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Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson announced Saturday that the 2027 Daytona 500 will be his last in the Cup Series.
Johnson, who twice took the checkered flag in the big race, wants to continue racing in other series, perhaps even other NASCAR events, but will not return to the top level of stock car racing.
“I have been fortunate to accomplish more than I ever imagined in this sport,” Johnson said. “The last six years have given me the freedom to choose where I compete and, more importantly, the clarity to understand where I am needed most. I will focus all of my energy on leading and building a world-class organization.”
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Jimmie Johnson (#84 Legacy Motor Club Carvana Toyota) waves to the crowd before the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 Duel 1 on February 12, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Jimmie Johnson is a champion in every aspect of his life – with his family, as leader of the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and with his incredible success behind the wheel,” Toyota Vice President Tyler Gibbs said in a statement. “As he prepares to close the chapter of his iconic on-track career in NASCAR, we celebrate his legacy in the sport and look forward to what we will continue to accomplish together in the years to come.”
His seven titles are tied for the most titles in NASCAR history, alongside Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. His first five titles were won consecutively from 2006 to 2010, followed by titles in 2013 and 2016.
Jimmie Johnson (48) wins the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship after winning the FORD EcoBoost 400 race on November 20, 2016 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. (Stephen A. Arce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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Johnson stepped away from full-time driving after the 2020 season and has accumulated 83 Cup Series victories.
He competed in the IndyCar Series for two seasons (2021-22), became a partial owner of the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and has competed in a number of marquee events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona and an Unlimited Seaplane at Seafair.
He makes his 23rd appearance in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, after winning in 2006 and 2013.
“It’s the only race where you win a title,” Johnson said earlier this week. “I was lucky enough to experience this. You leave here and whatever you do, you get a title. I’ve never had a title in my life. It speaks to the importance of the race, the magnitude of the race, the history behind it.
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, celebrates on victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 24, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
“You get a title and you’re reminded of it every time you’re introduced.”
