Jimmie Johnson has returned to the NASCAR Cup Series as an owner and driver for Legacy Motor Club; however, should the seven-time Cup Series champion take an opportunity to substitute for Chase Elliott in the No. 9 car for Hendrick Motorsports?
Let’s dive into why Johnson should accept the role and if he would actually take it or not.
Explaining why Jimmie Johnson should replace Chase Elliott
If Johnson wanted to return to Hendrick Motorsports after his brief two-year NTT IndyCar Series stint, there was no possible way that he could drive one of the organization’s entries. However, that has now changed after the latest news in the NASCAR world.
Chase Elliott, the driver of the No. 9 car for Hendrick Motorsports, will miss the next several weeks and possibly more after fracturing his tibia during a snowboarding accident last Friday in Colorado.
Elliott was replaced by Josh Berry, a JR Motorsports driver, for the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend. Berry came home with a 29th-place finish after suffering some throttle issues that hurt his performance.
Then, the JR Motorsports driver was listed as the driver of the No. 9 car at Phoenix Raceway before being removed. The entry is now listed as “to be announced” with a possible surprise driver on the way. Should this be Johnson?
It absolutely should be Johnson and it makes sense on many levels. The Legacy Motor Club co-owner never got a true farewell from the fans and they could give him a proper send-off in Hendrick Motorsports equipment during his races in the No. 9 car.
Plus, Johnson has little experience in the NextGen car, and gaining more would be beneficial for himself and Legacy Motor Club as he will run more races during the 2023 NASCAR season, including the Chicago Street Course.
If Hendrick Motorsports is looking down a list of replacement drivers, Johnson should be at the top of the list. Even if he is not the replacement driver at Phoenix Raceway, there is no reason why he can’t do one of the other races that Elliott will miss during his recovery.
Both the organization and NAPA Racing would gain massive exposure with the return of a seven-time champion. However, Johnson’s significant involvement with Legacy Motor Club could interfere with any possible dreams for race fans around the world.
Related: Jimmie Johnson could become majority owner of Legacy Motor Club
Predicting if Jimmie Johnson would accept the role with Hendrick Motorsports
Johnson’s return to Hendrick Motorsports would and would not make sense for many reasons. The reasons that would make sense were explained above; however, there are also significant reasons why it may not be realistic.
The 47-year-old driver’s involvement with Legacy Motor Club is one that was previously mentioned. Would Johnson want to drive against his own race team in the NASCAR Cup Series?
It is a worthy question to ask because Denny Hamlin does the same thing with 23XI Racing. Granted, Hamlin is still a full-time driver that is still obligated to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing with his contract expiring at the end of the 2023 season.
Another reason that might make it unrealistic is Johnson’s schedule. He has previously said that he does not want to run too many races this season. If Hendrick Motorsports said he needed to replace Elliott the entire way through, it could be a turn-off.
However, Johnson has said that he has a long wish list that was over 10 races during pre-race at the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum last month. Would he actually be open to running more races overall?
The final prediction is that Johnson will not make a triumphant return to Hendrick Motorsports. The organization should do everything in its power to make it happen but we predict that he does not go for it.
Johnson should absolutely replace Elliott for one or multiple races during his absence. It would be an amazing scene where he gets a proper send-off with the organization that gave him his huge break in the Cup Series.
It would be an incredible scene to see Johnson return to Hendrick Motorsports but unfortunately, there are reasons behind a possible declined offer. We will see if Johnson is even considered and if so, hopefully, he decides to take the request.