Jimmie Johnson joins stacked Cup field for “bucket list” COTA race

Legacy Motor Club announced Tuesday that Jimmie Johnson will drive their No. 84 Chevrolet in the March 26 NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas.

Johnson will be among the special entrants announced for COTA, which also includes Formula One drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Jenson Button, sports car ace Jordan Taylor and INDYCAR driver Connor Daly.

Johnson will have sponsorship from Club Wyndham at COTA and in the May 26 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.

“COTA has been on my racing ‘bucket list’ for a very long time but my timing was off by a year or so. I was hoping it was going to be on the INDYCAR schedule – and it wasn’t – and then they added it to the NASCAR schedule after I left. From everything I’ve heard, NASCAR drivers have had a lot of fun racing at COTA, so to say I’m looking forward to it is an understatement,” Johnson said.

Johnson previously announced he was racing the inaugural Chicago Street Course race in July with backing from Carvana. The confirmed announcement about the Coca-Cola 600 is new, however.

“The Coke 600 is one of those premier races on the schedule. For fans, it’s truly one of the greatest days in motorsports. Last year I lived out another ‘bucket list’ item and was able to race in the Indy 500. I’m looking forward to driving this NextGen car at Charlotte and putting on a great show for Club Wyndham,” Johnson stated.

Johnson finished 31st in the Daytona 500. He finished seventh in the first stage and contended for a top-10 before wrecking during the first overtime.

Todd Gordon was Johnson’s crew chief at Daytona and will be his crew chief in all other starts.

For his first start in the No. 84 Club Wyndham Chevrolet, COTA is offering a special reserved ticket offer through March 19.