Six years after his 19th and final full season in the NASCAR Cup Series, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson has confirmed ahead of the 2026 campaign that he plans to retire from the sport completely.
But not before he competes in another two Daytona 500s.
Johnson, a two-time winner of the "Great American Race", is set to compete in the race this Sunday for the 23rd time overall and the fourth time since returning to the series as both a co-owner and a part-time driver for Legacy Motor Club, following a two-year stint in the NTT IndyCar Series, in 2023. He locked himself into the 41-car field via the Open Exemption Provisional and is set to start 31st.
Jimmie Johnson set to retire after Daytona 500, but not this year's
He has confirmed that he plans to compete in the 2027 Daytona 500 as well, implying that the plan is for him to be granted the Open Exemption Provisional again. He has also confirmed that he will not make any further Cup Series starts after that race, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 21, 2027.
Ending a chapter to focus on building a world class organization in @LEGACYMotorClub. Next February, I’ll make my final start in the Cup Series in Daytona. pic.twitter.com/XCXNWm4PS8
— Jimmie Johnson (@JimmieJohnson) February 14, 2026
After Johnson confirmed just two races, the Daytona 500 and the Coca-Cola 600, on his 2025 schedule, there was speculation that he would call it quits afterward, given the fact that those two races put him at exactly 700 starts for his career.
However, he shut down those rumors by confirming that he plans to compete in June's inaugural running of the street race at the new Coronado Street Course on Naval Base Coronado.
With that race set to take place just 20 miles from his hometown of El Cajon, California, there was speculation that he could perhaps call it a career after competing in that one. That speculation persisted even after he added this year's Daytona 500 to his schedule, given the fact that the Daytona 500 is the season opener.
Johnson has yet to confirm the Coca-Cola 600 as a part of his schedule this year, even after competing at Charlotte Motor Speedway each year since his 2023 return.
But now fans have heard it from the man himself, ending the speculation: regardless of how many races he ends up running in 2026, the 2027 Daytona 500 is set to be his last race in a Cup car, with his attention set to turn fully to the team ownership side of the sport afterward.
Tune in to Fox for the live broadcast of the 68th annual Daytona 500 at 1:30 p.m. ET on Sunday February 15, following a late start time change due to projected bad weather. Start a free trial of FuboTV today and catch all of the action from Daytona International Speedway!