Jimmie Johnson vs. Michael SchumacherUPDATE As expected, Schumacher dusted Johnson. Seriously, did a NASCAR driver actually think he could beat Schumacher in a car that was not a NASCAR car?
12/14/07 Double NASCAR champion, Jimmie Johnson, has said he cannot wait to pit his skills against the man widely billed as the world’s greatest driver, Michael Schumacher, in The Race of Champions this weekend.
The Team USA hero, who has been drawn against the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion for the first round of The ROC Nations Cup, says he has the greatest respect for the European superstar, which motivates him all the more to snatch victory for The United States.
"Everyone recognizes Schumacher as a champion, and after winning my second straight championship in NASCAR I hope I'm perceived in that way,” said Johnson, who took the NASCAR title this season with 10 wins in the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. “Beating him and helping Team USA win The ROC Nations Cup would be a perfect ending to the best year of my career."
Wembley Stadium has been transformed into a tarmac race track The ROC Nations Cup aims to determine the fastest country in the world, with two drivers from each pitted against each other in identical cars. This year The Race of Champions is being held at Wembley Stadium, London, England, and the famous landmark has been transformed into a stunning parallel track, using 1,800 tones of tarmac, for the unique event this Sunday.
“I’ve raced The ROC before and did OK,” said Johnson, who won The ROC Nations Cup in 2002 and is hoping his home fans will tune in to the live race coverage at www.raceofchampions.com/live on Sunday (16 December) from 14:00 GMT (09:00 Eastern USA). “My teammate, Travis Pastrana, was the unexpected success of the event last year, almost winning the whole thing single-handedly after I pulled out with an injury. That’s got to give us the edge this year!”
The draw for The ROC Nations Cup was made at Wembley Stadium yesterday, with the individual category being saved for a face-to-face draw at the official press conference tomorrow (15 December).
The ROC Nations Cup draw resulted in the following pairings:
France
Sébastien Bourdais
Vs
Norway
Henning Solberg
France
Yvan Muller
Vs
Norway
Petter Solberg
Finland
Heikki Kovalainen
Vs
Scandinavia
Tom Kristensen
Finland
Marcus Grönholm
Vs
Scandinavia
Mattias Ekström
Scotland
David Coulthard
Vs
England
Jenson Button
Scotland
Alister McRae
Vs
England
Andy Priaulx
USA
Jimmie Johnson
Vs
Germany
Michael Schumacher
USA
Travis Pastrana
Vs
Germany
Sebastian Vettel
For your last chance to get tickets to The Race of Champions, go to Wembley Stadium’s East ticket window from 10am on Sunday (16 December).
Drivers taking part are:
Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher Formula One star Jenson Button Triple and reigning World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Sebastian Vettel Four-time Champ Car Champion Sébastien Bourdais Seven-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen Two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström Two-time and reigning NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson Eight-time X-Games Champion Travis Pastrana Double World Rally Champion, Marcus Grönholm Renault F1’s Heikki Kovalainen 1995 British Rally Champion Alister McRae World Touring Car Championship star Yvan Muller 2003 World Rally Champion, Petter Solberg Five-time Norwegian Rally Champion, Henning Solberg
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