NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson will attempt to qualify for the 2025 Daytona 500 (Feb. 16, 2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), the seven-time NASCAR Cup champion announced Thursday Series. He will drive the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota and attempt to qualify for his 22nd career Daytona 500 as part of a two-race Cup Series schedule this year.
The two-time ‘Great American Race’ winner seeks his first victory in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway since 2013. Johnson won his first Harley J. Earl Trophy in 2006, with both victories coming at the Hall of Fame 2024. Inductee’s long-standing tenure with Hendrick Motorsports.
RELATED: Daytona 500 weekend schedule | Team Previews: 2025
Johnson, an 83-time premier series winner, also named the annual Memorial Day Weekend Charlotte Motor Speedway Coca-Cola 600 (May 25, 6 p.m. ET, Prime Video, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) as his second expected appearance of the season, which could mark 700 starts for his career. He is a four-time winner of NASCAR’s longest race, with eight total Cup Series victories at the track.
“I am excited to return to competition in 2025,” Johnson said in an LMC press release. “These two races hold a special place in my heart and I have always loved the energy and excitement surrounding them. The Daytona 500 is a crown jewel of NASCAR – there’s nothing like it. Charlotte Motor Speedway is where I made my first NASCAR Cup Series start, and it still feels like home.
Legacy Motor Club said Carvana will sponsor both events, marking the fifth season of the Phoenix-based company’s partnership with Johnson. Ryan Keeton, Carvana co-founder and brand director, said “our team is committed to creating a special livery worthy of its 700th anniversary.”
Johnson’s four 600 wins put him one spot behind Darrell Waltrip’s record five wins in the sport’s flagship marathon event. The 49-year-old driver, who retired from full-time competition following the 2020 season, continues to contribute to the sport both as a driver and co-owner of the Legacy Motor Club.
MORE: Jimmie Johnson through the years
Johnson’s post-retirement career includes a partial schedule (2021) and a full season (2022) in IndyCar. He returned to the Cup Series with a three-race slate in 2023 and he competed in nine Cup events last year – a schedule that included the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600.
Only 20 drivers in Cup Series history have reached 700 starts. Kyle Busch is the most recent to achieve this milestone, competing in his 700th Cup Series race last July at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
