NASCAR: 5 drivers who could’ve replaced Jimmie Johnson
By Asher Fair
Possible Jimmie Johnson replacements: No. 3 – Bubba Wallace
Believe it or not, speaking of Bubba Wallace, he was also in the early discussion as a possible replacement for Jimmie Johnson at Hendrick Motorsports. In fact, he was considered one of the “likely candidates” at one point in the summer of 2020.
Wallace was in his third season driving the #43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports at the time, and the 2020 season saw him become somewhat of a sponsor magnet.
Unsurprisingly, he ended up having multiple options on the table in terms of where he could end up in the 2021 season. Chip Ganassi Racing even offered him a deal to become Kyle Larson’s true replacement behind the wheel of the #42 Chevrolet once Kenseth wrapped up the 2020 campaign.
But Hendrick Motorsports did not become one of those options for Wallace, though he did leave Richard Petty’s team after three seasons.
Instead, he joined a brand-new 23XI Racing team, co-owned by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, as the driver of the #23 Toyota. 23XI Racing acquired a charter from the now defunct Germain Racing, and they formed a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Considering the bizarre way in which this team came to fruition, one can only wonder where he would have ended up if not there.