‘Jimmie Johnson can do whatever he wants’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. responds to Denny Hamlin’s criticism on the record champion’s return

Dale Earnhardt Jr has got Jimmie Johnson's back, he argues with Denny Hamlin's take on his return to NASCAR.

‘Jimmie Johnson can do whatever he wants’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. responds to Denny Hamlin’s criticism on the record champion’s return

Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin

Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time Cup Series champion, is returning to NASCAR. He will be racing as a part-time driver for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. Johnson also purchased a stake in the team, making him a co-owner. Jimmie’s return to the sport after 2 years raised a few eyebrows.

Denny Hamlin, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, expressed his concern about Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin started a new podcast called “Actions Detrimental” and used the platform to speak about Jimmie Johnson’s return to NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr disagreed with Hamlin and jumped in to defend Johnson. He responded to Hamlin’s comments on his podcast “The Dale Jr Download”.

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Dale Jr argued, “I saw Denny’s comment on some of the stuff we put out to promote his show. He’s talking about how he didn’t want him to come back. He’s going to taint his legacy. I don’t know, man, the guy’s got every right in the world to do whatever he wants”.“Hey, he didn’t have a great time in IndyCar. He got humbled, he’ll tell you that. I couldn’t find the limit, couldn’t find the speed. He’s coming back to stock cars to redeem himself. Not to me, he’s redeeming himself.” Dale Jr is positive that Johnson is coming back to redeem himself.

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Related: Dale Eranhardt Jr. was humbled after a poor Super Late Model season opener run

Dale Earnhardt Jr is certain Jimmie Johnson is coming back for redemption

Dale Earnhardt Jr

Speaking about Jimmie Johnsons’ successful comeback, it will be quite hard for the 47-year-old to catch up as the competition has only grown fierce over the years. There are plenty of elements to consider. After all, this is a new car, and 2 years away from the sport would not have done much for the driver. Looking at the competition, it might be demanding for Johnson to fight for wins.

A look at the statistics over the years shows that the drivers who retired and made a comeback were not at the same level they used to be. The same can be said about the seven-time world champion in Formula One, Micheal Schumacher. On the positive side, Johnson was still active, racing for the last 2 years. He might not be rusty after all. 

Jimmie Johnson will compete in five Cup Series this year, starting with the season opener, Daytona 500. He had won this event twice before, in 2006 & 2013.  The Daytona 500 for 2023 is scheduled for February 19th. Once the season starts, this debate between Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr will be put to rest.

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