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.
The Drone Racing League kicked off its 2021-2022 world championship season this week. Spanning across 14 different locations over the course of the year, 12 of the world's best drone pilots will be racing against each other to bring home the title. Drone racing has grown in popularity over the past year, with the Drone Racing League seeing an uptick of nearly 200 percent average viewership, 90 percent in virtual drone racing participation and 60 percent fanbase growth over social media. Rachel Jacobson, President of the Drone Racing League, discusses the future of the sport and why she thinks drone racing will soon be on par with traditional sports.
Bill Enright, Editorial Lead for Gambling and Fantasy Content at Sports Illustrated, shares his insight into the strategy behind betting on NFL futures, such as who will win the Super Bowl or MVP award.
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Jeff Stoneback, Director of Trading at BetMGM, discusses his betting insights for Super Bowl LVI futures, and says a pair of NFC East teams could make some noise come playoff time.
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The final Grand Slam tennis tournament of 2021 will be lacking some of its biggest stars including Venus and Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. However, with legendary names missing from the court, it could provide an opportunity for future superstars to shine. Jon Wertheim, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, joined Cheddar to discuss the fallout from the cancellations. "This is tennis' version of the NBA after [Michael] Jordan," he said. "Some Kobe [Bryant] or some LeBron [James] will come along, and we'll have new champions to cheer for."
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