Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson retired from full-time competition after the 2020 season, but after spending the better part of the next two seasons in the NTT IndyCar Series, he returned to the Cup Series as both a driver and co-owner of Legacy Motor Club in 2023.
Johnson, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, has competed in the "Great American Race" each year since his return to the Cup Series, and his third place finish a year ago, after he started 40th, was his best result since his 2013 victory. Aside from his 2006 victory, his only other top three finish came all the way back in 2003.
Perhaps most impressively, Johnson has locked himself into the race in each of the past three years despite the fact that the No. 84 car is not a chartered car, meaning it was never one of the 36 cars locked into the 40-car field.
This year, the No. 84 Toyota is still a non-chartered (open) car, but Johnson is locked into the race, as the Daytona 500 field has been expanded to 41 cars as a result of the Open Exemption Provisional. Only one Daytona 500 since 1993 has seen exactly 41 cars.
In other words, although there are still four open cars able to qualify via speeds in the single-car qualifying session (two cars) and the results of the two America 250 Florida Duel races (two cars), Johnson's No. 84 Toyota is effectively being treated as a 37th chartered car in terms of being guaranteed a starting spot.
Jimmie Johnson continues to be ignored before Daytona 500
Yet DraftKings Sportsbook still doesn't have odds listed for the 50-year-old El Cajon, California native to win the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked Daytona Beach, Florida oval.
Austin Hill isn't even driving, after having been rumored to pilot a third entry for Richard Childress Racing, yet he is listed at +10000. B.J. McLeod's entry with Live Fast Motorsports hasn't yet been formally announced, yet he is listed at +10000.
Jimmie Johnson is literally locked into the race, and yet he's not listed.
Other confirmed drivers of open cars not yet listed are Front Row Motorsports' Chandler Smith, Beard Motorsports' Anthony Alfredo, Garage 66's Casey Mears, 23XI Racing's Corey Heim, and RFK Racing's Corey LaJoie.
JR Motorsports' Justin Allgaier, the first open driver announced (from November) is listed at +4500.
NY Racing Team have yet to confirm their entry for J.J. Yeley, but like Live Fast Motorsports' entry for McLeod, it is expected to be announced in due time. With eight cars expected to battle for the four open spots, four drivers are slated to ultimately fail to qualify.
Fox Sports 1 is set to provide live coverage of Daytona 500 qualifying from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 11. Fox Sports 1 is also set to provide live coverage of the two America 250 Florida Duel races beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 12. The race itself is set to be shown live on Fox beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 15. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and be sure to catch all of the action from the "World Center of Racing"!