Jimmie Johnson, Pastrana reunited for Race of Champions
Jimmie Johnson returns to the Race of Champions for the first time in 15 years, and is reunited with Travis Pastrana in an attempt to take back the trophy he won almost 20 years ago.
Johnson and Pastrana will represent Team USA in the 2022 Race of Champions event February 4-6 in Pite Havsbard, Sweden. Also on the field will be rally legend Sebastien Loeb, two-time Formula 1 champion Mika Hakkinen, F1 winner Valtteri Bottas, WRC champion Petter Solberg and Mattias Ekström, a champion in DTM and rally.
Johnson will also compete for the title of “Champion of Champions” in the individual ROC category. The seven-time champion of the NASCAR Cup Series last competed in ROC with Pastrana 2007 at Wembley Stadium (the picture above of the duo is from a training session at that event).
In the 29 November-Dec. In one event in 2002, Johnson, Hendrick Motorsport’s teammate Jeff Gordon and MotoGP rider Colin Edwards won the ROC Nations Cup Championship for Team USA in Gran Canaria, Spain – the country’s latest ROC title.
“Gran Canaria was dirt, and I don’t think the other guys knew how much dirtracing Jeff and I had in our background,” Johnson said in a release. “I do not think that many expected me to run well or even knew who I was for that matter. Winning the ROC Nation’s Cup was something completely unique. The only event where I represented my country. I have been able to achieve a lot in my career, but that is the only experience I have had.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to ROC and competing with Travis. He is a huge talent and we have so much fun competing together. Hopefully we can have some fun and success on snow and ice.
This year’s event will be called the “ROC Snow & Ice World Final” with a sustainability focus that will include electric cars and others that run on biofuels. It will be held on the fastest and widest track in ROC’s 30-year history.
Pastrana, the 2021 champion of the American Rally Association, has been part of his new Nitro Rallycross series (which airs on Peacock).
“This is exactly what I had hoped for,” Pastrana said in a release. “Jimmie and I are a little unlucky in the 2006 and 2007 Nations Cups, but I think this type of course will be perfect for us.”
I’m so excited to go back to @RaceOfChampions!
pic.twitter.com/FR47UP4uBj– Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) 17 November 2021
Johnson will compete in the ROC just before starting his second season in the NTT IndyCar Series (which is expected to include the Indy 500). He recently finished his 2021 season by competing this Saturday in the IMSA Petit Le Mans season finale.
In a video announcing his return to ROC, Johnson said that the event will mark his first trip to Sweden. The race will take place about 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle, which Johnson said “will be a whole new experience for me.
“Competing on snow and ice in Sweden will be such an interesting turn for me,” he said. “Beyond that, it’s a four-wheel drive vehicle, and all my dirt background and slippage was with a two-wheel drive vehicle. So much to learn and really looking forward to this challenge.”