For more than two decades, fans could count on seeing one familiar face take part in the Daytona 500, but now, that journey is reaching its final chapter as Jimmie Johnson has confirmed that the 2027 Daytona 500 will mark the end of his NASCAR Cup Series driving career.
Rather than rushing into retirement, Johnson has taken his time and finally believes that he has found the right moment to say goodbye to the sport.
Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Career Built on Dominance
Johnson’s rise to the top of NASCAR remains one of the sport’s great success stories, as after joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2002, he collected seven championships and 83 Cup Series wins. His full-time Cup career ended after 2020, but Johnson was not finished racing as he spent time in both IndyCar and IMSA to learn new disciplines and challenge himself in unfamiliar territory.
Those experiences helped him understand that he still loved racing, and he returned to NASCAR in a new role as co-owner of Legacy Motor Club and began making part-time starts in the No. 84 car.
Most of those appearances came at superspeedways, while Daytona quickly became his strongest track during this return, and a third-place finish last year reminded everyone that Johnson still knew how to race at the front and also helped shape his decision to end his career there.
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He will also take part in the inaugural street race in San Diego this year and wants to be competitive. “No, it just made a lot of sense. To show up at Kansas and think that you’re going have a shot to win, even when I ran a 9-race schedule, it’s just not a truth that can really be seen or realized. Daytona, you can, Talladega, you can, Atlanta for sure. So, I want to show them being competitive and to have my last race in an event where I could truly win.”
Johnson Choosing the Right Moment to Step Away
Johnson’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2024 gave him time to reflect about his legacy, “I imagine this year will be more reflection, and certainly, when we come back here next year, that’ll happen again, but I’m now savoring and enjoying, the emotions, feelings, conversations, all the moments around the time I’ve spent in this sport and all the great times we had.”
Between now and 2027, Johnson will continue balancing driving with ownership duties as Legacy Motor Club grows, and he is heavily involved in shaping its future.
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Even after he stops racing in Cup cars, Johnson does not plan to slow down completely, “Man, anything with an engine. I was just with Marty and McGee, and, McGee mentioned the Bonneville Salt Flats, and, I mean, I’ve never been. I mean, that’s something I should probably try to do, so I’m going figure out.”
He is curious about speed record attempts at Bonneville and has also expressed interest in endurance events like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and a possible return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
He admitted that he does not have the passion for driving anymore and is rather much more invested in building up his race team, “My focus and interest is truly building this race team. I don’t have that passion for that part of life anymore, and that’s been a tough thing to kind of accept.”
When he finally climbs out of the car for the last time at Daytona next year, it will mark the end of an extraordinary chapter in NASCAR history, and fans will never forget his contributions to this sport.
