NASCAR driver Kyle Larson won’t be the only one doing the Indy 500-Coca Cola 600 double this year. On Tuesday, it was announced that NASCAR Hall of Famer and Legacy Motor Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson will be part of NBC’s Indy 500 coverage and then race in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte that night.
Johnson will be the first driver to be part of the Indy 500 broadcast and then race in Charlotte, while Larson will be the fifth driver to do the Indy-Charlotte double and the first since Kurt Busch in 2014.
“To have the opportunity to experience ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ once again is such an honor,” said Johnson in a press release. “I was part of the NBC broadcast team in 2021, and it just fueled the fire I needed to make my childhood dream of racing in the Indianapolis 500 one day a reality. Competing in this race as a driver was a chance of a lifetime, so to be able to experience the pageantry again is just so special.Even though I’ve never been able to do the ‘double’ as a driver, May 26th is going to be a very busy day. After the broadcast, I’ll fly to Charlotte Motor Speedway and drive in the Coca-Cola 600. I’m so thankful to NBC for the opportunity and continued partnership.”
NBC also announced that Johnson will be an analyst for three of their NASCAR Cup series races this year. Johnson will also be part of the broadcast team for the Phoenix Championship race, which he plans to compete in. Having Johnson in the booth for NASCAR races is good for NBC. Dale Earnhardt Jr. left NBC after his contract ended last year and will be a part of Prime Video and TNT’s NASCAR broadcasts next year. While Johnson will probably be a good NASCAR analyst, it will be interesting to see how good of an analyst he will be in IndyCar. Johnson has some experience in IndyCar, and he’ll probably be ok as an analyst for the Indy 500.
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