The subsequent IndyCar spherical takes place within the Tennessee capital on an all-new venue for the sequence, the place the Music City Grand Prix will cross the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge and take the sector previous the Nissan Stadium.
Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Johnson has up to now needed to cope with studying circuits that almost all of the IndyCar subject is conversant in, however the addition of Nashville to the calendar means he has the identical time to arrange as his contemporaries.
Although the drivers could have expertise on simulators of the circuit, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Johnson was requested if all his rivals’ unfamiliarity there would assist to stage the taking part in subject for him.
“I do feel like it could be helpful for me,” he replied. “No one’s going to have a leg up on laps or expertise of the monitor.
“I nonetheless am in an enormous gap making an attempt to get expertise in an IndyCar, although, in order that’s one thing I’ll want to beat.
“But I’ve studied up on the monitor, we’ve got some digital issues to take a look at – the way it may movement, what the roads may appear like, renderings, lots of footage.
“During the SRX race [at Nashville Fairgrounds 10 days ago], my engineer went down there and actually drove across the monitor and took video and images and despatched them to me so I may get a greater understanding of the monitor.
“And on the 5th [August] I’ll be down there and able to do a track walk and see it firsthand. There’s a lot of excitement in the IndyCar paddock about this course.”
Johnson has endured a troublesome begin to life in IndyCar, sustaining various spins as he adapts to the differing calls for of a single-seater race automotive, however loved a stronger displaying at Mid-Ohio – conserving it clear to complete forward of Felix Rosenqvist and Ryan Hunter-Reay, who each collided on the opening lap.
Despite his preparation forward of Nashville, Johnson admitted that he’d discovered from his expertise at Detroit’s Belle Isle that simulators can solely reveal a lot in regards to the nature of a monitor.
“The thing about Detroit that was so tricky is that the track was about three seconds off from where the team expected it to be,” he defined.
“We already know the tracks evolve quite a bit however to have it three seconds even additional off than anticipated, by means of a wrinkle of expertise. I really feel just like the simulator damage me in a way as a result of I used to be used to a better stage of grip.
“But as we got to Day 2 and Race 2, the grip did start to match the simulator and things started to make sense. So it’s a tool and I’ve got to remember that and use it appropriately.”
