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.
Jared Smith, sports betting analyst from Pickswise, joins Cheddar Bets to break down the biggest games of the college football weekend, including those that put Ohio State and Oregon's Playoff spots on the line.
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Cognitive healthcare platform BrainCheck recently raised $10 million in a Series B round. The platform offers neurologists a new way to detect and care for brain disorders like Alzeheimer's, and brain injuries like concussions. BrainCheck CEO Yael Katz joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Three-time Grammy Award winner Darius Rucker joins Cheddar News to discuss his new apparel line, NFL x Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics, a new line of officially licensed NFL apparel inspired by Rucker’s love of music, football, and fashion.
Jill Wagner is joined by Baker to talk about kids and vaccines: we finally know how many young kids are getting vaccinated. Plus, Democrats are working on a Plan B for paid family leave. And the salad chain Sweetgreen goes public.
Beginning Christmas Day, the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers, Kings, and Sparks, the Staples Center, will go by the name Crypto.com Arena after a massive $700 million deal with AEG. Steven Kalifowitz, the chief marketing officer at Crypto.com, and Todd Goldstein, the chief revenue officer at AEG, joined Cheddar to talk about the historic changeover in naming rights and what other changes that fans entering the arena might expect.
The iconic Los Angeles Staples Center will sport a new moniker, Crypto.com Arena, beginning Christmas Day. AEG made the naming-rights deal with Crypto for a historic $700 million.
Jill is joined by “Friend of the Pod” Mosheh Oinounou to talk booster shots, and whether “fully vaccinated” will eventually mean three shots, not two. Plus, the latest on the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. And the research is in: we know now the perfect way to hug. Also, Jill and Mosheh debate whether Airpods are passé.
The Green Bay Packers are selling shares of their stock for just the sixth time in its 102-year history. The Packers are the only major professional sports team in the U.S. that is publicly owned and not-for-profit. Now, it is offering 300,000 shares at $300 apiece; however, fans who become shareholders will not have much power, as the Packers' stock is not technically a stock. Washington Post sports reporter Des Bieler joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Jill is joined by Baker Machado to talk all things infrastructure: where will the money go and who’s in charge? Plus, Sesame Street has its first Asian-American muppet. And a trailer for the trailer for Spiderman. Huh?
