The 2021 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona is officially underway. Peppered across the grid are a number of NASCAR drivers, with Jimmie Johnson being one of them. During the race, media caught up to Johnson and Helio Castroneves when they were off from driving duty.

Of course, the COVID-19 restrictions meant that the press conference was held via a zoom call. As it turned out, Castroneves was up first, and as he was wrapping up, Johnson joined in. Needless to say, the Brazilian was thrilled and said, “48 in the house! How was the experience, buddy?”

Jimmie Johnson assured that he had a lot of fun out on the track. However, he admitted he needs a bit more time on the track. Castroneves wholeheartedly agreed and declared that he loved racing for his current team. A large part of it was down to Johnson’s influence on the team and setup.

“For you to be doing those things…I want to be like you, man,” Castroneves said.

Jimmie Johnson and Helio Castroneves engage in banter

While the IndyCar driver continued to praise Johnson, the latter engaged in a bit of banter. He said that he hoped he looked as good as the Brazilian driver when he is his age. After a bout of laughter, the Indy driver pleaded with Johnson to not go so fast and he would be happy if the NASCAR veteran finished second.

On a more serious note, Jimmie Johnson will most likely hop back in the car to finish off his scheduled stint. That is, as long as the car is still in tip-top condition and has not been involved in any hijinks. Unfortunately, teammate Chase Elliott confessed that he and his team struggled after sustaining some minor damage.

Hopefully, Jimmie Johnson and his co-drivers are able to pick up the slack for Action Express Racing. The outfit is a strong team and they are certainly capable of winning the race.