Jimmie Johnson to race Grand Prix of Portland 

Jimmie Johnson is back on the West Coast, and the new member of the Sons of The American Legion hopes to end the 2022 INDYCAR Series season with a flourish.

There are two races remaining in the season beginning with Sunday’s Grand Prix of Portland. The final race of the season is Sept. 11 in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.

Johnson drives the No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing and looks forward to his second battle on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile permanent road course at Portland International Raceway.

“It’s a short lap,” Johnson said. “The leaders are coming, especially in the world I live in. Last year, I stayed on the lead lap, ran really competitive and finished 20th. I had a great experience there last year. I had a chance to test there last year. I raced there so going back, I feel like I’m going to be in my level of performance.”

By completing all 110 laps of the race, it was another step forward for the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. He finished ahead of such names as Simon Pagenaud, Romain Grosjean and Helio Castroneves.

This weekend, Johnson hopes to continue moving forward.

“Race weekend, Portland, I’m excited for another shot,” Johnson said. “I go back to a track that I really enjoyed driving at last year. I feel really good with the car and I’m glad I got those extra laps of experience heading into the race weekend.

“I’m excited to be back in the Pacific Northwest. It’s such a beautiful area of the country. I can’t wait to get out there and go racing.”

Johnson is from El Cajon, Calif., not exactly close to Portland International Raceway. In fact, it’s 1,102 miles straight up Interstate 5 from the community near San Diego to the site of this weekend’s race.

But Johnson always feels at home when he’s on the West Coast.

“It’s pretty far north for me, but yes, it’s great to be back,” Johnson said.

While Johnson hopes to finish on a high note, Chip Ganassi Racing has three drivers in the closest points race from positions one to five since 2003. Just 43 points separate the top-five.

Team Penske’s Will Power is the leader, but he is just three points ahead of his teammate and two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden.

Power leads the standing with two race to go for the fourth time in his career.

Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing is third, just 14 points out of the lead. Another Chip Ganassi Racing driver, 106th Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson, is only 17 points out of the lead.

Defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou, who has driven The American Legion car several times this season, is the driver from CGR involved in the points battle. He is 43 points out in fifth place.

Sunday’s Grand Prix of Portland can be seen on NBC with the telecast beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Time.