NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson has been a huge deal in the Daytona 500 for a quarter of a century now - and still he keeps on coming back for more.
On Sunday (February 15) in Florida the 2026 running of The Great American Race will once again captivate a nation (2.30pm ET, FOX) and Johnson will once again line up on the grid.
The seven-time Cup Series champion retired from fulltime racing in 2020, but the pull of the sport's greatest event still continues to bring him off the couch and back behind the wheel.
As he prepares for his 23rd start in the iconic showpiece race, the 50-year-old legend of the sport explained just why Daytona has such a special place in his career, and his heart.
Maybe the biggest reason, he says, is that despite all the changes to NASCAR since he was a youngster making his way up, one thing remains pretty much the same.
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Jimmie Johnson and a Daytona 500 love affair
“Truthfully, it’s the fact that the draft has not changed much in the 25 years,” Johnson told media.
“Regardless of the aero package, the car, whatever it is, like, these big cars blasting a hole in the air, and the way the draft works and behaves, you’re not out in left field.
Even if you’ve been away for a while, you can come back and work your way through the duels, get some drafting time, and find that sweet spot and be competitive.”
Can Jimmie win again?
Johnson claimed a brilliant third place in last year’s Daytona 500, and again he will be in the No. 84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club on Sunday. But he now finally realizes that actually winning a Cup Series after five years out of fulltime racing, is highly unlikely.
“The half-mile tracks, a mile and a half, it’s really tough. If you’re not in these cars all the time, and deeply rooted in the process, to have a shot to win is unrealistic. I guess I’m finally admitting that now.
“I remember Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. When I ran nine races in ‘24, he’s like, ‘What the hell are you doing? I said, ‘I want to win a race’, and he’s like, ‘No, you’re not. It’s way too tough. It’s way too nuanced.’ I was like, ‘You’re crazy.’ He was right. (laughter).
“For big moments, without a doubt. I think plate tracks, if we get Dale back in one, give him a few laps, he’d be right there at the front of the field, like he always was.”
The best bit for Johnson, every time
Sunday at Daytona will as ever be an unforgettable experience, but there is just one moment that Johnson says he savors above all others when it comes to The Great American Race.
“Opening ceremonies; it just has such a moment. National Anthem, Thunderbirds coming by. That’s the moment for me.”
Amen.
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