This article was created in collaboration with cbdMD
Last year, Jimmie Johnson - one of race car driving's most accomplished athletes - made his on-air debut with NBC Sports, which was broadcasting the Indy 500. The thrill of it all rekindled his childhood dream of one day competing in what is billed as the world's greatest spectacle race.
“After experiencing race day, I was like, ‘Okay, I have to do this,” says Johnson, who got his first dirt bike when he was four and won his first 60cc championship when he was eight (albeit with an injured knee). . After retiring from a highly successful NASCAR career, he has spent the last year learning the ropes of IndyCar as he prepares to compete in his first-ever Indy 500 race on May 29th.
Ahead of the marquee event, the "Jimmie Johnson mania" is growing as spectators eager to watch the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion attempt open-wheel racing in a more nimble car.
During this rookie season in INDYCAR, Johnson focused heavily on his fitness program, 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 sit in some the fastest cars in the world.
As he made his professional transition, cbdMD products have been instrumental in his recovery, Johnson says. Overcoming the G-forces in a race car with brute force is a huge challenge for the body, he says. "It's a much more physical sport than most people realize."
Image courtesy
To relieve joint and muscle pain, he uses cbdMD's Recover Pain Relief Cream on his wrists, shoulders, and neck.
"It's a cornerstone of my recovery now," he says. "With all the G forces we pull in a race car, my neck is very thankful for it."
