Jimmie Johnson has set his final NASCAR Cup Series race as the 2027 Daytona 500. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion said he will continue part-time racing but shift his energy towards building his majority-owned Legacy Motor Club team.
Johnson entered the Daytona 500 this season in his No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE with the Open Exemption Provision and a guaranteed starting spot as the 41st car. He will also compete in the inaugural NASCAR Cup event at Naval Base Coronado in June and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race there, driving the No. 1 TRICON Garage Toyota, on June 19.
On February 14, Johnson made the announcement live Saturday morning on ESPN’s ‘Marty & McGee.’ He stated that the 2027 Daytona 500 will be his final NASCAR Cup race but that he may still race in other NASCAR national series beyond 2027.
“I’ve been very fortunate to accomplish more than I ever imagined in this sport. The last six years have given me the freedom to choose where I compete and more importantly, the clarity to understand where I’m needed most. It’s time to focus my energy on building a world class and unrivaled organization in Legacy Motor Club,” Jimmie JOhnson said in a team release.
Johnson retired from full-time Cup competition after 2020 but returned in 2023 as a part-time driver while also serving as co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, the team that emerged from the former Petty GMS Motorsports. Earlier last year, the 50-year-old became the majority owner of the team in late 2022.
Legacy also partnered with Knighthead Capital Management to broaden its operations to grow its brand and engage fans across platforms, not limited to NASCAR competition. Johnson has also discussed the possibility of entering the IMSA sports car series in the future.
Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 Charter to Become Legacy’s Third Full-Time Cup Entry in 2027
Johnson Johnson has 14 part-time starts in the past three years. In 2023, he made a handful of starts and entered nine NASCAR Cup races in 2024. Last year, he made two starts at the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. He scored a third-place finish in the ‘Great American Race’ last season.
has made 14 starts across Cup and other series while balancing ownership duties and occasional one-off drives. The 83-time Cup Series winner will start the 68th running of the Daytona 500 this Sunday in 31st place.
And his part-time No. 84 entry will become Legacy’s third full-time entry in 2027. The third charter from Rick Ware Racing was secured through a lawsuit settlement that resolved the charter dispute earlier last year.
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