Earlier this month, Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club announced its third charter in NASCAR. However, the expansion does not stop there. LMC recently announced its participation in the 110th Indy 500 in partnership with Arrow McLaren.

It has been a running tradition for Arrow McLaren to incorporate a NASCAR team or champion into their team for the Indy 500 for the last couple of years. This May, the two teams will work together to field the No. 31 car Chevrolet piloted by Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Bryan Campe, who was a part of the Larson/Hendrick program, will serve as the race strategist. Speaking about the collaboration with Racer, Arrow McLaren team principal Tony Kanaan stated:

"We're not f****** around. After the Kyle Larson effect, the challenge was, 'What are we going to do?' Not to match popularity, but in talent. If you look at the history of that car, it’s had some winners in it before with [Juan] Montoya, myself, and Kyle was as talented a guy you could ever ask for. So finding the right person to take the car and step it up even more was what we needed. So it was looking at names to be able to win the Indy 500."

He further added, "Ryan's that guy for us, but then it was looking at how do we surround that car with Ryan with other champions, so that started the conversation with me and (McLaren Racing CEO) Zak [Brown], and then we started talking about Jimmie, and it came together with all of us working together for this project. And like I said, we’re not ******* around with this in any way.”

Prior to this, Arrow McLaren had collaborated with HMS star Kyle Larson for the last two Indy 500s. This collaboration aided his attempt at The Double, i.e., completing all 1100 laps of racing in NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 and the Indy 500 on the same day.

Jimmie Johnson and Tom Brady's adventure at the 2025 Indy 500

Even though he did not participate in the 2025 Indy 500, Jimmie Johnson was a key part in a pre-race event. The seven-time NASCAR champion drove Tom Brady around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the "Fastest seat in Sport".

Brady had expressed his fears about going around the track at nearly 200 kmph. Moreover, Jimmie Johnson did nothing to help ease his fear. Instead, the LMC owner made fun of the NFL legend.

During an interview with "First Things First", Johnson said, "TB's opinion doesn't count. He has already sent a few text messages worried about speed, and accident, and motion sickness. I have two objectives: make him sick and make him soil his suit."

Jimmie Johnson was considered to drive Tom Brady around in the modified two-seater Indy car not only because of his NASCAR pedigree, but also because he raced in the IndyCar series in 2021 and 2022 with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Despite Brady's hesitation, the ride was enthralling for him. Earlier this year, the former NFL quarterback called it "one of the highlights of my life."

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Yask Kotak