5 drivers who could attempt the next Memorial Day Double

No. 2 - Jimmie Johnson

Much has been made of Jimmie Johnson's talent and legacy over the last few years since he became part owner of Legacy Motor Club and returned to the NASCAR Cup Series in a part-time driver role in 2023.

A lot of it can be justified. In seven races driving the No. 84 car, Johnson has a best finish of 28th place. He has four DNFs and just one lead-lap finish. Furthermore, his team has not made significant strides in performance. They have arguably gone backwards at times.

Add in the fact that he also had two crash-heavy, mistake-filled seasons in IndyCar, only scoring one top five finish before his aforementioned return to NASCAR, and you can see why very few people are confident in his abilities anymore.

However, what people forget is why he is racing: to satisfy his hunger for competition, to help his team as a business owner, and to try new things, regardless of the results.

Sure, he has raced in NASCAR for more than two decades, winning 83 races and seven championships. Sure, he has raced in IndyCar before, and he even competed in the Indy 500 in 2022. But there's still one thing he hasn't done in those two series: raced in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

Johnson mentioned before his first Indy 500 that it was his lifelong dream to compete in that race, and numerous times in the past, he has also mentioned that the Coca-Cola 600 is one of his favorite NASCAR events each year, hence why he chose to race there in 2023 (and 2024).

Johnson prides himself on his work ethic, fitness, and endurance, even at the age of 48. An attempt at the Memorial Day Double would be a chance for him to put those things to the ultimate test, all while competing in his two favorite races on the same day.

What better way for Johnson to silence all the haters and critics than to win one or both of these races and cement his legacy as an all-time motorsport great?