Los Angeles metropolitan area and its surroundings since January 7, 2025. As per reports, 24 people have succumbed to the wind-fed disaster.

In a recent post on X, Johnson wrote:

“My thoughts are with everyone affected by the fires in Southern California, especially my friends and loved ones who are facing unimaginable challenges. Thank you to the firefighters and first responders risking their lives to protect others.”

92,000 residents of Los Angeles have been handed evacuation orders as of now, most of whom are staying in hotels or shelters. Among these residents, 89,000 are currently stuck in warning zones, which means that they will have to evacuate the vicinity when asked.

The fire has already burned down 38,539 acres of land in the Los Angeles area. As mentioned in a story by CNN, the Eaton, and the Palisades fires could be “the second and fourth most destructive in California history”.