CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two of the best NASCAR drivers of all time are teaming up.
Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time Cup Series champion, has entered into an ownership agreement with Petty GMS Racing, the team announced at Phoenix Raceway on Friday. As part of the deal, the 47-year-old Johnson will drive in select races for the team next season.
Petty GMS Racing is led by Maury Gallagher and Richard Petty, the all-time wins leader in Cup history.
“I am excited to announce I’ve entered into an ownership agreement with Petty GMS,” Johnson wrote in a tweet on Friday. “I will be running a limited schedule in 2023, starting with the Daytona 500. I’m incredibly excited to be returning to my NASCAR family and look forward to building upon the combined legacy of our team.”
The rest of Johnson’s schedule, sponsors, paint scheme and car number will be revealed at a later date, per a release from Petty GMS.
Johnson, a Charlotte resident, competed in the Cup Series from 2001-2020, all of which were with Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson retired from NASCAR after the 2020 season. But he continued his racing career in other realms — namely IMSA and IndyCar.
In September, he announced that he was stepping away from racing full-time in IndyCar and pursuing other “bucket list events.” Among those events: publishing a book and getting involved in the ownership side of the NASCAR Cup Series.
Petty GMS was formed in December 2021, when Gallagher, a two-time NASCAR Truck Series championship team owner, purchased Richard Petty Motorsports. Petty GMS will have two full-time Cup entries in 2023: Noah Gragson, who’s competing for an Xfinity championship this weekend, and Erik Jones.
Gallagher is still a majority owner of Petty GMS. Petty is still the race team’s chairman, and Mike Beam will remain in his role as team president.
“I couldn’t be happier to have Jimmie Johnson joining Petty GMS,” Gallagher said in a statement. “We have been consistent since we began our Cup effort last year in wanting to be up front and have a winning program. No one in the modern era of NASCAR has won more than Jimmie. Having a driver, the caliber of Jimmie, driving our equipment and being able to provide feedback to our crew chiefs and engineers — but most importantly mentoring Erik and Noah — will be invaluable. Perhaps most important of all, Jimmie will be a great partner.”
In a statement, Petty agreed.
“What an exciting time for Petty GMS,” Petty said. “This year we’ve accomplished so much together with Maury and now adding Jimmie will only continue to help us grow. To have Jimmie — another seven-time champion — as a part of the team, and his abilities both on track and off will be special for Petty GMS. I’m looking forward to having him as a part of our team and seeing what we can build together.”
Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick also weighed in on the news and called it “a tremendous day for our sport.”
“Jimmie (Johnson) is one of the all-time great champions on the racetrack, and I know he’ll apply that same mentality to his role as a team owner,” Hendrick said in a statement, adding, “Competing against him will certainly be a change, and a big challenge, but we welcome his return to NASCAR and look forward to the next chapter of a truly remarkable career.”
