Source: motorsportsbeat.com
 

Third time’s the charm – and what a charm it was for Jimmie Johnson. 

After missing out on planned NTT IndyCar Series tests at both Barber Motorsports Park and Indianapolis Motor Speedway over the past few months, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion was finally able to complete a test session at Indianapolis with Chip Ganassi Racing on Tuesday. 

When the run was complete, Johnson only found himself hungrier to compete with the tour after his impending NASCAR retirement. 

“It only lit the fire more. I want to do this more than ever before,” Johnson told The Associated Press. “It was something new, something different. NASCAR has been so good to me and I am so proud of the success I’ve had. But to try something new, man, this was really cool.”

The session wasn’t all smooth for Johnson. He had a limited allotment of tires, and hindered a pair of them with a pair of spins on the IMS road course as he got up to speed with the open wheel machine. But in the end the Californian emerged with runs that current points leader Scott Dixon called “very impressive” and left eager for another stint behind the wheel.