Racing legend Jimmie Johnson may have retired from NASCAR but the 45-year-old's days of speeding are far from over as he gears up to take his talents to IndyCar. With the coronavirus pandemic having delayed the 2020 NASCAR season, Johnson called it quits, so he could prepare to mash the pedals in a vehicle that he'd actually envisioned himself driving many years earlier.
"As a kid, IndyCar was really the dream for me. My opportunities took me to NASCAR and clearly I'm so thankful for the journey I've been on, but in 2018 I had a chance to drive a Formula One (F1) car and that experience was so intense and so cool that I needed more of it in my life and was able to put this opportunity together with Carvana and Chip Ganassi Racing for this season and for next," Johnson told Cheddar.
Like F1 race cars, IndyCar uses an open-wheel design.
While the racing legend spent nearly two decades behind the wheel of a stock car, he's only had "a handful" of test sessions before his IndyCar debut. If you thought that might impact Johnson's psyche and make for a nervous debut, he said it "totally does." For the most part, it will be a learn-as-you-go type of experience for the veteran racer.
"For me, really everything's different. I mean, not only the car, which you can visually see and the performance side to it, but the tracks are all new and different, and I've never been to them," Johnson said. "Some are temporary street circuits in downtown districts that are just there for four or five days and they're gone."
As Johnson prepares to make his first appearance at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on Sunday, he is also touting a partnership with Alcon, a Swiss-based eyecare company. Johnson who suffers from seasonal allergies, with itchy eyes being a major symptom, said the partnership was the perfect match.
LeBron James will serve his first-ever NBA suspension tonight against the New York Knicks after getting into an on-court squabble with Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart. Stewart will also serve a two-game suspension for escalating the fight.
Jill and Carlo are a bit delayed today on account of Carlo's internet not working. Better late than never, they discuss what we know about the suspect in the Christmas parade crash, closing arguments in the Arbery killing trial, and more.
Special Olympics and WWE are announcing a three-year partnership extension of their global partnership to help create inclusion through sports. Mary Davis, CEO of Special Olympics and WWE superstar and Special Olympics Global Ambassador, Drew McIntyre join Cheddar News to talk about the announcement.
NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and his daughter/business partner Jaqui Rice Gold joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to talk about their energy drink G.O.A.T. Fuel. The pair talked about launching the brand during the height of the pandemic and what makes it different from competing brands. "The thing that separates us from the other energy drinks is we have cordyceps mushrooms in the drink," he said. "You're not going to have the jitters or anything like that." The duo also discussed the Los Angeles Lakers making it the official energy drink of its organization and what that means for the growth of the brand.
Jill and Carlo cover the developing story out of suburban Milwaukee, where a speeding SUV careened through a Christmas parade. Looters get more brazen in San Francisco, the missing Chinese tennis star resurfaces, and more.
Alternative asset, sports cards-focused platform Alt recently raised $75 million in a Series B round. Alt's platform lets users research, trade, and securely store sports cards and other high-value assets. Right now, the company has more than $70 million worth of cards in its vault. The company is also hoping to get into other assets, including NFTs. Alt CEO Leore Avidar joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Ameeth Sankaran, CEO of the emmy-winning media company Religion of Sports, joined Cheddar to talk about the "Man in the Arena: Tom Brady" docuseries that premiered on ESPN+ earlier this week. Sankaran noted Brady and former NFL star Michael Strahan as co-founders and discussed the origin of the company and its goal to tell stories about sports figures beyond their roles on the court or field.
A former live-in-chef for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown has claimed the NFL star lied about his COVID vaccination status and obtained a fake proof of vaccination card. Brown and the Bucs have since come out denying the claims.
Jill and Carlo are back to cover the latest in the Rittenhouse trial, new information on the origins of Covid, return-to-office and more.
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Ben Stinar, NBA reporter for Fastbreak on FanNation, joins Cheddar Bets to provide some one-month-in overreactions and underreactions to some of the NBA betting lines.
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