This article was produced in partnership with cbdMD
Last year, Jimmie Johnson—one of race car driving’s most accomplished athletes—made his on-air debut with NBC Sports broadcasting the Indy 500. The thrill of it all reignited his childhood dream of one day competing in what’s billed as the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
“Once I experienced race day, I was like ‘Okay, I have to do this,” says Johnson, who got his first dirt bike at age four and won his first 60 cc championship at 8 (with an injured knee nonetheless). Now retired from a wildly successful NASCAR career, he’s spent the last year learning the IndyCar ropes as he prepares to compete in his first-ever Indy 500 race on May 29.
Leading up to the marquee event, there’s mounting “Jimmie Johnson mania,” as spectators are eager to watch the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion try his hand at open-wheel racing in a more nimble car.
During this rookie season in INDYCAR, Johnson was keenly focused on his fitness regimen, working on his grip strength (there’s no power steering in an Indy car), as well as his neck strength, which is extremely important for open-wheel drivers as they’re in some of the fastest cars on the planet.
As he’s made his career transition, cbdMD products have been pivotal for his recovery, Johnson says. Overcoming G-forces in a race car with brute physical strength takes a huge toll on the body, he says. “It’s a far more physical sport than most people realize.”
Courtesy Image
To soothe joint and muscle aches, he’s been using cbdMD’s Recover Pain Relief Cream on his wrists, shoulders, and neck.
“It’s now a cornerstone of my recovery,” he says. “With all the G-forces we pull in a race car, my neck is most thankful for it.”