In a unique partnership on Friday, Hendrick Motorsports and Action Express Racing are teaming up for this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona with an all-star lineup led by seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. Johnson shared a picture on his Twitter account to confirm the news.
He will team up with NTT IndyCar Series driver Simon Pagenaud, two-time Rolex 24 champion Kamui Kobayashi, and Rolex 24 and Le Mans 24 winner Mike Rockenfeller in the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R.
Jimmie Johnson released a statement on running in next year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, saying, “The Rolex 24 at Daytona is one of the marquee races in the world. It’s such a challenging event for both team and driver and requires a high level of concentration throughout. It’s a fun and unique race to compete in. This will be the first time I’ve raced with Action Express, and have been very impressed with the team and its preparation. I’m also excited to have Ally on board and to be co-driving with Simon, Kamui and Mike, who are three world-class drivers with experience in this race and the DPi Class. I’ve finished second in this event, so I’m looking forward to trying to get on the top step in 2021.”
Johnson is no stranger to sports-car racing. He last competed in 2011, when the series was then the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. He scored two podium finishes in 2005 with Howard Boss Motorsports and in 2008 with GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing.
Action Express Racing was founded in 2010 by NASCAR CEO Jim France with Bob Johnson as Team Principle and Gary Nelson as Manager. This will be the second car for them as they pilot the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R. with Felipe Nasir and Pipo Derani behind the wheel. The team finished in fourth place in this year’s IMSA DPi standings. The team has won four Driver’s championships, with the last one in 2018.
Action Express Racing’s team manager Gary Nelson on the addition of Johnson to the lineup said, “We’ve been talking to Jimmie about running with us for many months. It all came together in November with the support of Hendrick Motorsports and their tremendous partner, Ally. Jimmie has a lot of experience at Daytona, not only on the oval, but turning into the infield, as well.”
For Hendrick Motorsports, this will be their first race since 1988, when they competed in the Corvette GTP car in the old IMSA GT Championship Series that was driven by David Hobbs in their inaugural season in 1985. In the four years (1985-88) there, Hendrick got their first win at the 1986 Road Atlanta with Doc Bundy and Sarel Van Der Merwe behind the wheel.
They would again score another win on the streets of Palm Beach. The team would lose the manufactures title twice to Porsche. After the 1988 season, General Motors canceled the Corvette GTP car, and Hendrick did not return.
The 2021 IMSA season starts Saturday, January 30th, with the 59th running of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona.
