And this is a U-turn that almost no NASCAR fan was expecting! Jimmie Johnson is back to the Cup Series and the news brought some exciting buzz to the NASCAR community. It is obvious that many NASCAR fans are left wondering how exactly did that happen?

According to The Athletic, Jimmie Johnson is in talks with Richard Petty’s Petty GMS Racing. The seven-time Cup Series champion is reportedly finalizing an agreement to acquire an ownership stake in the team. 

Furthermore, it is suspected that as per the agreement, Johnson will be returning to drive part-time in the 2023 Cup Series season. The Athletic’s Motorsports reporter, Jordan Bianchi shared the news on his official Twitter handle. 

And as soon as NASCAR fans came across this revelation about their favorite athlete’s return, it was clear that they couldn’t keep calm. As a result, they shared their thoughts by commenting below Bianchi’s post. 

Excited about the news, some NASCAR fans discussed how this would help Petty GMS bring forth their A-game. Moreover, some others talked about how they always believed that Johnson would return to the tracks with Hendrick Motorsports. While there were also a few who discussed the benefits Jimmy’s leadership might have on the current and future Petty GMS drivers like Noah Gragson and Erik Jones.

READ MORE: Jimmie Johnson Once Detailed the Root of His Rivalry With Hendrick Motorsports Mentor Jeff Gordon With an Interesting Revelation

Although even after his retirement, Jimmie Johnson had never ruled out the possibility of exploring new motorsports opportunities, this decision still wasn’t expected. Majorly because most people believed that Hendrick Motorsports will continue to be Johnson’s home even after his retirement.

When did Jimmie Johnson announce his retirement?

In 2020, Jimmie Johnson revealed that he would not be driving full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series championship. Moreover, earlier in September 2022, Johnson announced the news of his retirement as a full-time racer from all formats.

The 47-year-old driver said that his decision to scale back his racing time is based on his intention of focusing more on his family.  However, he did say that he is open to opportunities across different road courses and formats.

WATCH THIS STORY: Jimmie Johnson Teases a Return to NASCAR at Much-Anticipated Track Next Year (essentiallysports.com)

He said; “I’ve got a blank sheet of paper, and we can now see what opportunities exist and start making a calendar.” Furthermore, he explained; “These decisions are based around family needs and demands, and I think it gets tricky and a bit more complicated on my schedule if we can [get] some traction on travel and living abroad.”