IMSA: Jimmie Johnson and Ally back with Action Express Racing in 2022
Action Express Racing (AXR), together with 14-time NASCAR Cup Series Champions Hendrick Motorsports, will return with the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Jimmie Johnson (El Cajon, Calif.), Kamui Kobayashi (Japan), Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) will return to the No. 48, along with Jose Maria Lopez (Argentina), and make their season debut at the Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona, Jan. 27-30. Ally returns as the sponsor of the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R for the second year.
Johnson, seven-time NASCAR champion, will make his ninth start in the Rolex 24 Hour. Kobayashi is seeking his third overall win in the Cadillac DPi-V.R, with Rockenfeller, a Le Mans, Rolex 24, Sebring, and Spa 24 winner. New to the Ally Cadillac for 2022 is Lopez who is a teammate of Kobayashi in the WEC series and the 2021 Le Mans 24 overall winner.
“It’s good to have Jimmie back leading the driver lineup in the Ally Cadillac for the four endurance events in 2022,” said Gary Nelson, Action Express Racing team manager. “We have a little more time to get up to speed this time for the Rolex 24 in January. The team showed a lot of promise last year, finishing second at the Rolex and showing strong pace at Sebring. We will be working closely with Rick Hendrick’s group led by Chad Knaus. Jose Maria is new to the car this year. He is a Le Mans 24 winner and WEC Champion, and I am sure he will be up to speed very quickly when he steps in the Ally Cadillac.”
Johnson and the team have a year of running under their belts from the four events this past season. The team is looking for strong results in 2022.
“I really enjoyed driving with Action Express Racing last season,” Johnson said. “It’s great to have the opportunity to continue in IMSA with Ally, while working alongside Chad (Knaus) and other former HMS (Hendrick Motorsports) teammates. Knowing that we are committed to run all of the Endurance races in 2022 allows us to get in some extra testing and to be better prepared. It’s great to have Kamui and Mike back. And Jose Maria, with his experience, is also a great addition to the line-up. 2022 is going to be an exciting year!”
Rockenfeller returns to the team having joined them last year at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. “Rocky” will run all four endurance events with Johnson and Kobayashi.
“I am super excited to be back in the Ally Cadillac DPiV.R with Action Express Racing for 2022,” Rockenfeller said. “In 2022, I will be running four races with the team. We have a great driver lineup with Jimmie, Kamui, and Jose Maria. This will be my main program for 2022, so I am looking forward to doing the big races in America. It is an opportunity I am really looking forward to. After finishing second at Daytona last year, we would like to take that next step on the podium in January. Lopez is very experienced in prototype racing. He just won Le Mans and the WEC Championship, so he brings a lot of experience and speed to the team. I think we have all of the ingredients to have a strong, four-race season in 2022.”
For Kobayashi, it will be his fourth year driving the Cadillac DPi-V.R and the second in the Ally badged DPi-V.R.
“This will be my second year with Jimmie,” Kobayashi said. “We will come into 2022 with the goal of winning races. I know Jose Maria quite well as my teammate in the WEC with Toyota. He will need a little time to get used to the Cadillac DPi-V.R, but he will be a fast edition to the team. Mike knows the car and the tracks in America. It is good he will be with us for the season. We had a lot of lessons to learn in 2021, as a team, which only makes us more confident for 2022.”
Lopez will be new to the team for 2022 and running his first Rolex 24. He brings a wealth of prototype experience as a Le Mans 24 winner and WEC Champion driving for Toyota.
“Driving with Jimmie Johnson is very special,” Lopez said. “As a big fan of motor racing, I’ve always followed NASCAR and Jimmie was my favorite driver. I can definitely say that I am a big fan. So, to share the car with him is a huge privilege.
“Regarding Mike, I have always watched him racing. His career is impressive and I’m looking forward to working and learning from him too. It will be great to continue as a teammate with my friend and brother Kamui. I have the honor to race and share a lot of time with him as teammates at Toyota. I know him very well as he knows me, so I am very happy to once again share a car in this very special race.
“My experience in America is not huge. I raced my first endurance event back in 2007 in the 12 hours of Sebring, and from there, I always wanted to come back and race in America again. I love the way racing is and my teammates Kamui and Mike always tells me how much they enjoy racing in such a competitive category and series like IMSA.”