Former NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has been guaranteed a spot in what is going to be the 68th running of the annual Daytona 500. Which means that only four spots remain up for grabs, with seven cars still vying for them.
Under the “Open Exemption Provisional”, Johnson will compete in the 41st car on the field, but will be ineligible to receive any prize money or championship points as such. As reported by Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, the seven drivers who are yet to make the 2026 Daytona 500 roster are Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports), Corey Heim (23XI Racing), Casey Mears (Garage 66), B. J. McLeod (Live Fast Motorsports), J. J. Yeley (NY Racing), and two others from Beard Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing, who are yet to be announced.
Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and Hall of Famer, will be seen driving his usual No. 84 Carvana Toyota. The El Cajon native retired after the 2020 season but has returned for multiple part-time races since then in the iconic No. 84 Legacy Motor Club entry. He bagged a strong third-place finish in the 2025 Daytona 500.
Johnson also made his 700th Cup start in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway last year, thus becoming the 21st driver in the history of NASCAR to hit the milestone. Notably, Charlotte was also where Johnson made his debut on Oct. 7, 2001.
“To reach my 700th start at the very race and track where my Cup career began makes this moment incredibly special,” he told NASCAR. “It’s a full-circle journey, and to share it with fans on Memorial Day weekend while honoring a fallen service member adds even more meaning.”
This year, the “Great American Race” is scheduled for Sunday, February 15. Fans can watch the 500-mile crown jewel event live on FOX Sports (starting at 2:30 pm ET) or listen to exclusive in-race radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson gets his free Daytona 500 pass, but at a cost
Jimmie Johnson’s entry in this year’s Daytona 500 will be backed by NASCAR’s “Open Exemption Provisional”, which means that the motorsports legend will not be required to qualify for the event. The rule was introduced for the 2025 season, but can still be implemented for “accomplished, world-class drivers from NASCAR or other forms of motorsports.” (as per The Express)
According to an official report by NASCAR,
“Trackhouse Racing became the first team to utilize the provisional in the 2025 Daytona 500 to allow four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Hélio Castroneves to make his NASCAR debut. Revisions to the application of the provisional now mandate a 41-car field whenever the provisional is granted.”
That being said, Jimmie Johnson will not be able to compete for points or money. In other words, Johnson had to pay out of his pocket to enter the 2026 Daytona 500 roster. The 50-year-old will also be seen driving his No. 84 car in the annual All-Star Race, which will be held at Dover Motor Speedway on May 17.
Well, for now, all eyes are on the Cook Out Clash at Winston-Salem’s Bowman Gray Stadium as the unofficial season starter. Scheduled for February 1, the 200-lap exhibition race will be televised on FOX with live radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
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