NASCAR GOAT Jimmie Johnson confirms Extreme E entry days after ex-F1 champion Lewis Hamilton’s team announces their exit

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Justin P Joy | Last updated 2/13/24

Extreme E is the premier All-electric off-road racing series in the world. It races around the globe in extreme environments in specially built cars to spread the message of sustainability. Ahead of the 2024 edition of the championship, two major changes have happened on the grid with regard to the teams participating in the series.

X44, the championship-winning team owned by seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, announced that they won’t race in the 2024 season. They might return to the series once it transitions to Extreme H, where the series will start using Hydrogen as fuel from the 2025 season onwards.

Now NASCAR Cup Series team co-owned by seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Club, has announced that they are entering the 2024 season of the series. Johnson will drive full-time in the series, but he will miss the season opener in Saudi Arabia since he is scheduled to race in the Daytona 500.

Off-road racing legend Travis Pastrana will be the substitute driver for Johnson in the season opener. He will drive alongside 19-year female racing star Gray Leadbetter, who has won US Pro off-rod championships. She will be Johnson’s teammate for the reaming races of the season. This is because Extreme-E’s team consists of a male and female racer.

Jimmie Johnson is excited about the opportunity

While talking about Legacy MC’s new venture, the NASCAR legend pointed out that it’s an exciting venture for him as he is repressing the US in a unique and competitive racing series. He also added that he has huge hopes for Pastrana and Leadbetter in the season opener, and he is also excited to see his teams’ flag in a foreign country.

The opportunity for LEGACY M.C. to field an off-road vehicle in the Extreme E championship is exciting in many ways. We are essentially representing America in this unique and very competitive series, and we are committed to the challenge. I’m excited to watch our LEGACY MOTOR CLUB colors race on foreign soil for the first time while I’m in Daytona for the Great American race. I know Travis and Gray will represent us well, and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish. Johnson said via a press release.

For Jimmie Johnson, who is in the final phase of his Motorsports career, the off-road venture is a return to the memory lane. He grew up racing Motorbikes and cars in off-road championships before becoming a stock car racer. The move will give him a great opportunity to re-live those past memories.