For Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Return, 7 Times 7 Could Equal Car No. 49

Jimmie Johnson will make his Nascar Cup Series return in the 65^th Daytona 500 on February 19, 2023, but it won’t be in the familiar No. 48 Chevrolet. That number belongs to Hendrick Motorsports and is currently on Alex Bowman’s Chevrolet after the seven-time Nascar Cup Series champion retired from full-time Nascar competition at the end of the 2020 season.

Johnson used No. 48 in the NTT IndyCar Series the past two seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing, continuing the identifiable number that he helped make famous in a career that included 84 Cup Series victories including two Daytona 500 wins.

Johnson announced his return to Nascar on November 4 when he became an ownership partner in Petty GMS Racing. The primary owner is Maury Gallagher, and the other owner is seven-time Nascar Cup Series champion and seven-time Daytona 500 winner Richard Petty.

Johnson also announced he would compete in a limited number of Nascar Cup Series races, including the Daytona 500.

Petty GMS was formed on December 7, 2021, and has had an impressive debut season with driver Erik Jones winning the Southern 500 in the famed No. 43 Chevrolet that Petty made famous.

Noah Gragson also joins the team the team for the 2023 Nascar Cup Series season.

It’s All In the Numbers

When Johnson rolls out of the garage to begin practice at Daytona International Speedway, what number will be on his Chevrolet?

Petty GMS President Mike Beam has an idea.

“Once we made the announcement with Jimmie, people started connecting the dots,” Beam said. “Seven times seven is 49.

“Holy crap, I would have never thought of that.

“We have two seven-time champions and if you multiply seven times seven, you get 49. That would be a perfect number for our team with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson.”

Although that has not become official, it’s a number that makes sense for Johnson’s new path in his career as a Cup Series owner/driver on a team that includes Petty.

Back on October 4 when I had a chance to talk to Johnson before a book signing for his new book “One More Lap – Jimmie Johnson and the #48” he talked about possible car numbers. This was one full month before his ownership stake was announced at Petty GMS Racing.

“It will definitely be a different number,” Johnson said. “My daughter asked me that the overnight.

“Maybe it will be 84. We’ll just switch around the 4 and the 8.”

Back in the early days of Nascar, three-digit numbers were used, but don’t expect an “048” to appear on Johnson’s car.

A Marketing “Dream Team”

It opens the possibility for all types of increased marketing opportunities for Petty GMS because of the involvement two seven-time champions have as owners with a combined 284 wins and 14 championships.

“The marketing part of it, there is a lot of excitement there,” Beam said. “Trying to tie 7 and 7 together is pretty cool. There is a lot of momentum. There will be some really cool announcements soon. Richard is a big part of this.

“It’s pretty exciting to see it and be part of it,” Beam said. “It’s taking off. We’ve had a lot of people reach out to us, different companies. Now, it’s just putting the best deals together.

“We’ll have an announcement coming the first of the year. How cool is it to be able to market Jimmie Johnson and Richard Petty. It’s crazy.”

Both Petty and Johnson recognize the value of marketing and enjoy being the face of the team. Petty is 85 and still enjoys traveling and spending time with the fans and visiting with sponsors. His autograph has become legendary.

Johnson has been a modern-day marketing machine, bringing new sponsors such as Carvana into auto racing as primary sponsor of his No. 48 Indy car at Chip Ganassi Racing.

Bucket List

When Johnson announced he was stepping away from full-time racing on September 26, he talked about running a “Bucket List” schedule that included IndyCar, Nascar, Imsa and the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also talked about doing the “Double” by running in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day.

Since that proclamation, however, Johnson’s Nascar ownership duties have taken priority. He will not compete in Imsa or driver in the Rolex 24 at Daytona next month. Johnson does not have a deal for the Indianapolis 500 and would have to sign a deal with a Chevrolet IndyCar team.

Team Penske told me in October they will not be adding an extra car to the Indianapolis 500, so that team is out of consideration. Arrow McLaren has no room on its team with the addition of 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan to the lineup for the 500-Mile Race.

That would leave Ed Carpenter Racing, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and Juncos as the only Chevrolet teams that could possibly put Johnson in a car for the Indy 500.

With each day, it appears more difficult for Johnson to find a ride for the 107^thIndianapolis 500.

But if it does happen, Beam has the second part of the “Double” covered for Johnson that would run in the Coca-Cola 600.

“From the very first conversation we had with Jimmie, he was talking about the IndyCar stuff and making the Indy 500 and qualifying,” Beam said. “When he did Rookie Orientation up there, his first or second lap in the Indy car, he had already run faster than what he qualified on the pole there in his Cup car.

“There has been a lot of discussion and a lot of work facilitating and getting a plan together and talking to Nascar about the schedule at Charlotte. There is a laundry list that is waiting to execute.

“I feel good about it.”

Beam said private planes would be used and standby drivers utilized for practice and qualifying, if needed.

“We will revisit that on December 28, but it is exciting,” Beam said. “Jimmie really wants to do it and sure, if he wants to do it, we’ll do it.”

Johnson would be the oldest driver to do the double at 47.

“I’m not worried about that,” Beam said. “With his workout schedule, that’s the least problem.

“Jimmie has been in the simulator for the Garage 56 effort with Nascar and Rick Hendrick for Le Mans. Jimmie is a fast learner and whatever Nascar lets us do for testing, we’ll be all over that.”

As for the ownership role, Beam has enjoyed the interaction with Johnson as he becomes more involved in the business of Petty GMS Racing.

“It’s gone really well,” Beam said. “Once we started talking to Jimmie, we have had meetings about the cars, the hauler, and the pit box. I always kid Maury because he’s 3,000 miles away and it gets dumped in my lap, but that’s OK.

“But it has gone very well. We can put a body on a car in three days with the next car. We’re working on the team and the crew. Jimmie and his group are working hard on partners. Everybody is excited about Jimmie.

“What you know about Jimmie Johnson is the truth. He works his tail off. He’ll text you at 6 a.m. with ideas. He is so excited and is a great guy.”