F1 Champion Jenson Button sends tentative messages to Johnson ahead of….
hero image for F1 Champion Jenson Button Excited to Tackle NASCAR Challenge
There’s no mistaking Jenson Button’s enthusiasm or intent for an upcoming three-race road course stint in stock car racing’s NASCAR Cup Series. The 2009 Formula One World Champion announced Thursday that he will debut in the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford in the March 26 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, then race July 2 in the Chicago Street Race and again Aug. 13 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
The 43-year old Brit, who now lives in California, said the details of his NASCAR entry were only formalized in the last few months, however he and Mobil 1 – which is sponsoring his car and effort – have been discussing the possibility as far back as last year.
F1 Champion Jenson Button sends tentative messages to Johnson ahead of….
And truth be told, Button conceded, his interest in NASCAR actually began as a child when he saw the “Days of Thunder” movie starring Tom Cruise.
“I thought it was amazing, but worlds away from European motorsport,” he said.
A world championship in hand, a stock car start at Le Mans on the horizon and Button has left open the possibility of competing in more NASCAR races in 2024 – should this season’s three-race foray go well.
“If I like the championship, if I like the car, if I think it’s fun and enjoyable and I can be competitive, there’s always that possibility, but it’s a lot of learning in a very different way than I’m used to,” acknowledged Button, who will only get his first real seat time in the Rick Ware Racing Ford when he shows up for opening practice at COTA.
“The three circuits that we’ve chosen work out really well because COTA I’ve driven at before. …The second one at Chicago, no one’s driven there before. And Indy, it’s different than the F1 track I drove there but it has some of the same corners.”
Jenson is also one of the three drivers on the Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet-NASCAR-Goodyear effort that will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans June 10-11. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson and sports car ace Mike Rockenfeller will co-drive with Jenson at Le Mans. The trio – along with sports car champion Jordan Taylor – have been testing the car extensively already and Taylor also is slated to compete at COTA, filling in for the injured Chase Elliott in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
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Button said the primary reason he – and fellow former F1 Champion Kimi Raikkonen who is also racing at COTA this month – are able to compete in these races is because the NASCAR schedule includes so many more road courses. This season the NASCAR Cup Series will race six times on a combination of traditional road courses, modified road courses and, for the first time ever, a street course (in downtown Chicago).
F1 Champion Jenson Button sends tentative messages to Johnson ahead of….
hero image for F1 Champion Jenson Button Excited to Tackle NASCAR Challenge
There’s no mistaking Jenson Button’s enthusiasm or intent for an upcoming three-race road course stint in stock car racing’s NASCAR Cup Series. The 2009 Formula One World Champion announced Thursday that he will debut in the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford in the March 26 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, then race July 2 in the Chicago Street Race and again Aug. 13 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
The 43-year old Brit, who now lives in California, said the details of his NASCAR entry were only formalized in the last few months, however he and Mobil 1 – which is sponsoring his car and effort – have been discussing the possibility as far back as last year.
F1 Champion Jenson Button sends tentative messages to Johnson ahead of….
And truth be told, Button conceded, his interest in NASCAR actually began as a child when he saw the “Days of Thunder” movie starring Tom Cruise.
“I thought it was amazing, but worlds away from European motorsport,” he said.
A world championship in hand, a stock car start at Le Mans on the horizon and Button has left open the possibility of competing in more NASCAR races in 2024 – should this season’s three-race foray go well.
“If I like the championship, if I like the car, if I think it’s fun and enjoyable and I can be competitive, there’s always that possibility, but it’s a lot of learning in a very different way than I’m used to,” acknowledged Button, who will only get his first real seat time in the Rick Ware Racing Ford when he shows up for opening practice at COTA.
“The three circuits that we’ve chosen work out really well because COTA I’ve driven at before. …The second one at Chicago, no one’s driven there before. And Indy, it’s different than the F1 track I drove there but it has some of the same corners.”
Jenson is also one of the three drivers on the Hendrick Motorsports-Chevrolet-NASCAR-Goodyear effort that will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans June 10-11. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson and sports car ace Mike Rockenfeller will co-drive with Jenson at Le Mans. The trio – along with sports car champion Jordan Taylor – have been testing the car extensively already and Taylor also is slated to compete at COTA, filling in for the injured Chase Elliott in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy
READ MORE:NASCAR Champ Joey Logano Reveals How Tony Stewart Ruined His ..
Button said the primary reason he – and fellow former F1 Champion Kimi Raikkonen who is also racing at COTA this month – are able to compete in these races is because the NASCAR schedule includes so many more road courses. This season the NASCAR Cup Series will race six times on a combination of traditional road courses, modified road courses and, for the first time ever, a street course (in downtown Chicago).
