LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — NASCAR star Jimmie Johnson says he feels good and is ready to race after having skin cancer removed this week from his right shoulder.

Johnson tweeted on Monday that he was on a table having basal-cell carcinoma cut out of his shoulder. Basal-cell carcinoma is a common, slow-growing form of skin cancer.

In his first public comments about it, Johnson tells The Associated Press he found out in January that he had skin cancer and was told he could wait until after the season to have the cancer removed. But the morning after Johnson won in Dover he was in New York for the procedure. He says it had not spread.

The seven-time NASCAR champion says he was out for a bike ride on Wednesday, went for a run the next day and is ready to drive this weekend at Pocono Raceway.

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