NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson. Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Jimmie Johnson explains why he picked 2027 Daytona 500 to be his last race

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Feb 14, 2026 12:07 PM ET

NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson announced Saturday that he will make his final NASCAR Cup Series start on Feb. 21, 2027, in the 69th running of the Daytona 500.

The seven-time Cup Series champion and 83-time Cup Series winner outlined his reasons for choosing the 2027 Daytona 500 as his final race.

"As a driver, the restrictor plate tracks, that's where you can be the most competitive." Johnson said Saturday, per Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass. "This car (Next-Gen car) is so different than any generation of car I've driven before. To show up at Kansas and think that you're going to have a shot to win — even when I ran a nine-race schedule (in 2024), it's just not a true fit that can really be seen."

"I want to show up and be competitive. To have my last race at an event when I can truly win can be that cool walk-off home run."

Jimmie Johnson on why Daytona for his final Cup race -- the 2027 Daytona 500 -- and why INDYCAR also is off the table. @NASCARONFOX @IndyCarOnFOX pic.twitter.com/tHeDABKwg0
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 14, 2026

Johnson could use NASCAR Open Exemption Provisional (OEP) to ensure that he's in the 2027 Daytona field, just as he did this year. Using the provisional would guarantee Johnson a spot in the race, though he and his team would not be able to receive prize money.

Jimmie Johnson not done yet

Johnson will start 31st in Sunday's Daytona 500 and will also run the June 21 Cup Series race at Naval Base Coronado. He did not rule out competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which he'll do at Naval Base Coronado on June 19, or the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series in the future.

The 50-year-old driver from El Cajon, Calif., retired from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of the 2020 season.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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