Michael Johnson's column: Getting closer to a return

JDC Pro Mazda driver Michael Johnson suffered serious injuries in an accident in practice for the season-opening event at St. Petersburg. Here's his latest update on his recovery. -Ed.

LEFT: Michael works out under
the watchful eye of his trainer, Josh.

The entire Mazda Road to Indy ladder will be on display in Canada this weekend for the Honda Indy Toronto Grand Prix and sadly, I won't be joining in on the track.

I just received the green light from my doctor to return to the racetrack but quite frankly, I'm in no rush to come back unless I am 100% prepared. I need to be racing for a reason and not be concerned with being fatigued or uncompetitive.

We have a test planned for me at the end of June and then my first race back will be Mid-Ohio SportsCar Course at the end of July.

Since the last time I shared an update, I had some skin problems that resulted from all the sweating that has occurred since being injured. I ended up getting some pressure sores removed, which has helped a lot. My body still has a bit to go to get back to where I was physically before the St. Pete crash but I'm confident by Mid-Ohio we'll be 100% ready. My leg, hip, and pelvis are all doing good, and while it has been a long road, I feel really good.

I'll run both races at Mid-Ohio and the final two races of the 2015 season at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in September. Naturally I'll be running with JDC Motorports. It will be great to be back with the team and see my crew guys and try and finish off the season strong.

We are working on things for next year and trying to determine where we go from here. Before Mid-Ohio, I've got two full months to keep my head down and stay focused on those final four Pro Mazda races. I'm excited to see where everything leads.

The summer is here and it's great to be outside. Toronto isn't too far from Michigan, so I may try and jump over there for the weekend and see my friends and racing family.

For the fans that have continued to tweet me and post on my Facebook wall, thank you for always thinking about me. Without the outpouring of support during this slow time in my life, my recovery would have been much harder to shoulder.

-Mike