NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson is set to return to the NASCAR Truck Series this year, for the first time in coming up on two decades.
Johnson will be behind the wheel of the No. 1 Toyota Tundra for Tricon Garage at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, his home city.
The seven-time Cup Series champ announced his intention to run in the Cup that weekend months ago, with the 50-year-old set to attempt double duty – with some wondering if he'll also look to find an O'Reilly Auto Parts Series entry to complete the set.
Johnson has also been confirmed this week for the season-opening Daytona 500, driving for the Legacy Motor Club team of which he is a majority owner.
Johnson: This race means everything to me
“Racing in San Diego means everything to me – it’s home,” he said in a statement this week. “Getting behind the wheel of a Truck Series entry has been on my mind for a while. The competition is incredible, and doing it at a historic street race on a Navy base in my hometown? That’s special.
"I’m grateful to TRICON and Carvana for making this happen, and honestly, I can’t think of a better way to honor our military and celebrate where I’m from.”
When he announced his Cup Series drive for the race back in November, he said: “Growing up just miles from San Diego, I dreamed about racing here in a NASCAR vehicle someday.
"To come back home, compete in front of my community, the military, my family and friends, and do it with Carvana and Legacy Motor Club – this is one of those full-circle experiences you never forget. It’s absolutely a bucket-list race for me. When I think about everything this sport has given me and where it all started, being able to race in San Diego feels like coming full circle. It’s going to be special.”
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