MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Jimmie Johnson’s latest media venture is a photo album of his outstanding racing career, including the early days in El Cajon, Calif., his seven NASCAR Cup Series championship and his two seasons in the NTT IndyCar Series.
Earlier this year, Johnson’s career-switch to IndyCar was highlight by an eight-part docuseries, “Reinventing the Wheel.”
On September 27, Johnson’s book “ONE MORE LAP — JIMMIE JOHNSON AND THE #48” was released by Rizzoli.
The coffee-table sized book includes many photographs from his life and makes an outstanding gift heading into the holiday season. The hardcover book is published by Rizzoli and sells for $48 — an appropriate number that has been on Johnson’s cars in both NASCAR Cup and the NTT IndyCar Series.
“Funny how that works,” Johnson quipped. “What a coincidence.”
The book is produced by Condé Nast Corporate Photography Director Ivan Shaw. It is 272 pages and features 175 photographs from nine celebrated photographers. NASCAR team owner and NBA legend Michael Jordan, owner of the Charlotte Hornets, wrote the forward of the book.
The two projects have served as both a personal home movie of Johnson’s season in IndyCar and the book is a lifetime photo album.
“This project, the docuseries and videographers being at the track over the years, I have always archived what is going on and at some point, I thought it was worthwhile to do it,” he said. “But I just wanted to do this for myself. We have tons of art books at home. I love documentation and docuseries and from a videographer’s standpoint and a picture standpoint, I’m a fan of it and that is what I consumed. Now, I’m at a point in my life where we can share them.”
The book has already had two previous printings with 15,000 books printed and sold on the first printing.
After spending the past two seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing in the No. 48 Carvana American Legion Honda, Johnson has returned to the NASCAR Cup Series as one of the owners at Petty GMS Racing. The other two owners are fellow seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Richard Petty and primary owner Maurice J. Gallagher.
Johnson intends to compete in five or so NASCAR Cup Series races in 2023. Beyond that, any bucket list items remain to be seen. He has already scrapped a return to the IMSA Rolex 24 at Daytona in January after he was offered a ride in an Acura.
As a Chevrolet NASCAR team owner, if he intends to run in the 107th Indianapolis 500, it will have to be with a Chevrolet team. So far, Johnson does not have a ride at the Indy 500. His future is now a clear canvas, and the 47-year-old driver can create the painting that he wants in terms of what he wants to do. But he is soon realizing that having an ownership stake in a NASCAR team will require much of his time.
With a stake in a Chevrolet NASCAR team, Johnson has already turned down a chance to drive for one of the Acura teams in January’s IMSA Rolex 24 at Daytona.
“I have some experience in the last two years and understanding my brand, my contacts, the corporate appeal and what the hot spots and hot buttons are,” Johnson said. “When I looked at where I was in 2020 going into 2021 and trying to put together the program with CGR, I knew it was fresh, brand-new territory as a driver and the office and the space I wanted to manage. “Now, with a few years under our belt, going into next year and what I want to do, I have so much more confidence in what I’m capable of and what my office is capable of.
“I have a wish list of my ideas, but it’s about getting them funded.
“My phone is ringing. My wheels are turning. I don’t think I have a full understanding of the opportunities that go with it. I still want to do LeMans. The commitment to that is a couple weeks in France and some sim works that go with it. I want to do some NASCAR races and some IMSA races. I’ve been offered some Off-Road races. I hope sooner, than later. But it’s still undefined right now.”
For much of last season in the NTT IndyCar Series, Johnson’s desire was to return to full-time duty in IndyCar for 2023. That was dependent on his sponsor, Carvana. Ironically, Carvana agreed to return but Johnson decided to step away from full-time racing as a driver. He made that announcement on September 26.
“It wasn’t a clear answer, especially having partners that were fully supportive, willing, and able,” Johnson recalled. “It was a hard decision for me to come up with. Spending a lifetime chasing sponsorship, to have all that ready to go and then say I’m going to change directions, it took a bit of confidence and gumption. I had to make a decision to go with my gut and pick a direction and go.”
Johnson and his wife, Chandra, went to the Goodwood Festival in England after the IndyCar Series season concluded in September. Between a night of drinks with teammate Scott Dixon and former driver Dario Franchitti, and a long car ride to Goodwood with his wife, Johnson searched for his answer.
“Truth be told, Scott said, ‘You can’t leave me. You must stick around. Don’t leave me,’” Johnson said of Dixon. “Of course, he wants me to do what I want to do but he was on one shoulder wearing red telling me to come back and Dario Franchitti was on the other telling me to do what I wanted to do. That was like my wife. That is what rang through the most.
“This past year was a lot, and I did not want to not be at 100 percent. This past year took a lot out of me.
“Chandra and I landed in England and went to Dario’s house, took showers, and took the three-hour driver to Goodwood following Dario in his BMW M5 driving on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road. We almost died going through the first roundabout we pulled through. We did a lot of talking and thinking things through during that drive following Dario.
“I’m really trying hard to not do what I did in 2022 and commit to two programs that take up a lot of time. I had ROC (Race of Champions), Goodwood Revival and IndyCar. I just want to be smart and not get too busy.
“I would like to do a couple of NASCAR races and have a good showing, but it just depends. It gets complicated quick.”
Johnson will concentrate on his ownership stake at Petty GMS and drive a few Cup Series races for the team in 2023. He also has many personal goals that he would like to experience with his wife and two daughters.
“Travel is high on our wish list and even living abroad for a year is high on our wish list,” Johnson said. “The girls are at the right age to do this. But the challenges of moving around in high school are great challenges that make your children stronger. We would like to live a year abroad. If that comes together, that would be exciting.
“Our kids are so active in horseback riding. I’m trying to support and help and be a barn dad. I also want to support Chani. She has supported my career. I can go with her to weddings when her friends get married because I was always busy before. Chani would like to live in France. The kids have had a French babysitter, but they don’t speak a word of French.”
Even at 47 however, Johnson still has racing in his blood.
It’s a craving that he wants to satisfy, which can often complicate his personal goals.
“I can’t see a day when I’m not driving something,” Johnson said. “To be at the pointy end of the spear in IndyCar and NASCAR and even the top division in sports car racing, those days are numbered. It’s so expensive and competitive. In IMSA, there aren’t even seats available to get into a car so that might self-correct on its own. But there are so many cars that I want to drive and race and play with.”
Meantime, Johnson’s book is already in its third printing and achieved the No. 1 status in the “Celebrity Photography” category at Amazon.com. The book has a much deeper meaning to Johnson, however.
“This is a ‘Passion project,’” he said. “A ‘Labor of Love.’”