LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
DAYTONA 500 PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: DAYTONA 500
DATE: Feb. 15, 2026
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 1 of 36
TRACK: Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway | 2.5-Mile Oval
CLUB MINUTES:
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THE KING OF DAYTONA: Richard “The King” Petty made 74 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Daytona throughout his legendary career. Not only does he own the most DAYTONA 500 victories of any driver in the history of NASCAR with seven of his 10 Daytona wins coming in that race (1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1979, and 1981). He was also collected 28 top-fives, 37 top-10s and led 1,287 laps at the 2.5-mile oval in Florida.
“LED BY LEGACY” NUMBERS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will sport its heritage-inspired color treatments, and shadowing to honor the LEGACY of those who made the numbers famous. This weekend at Daytona and for all the “Crown Jewel” events, the No. 42 will honor Lee Petty and the Petty family with a red drop shadow; the No. 43 returns to its legendary “Parts Blue” drop shadow made famous by Richard Petty, and the No. 84 channels its origins through the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 “Neon Yellow” drop shadow which shared tremendous success with Johnson at the helm. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will also launch merchandise this year with the LEGACY numbers for fans to enjoy.
KENSETH DAYTONA STATS: 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Competition Advisor Matt Kenseth owns 37 total Cup starts at Daytona International Speedway. He’s earned two victories in the 2009 DAYTONA 500 and the 2012 DAYTONA 500, plus six top-fives and 14 top-10s. When he won his first DAYTONA 500 in February 2009, Kenseth started 39th of 43 cars. He led the final seven laps to secure his victory. Three years later in February 2012, Kenseth started fourth for the Great American Race and led twice for 50 laps to earn a second victory in the iconic race. Throughout his career, he led a total of 383 laps. Kenseth owns an additional 14 starts at Daytona in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series where he won the February 2000 and July 2013 races.
BAYNE SETS A RECORD: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ambassador Trevor Bayne is the youngest person ever to win the DAYTONA 500 at 20 years and one day old. In 2011, Bayne was making just his second career NASCAR Cup Series start in the No. 21 car for Wood Brothers Racing. On the final restart in NASCAR overtime, Bayne was deemed the race leader with Tony Stewart on his outside and Mark Martin and Kurt Busch looming behind him. The newly minted 20-year-old driver held off the entire field on the green-white-checkered finish to pull off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the “Great American Race.”
DAYTONA 500 QUALIFYING: To kick off the week in Daytona, the entire NASCAR Cup Series field will qualify on Wednesday night to set the front row for the DAYTONA 500. The top-two qualifying times from the session will determine who sits on the pole and outside pole for the “Great American Race,” while the rest of the results set the field for Thursday night’s America 250 Florida Duels. In addition, the two fastest lap times from the open cars will secure their spot in the Daytona 500.
DUELING BEFORE THE DAYTONA 500: On Thursday night, the NASCAR Cup Series field will race to set the lineup for the 2026 DAYTONA 500 through the America 250 Florida Duels. The lineup for both duels will be set by their qualifying times on Wednesday. While the front row will have been set for Sunday’s DAYTONA 500, the rest of the field will now compete for a duel win and their starting spot for the race. The winner of the first duel will start third, while the winner of the second will start fourth, with that pattern repeating through the rest of the field. In addition, the final two open cars to make the DAYTONA 500 will be determined by who finishes ahead of the other open cars in their duel.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT DAYTONA: John Hunter Nemechek has six starts at Daytona International Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. He earned his highest finish at the track of fifth in last year’s DAYTONA 500. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he accumulated six starts at the track during his career, earning three top-10 finishes and a best finish of second in February 2023. Nemechek also has five starts at Daytona in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a highest finish of fourth in February 2017.
T-MACK DAYTONA STATS: Sunday afternoon’s race will be crew chief Travis Mack’s 12th NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona. His first outing came in February 2018 with Kasey Kahne. After a short gap, Mack was back at Daytona in February 2021 with Daniel Suárez, where the duo competed for six total races between 2021 and 2023, with their highest finish being seventh. He returned in the February 2024 DAYTONA 500 with AJ Allmendinger, where the pair finished sixth. Mack followed that up in August 2024 with Shane Van Gisbergen, who finished 35th. His highest finish came with Nemechek in February 2025 when the duo finished fifth after starting 18th. In the NASCAR Xfinity series, Mack has four starts at Daytona with Michael Annett, where the duo took home the race win in their first start together in February 2019 after starting third.
DOUBLE DUTY: Nemechek, a 13-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race winner, will return to the Truck Series for a special appearance in the Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Feb. 13. Nemechek will drive the No. 62 DriveValue.com® Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Halmar Friesen Racing, marking his 150th career start in the series.
TOP OF THE CHARTS AT DAYTONA: Nemechek boasts impressive statistics at Daytona. Among full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers with more than one DAYTONA 500 start, he holds the highest average finish at 7.67 from his three starts in the race. Looking at his overall performance at Daytona International Speedway, including both the DAYTONA 500 and the summer race each year he has competed in the Cup Series, Nemechek also owns the best average finish among full-time drivers with an 11.0 average over six starts.
NEMECHEK TAKES FLIGHT: Nemechek is set for a once-in-a-lifetime experience as he rides with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds on Thursday, Feb. 12. He will undergo flight gear training that morning in preparation for pulling up to nine Gs, before taking to the sky in an F-16 for a preview ahead of the traditional flyover fans will see on Sunday.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“I’m looking forward to Daytona. I’m excited to get going for 2026. I feel like our superspeedway stuff has been really good. I’ve been able to lead laps at Daytona and Talladega over the past couple of years, so I’m definitely looking forward to a strong run to kick off the year. Our DAYTONA 500 finishes have definitely been good over years, so I’m hoping to keep it rolling.”
TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“John Hunter has one of the highest average finishes at Daytona, so hopefully we capitalize on that. I think we’ll bring a better car than we had last year, and we had a top-five there. Anything can happen in that race, but I feel really good about our chances going down there to win the race.”
ERIK JONES
NO. 43 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES DAYTONA STATS: Erik Jones has 18 starts at Daytona in the NASCAR Cup Series, with nine of those being in the DAYTONA 500. His best DAYTONA 500 finish came in February 2019 when Jones started 28th and finished an impressive third behind runner-up Kyle Busch and race winner Denny Hamlin, both his teammates at the time. In total at Daytona, he’s earned one win, three top-five, and five top-10s at Daytona, this includes his fifth-place result last August. Jones has an additional seven starts outside of the Cup Series at Daytona – six in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he earned a best finish of eighth in July 2015. He finished second in his one and only Craftsman Truck Series start in February 2015, finishing just 1.73 of a second behind race winner Tyler Reddick.
WINNING AT DAYTONA: While Jones has yet to add his name to the history books with a win in the DAYTONA 500, he is a winner at Daytona. In the July 2018 Coke Zero Sugar 400, Jones was starting 29th in his fourth Daytona NASCAR Cup Series start. He led just one lap – the final and most important lap of the race – to score at win in the summer race.
2025 SPEEDWEEK RECAP: Last year at Daytona Speedweek, Jones started 18th of 22 cars in the second duel on Thursday evening. He skillfully worked the draft to lead a total of 16 laps throughout the 60-lap shootout. On the final lap, Jones was battling for the lead with the No. 2 car of Austin Cindric. An accident on the frontstretch as the field was coming to the checkered flag brought out the caution. While it at first seemed that Jones was the winner, NASCAR determined that Cindric was the leader at the time of the caution. With 2025 behind him, Jones is looking for redemption in the 2026 duels.
ADVENTHEALH AT DAYTONA: Florida-based AdventHealth will once again ride along with Erik Jones on the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE this week at Daytona. With various activations around the speedway throughout the week at the racetrack, the healthcare company is ready for a busy week in Daytona. Fans can find their display in the fan midway and the medical centers in the fan midway and infield. As the Official Healthcare Partner of Daytona and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, AdventHealth believes in focusing on the care and well-being of the mind, body, and spirit of all in attendance.
HELPING THE ADVENTHEALTH COMMUNITY: On Friday prior to the DAYTONA 500, Jones and AdventHealth will make a pit stop at STARKE Elementary School in Deland, Fla. During their visit they will hold a special #READwithErik for the students and surprise them with a special gift to continue the mission of igniting a passion for reading in young minds.
ALEXANDER – A DAYTONA 500 CHAMPION: Justin Alexander is not only a Daytona-winning crew chief but a DAYTONA 500 Champion. The accomplished crew chief was making the calls on top of the box for the No. 3 car of Austin Dillon in February 2018, when he was running second behind Aric Almirola as the race was coming to a close. In the end, Alexander kept his driver on course to cross the finish line in first and earn the crew chief his first DAYTONA 500 victory. In total, he’s been on top of the box for 15 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona and won twice – the 2018 DAYTONA 500 and the 2022 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
ERIK JONES QUOTE
“I think everybody is always looking forward to the DAYTONA 500. We’re all energized after the off season and ready to get going again. Having the opportunity to run in the DAYTONA 500 each year is pretty neat. I don’t think that ever gets old. I’m excited to get there and get rolling to see where we stack up. Hopefully, I have good speed and we can get Justin (Alexander, crew chief) his second DAYTONA 500 win and my first.”
JUSTIN ALEXANDER QUOTE
“Daytona is always special for me. I’ve been fortunate to win the DAYTONA 500 before, so coming back here is an exciting time, but you also know how unpredictable it can be. Erik’s a really good speedway racer, so our focus is putting him in the best position we can and staying out of trouble. You prepare as much as you can, but ultimately it comes down to communication, execution, and a little bit of luck.”
JIMMIE JOHNSON
NO. 84 CARVANA TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
DAYTONA CV: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner Jimmie Johnson returns to competition for the 68th running of the DAYTONA 500, climbing back into the No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE for his 23rd career start in the iconic race. A two-time champion of the DAYTONA 500, Johnson earned his first victory in 2006 after starting ninth and leading 24 laps – a defining moment that helped launch his championship career. He repeated the feat in 2013, once again starting ninth and finishing ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr., then capped that season with a second Daytona win in the July event to complete a rare sweep. Across 41 career starts at the 2.5-mile banks of Daytona, Johnson’s résumé includes three wins, 13 top five finishes, and 17 top 10s, underscoring his enduring impact at one of NASCAR’s most demanding tracks.
LAST TIME OUT: After stepping away from full-time competition, Johnson delivered a standout performance with a third-place finish in the 2025 DAYTONA 500—his best result in the “Great American Race” since his victory in 2013. A two-time DAYTONA 500 winner, Johnson first claimed the iconic race in 2006, a breakthrough moment that launched his run to a first NASCAR Cup Series championship. He returned to Victory Lane again in 2013, a season in which he swept all NASCAR Cup Series events at Daytona International Speedway. Johnson’s third place finish in the DAYTONA 500 is his best finish in the event since 2013 when he won his second.
SPECIAL HELMET: This weekend at the DAYTONA 500, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, in partnership with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety and Carvana will reveal an all-new “Helmet of Heroes” honoring America’s fallen firefighters. A press release with more details will be distributed on Wed., Feb 11 at 8:00am ET.
NEXT UP: During his storied career, Johnson recorded 83 NASCAR Cup Series wins, racing for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 48, tying him with Cale Yarborough for sixth on the all-time wins list. Over his full-time career (2002–2020), he secured seven championships, 222 top-fives, 341 top-tens, and 35 poles. The DAYTONA 500 will be Johnson’s 701st NASCAR Cup Series start. Another win in the series would tie him with Darrel Waltrip for fifth.
LOCKED INTO THE DAYTONA 500: Although Johnson’s No. 84 Toyota will compete as an unchartered entry in the DAYTONA 500, NASCAR has approved the use of the ‘Open Exemption Provisional’ for the seven-time champion, guaranteeing his place on the starting grid as the 41st car in the field. Introduced ahead of the 2025 season, the provisional ensures Johnson’s entry in the race regardless of his qualifying result or finish in the Duel qualifier event.
JOHNSTON CALLING THE SHOTS: Longtime industry crew chief and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s Director of Competition Chad Johnston will be the crew chief of Johnson’s No. 84 team this season. The Indiana native served as the crew chief for Johnson’s two races in 2025 as well.
SPECIAL HELMET FOR FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS: When asked what he might have become if not a racecar driver, Johnson often says he would have been a firefighter. Growing up in El Cajon, a community familiar with the impact of major wildfires, Johnson developed a deep respect for the profession and has long admired the courage and service it represents. This weekend, Johnson is partnering with Pye-Barker Fire & Safety to honor the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. As part of the tribute, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will host two families who lost their fathers in the line of duty, and Johnson’s DAYTONA 500 helmet will be auctioned following the race to benefit the foundation.
CARVANA IS BACK: For a sixth consecutive season, Jimmie Johnson continues his partnership with Carvana, a relationship built on shared values, trust, and a belief in doing things the right way. What began as a primary NASCAR partnership has evolved into something deeper—one that empowers Johnson to keep chasing the races he dreamed about long before seven championships. With Carvana’s continued support, Johnson is checking off true bucket-list moments across motorsports, from marquee NASCAR events, to hydroplane boats, to off-road and endurance challenges that reconnect him with the roots of why he started racing in the first place. Together, Johnson and Carvana aren’t just experiencing a partnership—they’re honoring a career defined by curiosity, gratitude, and the freedom to keep racing with purpose.
JJ’s RACE SEASON: As announced recently, Johnson will take part in two Cup Series races this season – the DAYTONA 500 and San Diego, as well as a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event in San Diego. Johnson also announced he will race in the Mint 400 for Terrible Herbst Motorsports in Las Vegas March 4-8.
MINT 400: In March, Johnson will take on the legendary Mint 400, checking off a true bucket-list challenge in motorsports. Long regarded as one of the most iconic and demanding off-road races in the world, the Mint 400 represents a return to Johnson’s desert-racing roots and his lifelong passion for pushing himself beyond the racetrack. Set against the unforgiving terrain outside Las Vegas, the event blends endurance, toughness, and tradition—qualities that mirror Johnson’s own career and competitive mindset. For Johnson, racing the Mint 400 isn’t just about the result; it’s about honoring the history of the sport, embracing a new challenge, and continuing to write the next chapter of a legacy built on curiosity, courage, and competition. The Mint 400 takes place March 4-8 in Las Vegas.
JIMMIE JOHNSON QUOTE:
“Daytona is special. Last year when the CLUB crossed the finish line in the top-10, it was the first time as a team owner that it sunk in how incredibly proud I was of the men and women who work at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. I am really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel. It’s been a long off-season and almost nine months since I’ve been behind the wheel of the No. 84 – I’m ready for it.”
CLUB APPEARANCES:
Nemechek, Jones, and Johnson will all appear at the Pit Shop store at Daytona International Speedway to sign their 2026 LIONEL Racing Action Racing Collectable diecast cars. Nemechek will sign first at 11 a.m. local time on Friday, Feb. 13th followed by Jones at 11:30 a.m. local time. On Saturday, Feb. 14th, Johnson will make a pit stop at 10:15 a.m. local time. Fans MUST purchase a diecast to receive an autograph.
Nemechek will sign autographs at the trackside merch hauler for fans on Saturday, Feb. 14th at 12:30 p.m. local time.
Fans can see Jones once again on Saturday, Feb. 14th at the Toyota Merchandise Hauler in the fan midway at 12:40 p.m. local time.
Then on Sunday, Feb. 15th at 10:30 a.m. local time Jones will stop by the AdventHealth display in the fan midway for a Q&A session.
TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Duels at Daytona on Thursday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. EST on FS1, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
The 68th Running of the DAYTONA 500 will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 2:30 p.m. EST live on FOX, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a premier auto racing organization owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.
