After Jimmie Johnson helped design the look of his new ride in the NTT IndyCar Series, fans will help choose the paint schemes for his No. 48 in five events this season.
Primary sponsor Carvana is holding polls on its website to choose the look of Johnson’s car by using immersive 360-degree photo technology (which allows the vehicle to be spun around and zooming on specific features).
The site has three options for Johnson’s ride for the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course May 15. Fans will choose between “Blue Steel,” “Sir Laps A Lot” and “Indy Tuxedo.”
“We always strive to create exceptional experiences and harnessing our technology to give IndyCar fans a whole new way to immerse themselves in their favorite sport is one of many ways we’re looking at the season and our partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing and Jimmie Johnson,” Carvana chief brand officer Ryan Keeton said in a release. “We’re looking forward to fans driving the vote for their favorite paint schemes and seeing their selections come to life throughout the season.”
Voting also will be held for the IndyCar races at Detroit Belle Isle (June 12-13), Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (July 4), the Music City Grand Prix of Nashville (Aug. 8) and Portland International Raceway (Sept. 12).
“This is going to be a really fun program,” Johnson said in a release. “My fan base is really passionate, and Carvana has come up with a great way to make the fans the decision-makers and have ownership in what they see out on the track this season. The designs are all really sharp, and it will be interesting to see which ones they will pick.”
Johnson will drive in 13 races on street and road courses for Chip Ganassi Racing this season. He will make his debut April 18 at Barber Motorsports Park as he begins “a very steep learning curve” in IndyCar.
After winning seven championships during 19 full-time seasons in NASCAR’s premier Cup series, Johnson will be splitting the season with Tony Kanaan (the No. 48 driver for oval races).