TOYOTA RACING – Jimmie Johnson
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 14, 2026) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver Jimmie Johnson was made available to the media on Saturday prior to the Daytona 500.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
Can you tell us about your announcement?
“Yeah, just really excited to get this announcement out and build some excitement around the opportunity in (20)27. We had a great run here last year. I think we have a real shot at winning the Daytona 500 and putting my name on here again. But, I’m just thankful for the opportunity that’s been granted to me through my career. I didn’t use the word retirement way back when in 2020. I still love to compete and want to be on the track and racing. The journey as an owner, and certainly where I am in life right now, to compete at the Cup level, week in and week out, is just a door that’s shutting from here now. I’ll be able to enjoy it a bit more this year with the race this weekend and getting in San Diego, and then put a bow on everything, Cup wise, when we come back in (20)27. It doesn’t mean I’m not going to race and do other fun things, as you guys know, I’ve got plenty planned this year and hope to have some more fun later in the year as well, but a quick start to the year with this race. Also, the Mint 400 that’s coming up, and then the truck race in San Diego, and just trying to find, you know, fun bucket list things to do.”
How much will you celebrate your career achievements this year?
“Yeah, it definitely gives us that opportunity. We don’t have any formal plans, but I do know and I was very disappointed with the pandemic and the scenario of not being with the fans at the racetrack for that final year. It’s not that I’m looking for that now, but, you know, maybe there is a moment or two in there that we can, uh, have some fun with and kind of get back into that mindset a little bit and enjoy it. But I’m not going anywhere. Clearly, I have a big stake in LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and excited about the future for the company. Excited for all the time I will be spending inner sporting around it, and help grow it. So, we’ll see what the year brings, but I know it’ll be fun, and I know that next year here will be quite emotional to shut the door on that.”
As a driver, how conscious are you going to be because you are going through all of this for the last time?
“I have to say, the induction in the Hall of Fame was the moment in time that really allowed me to reflect, and I imagine this year will be more reflection, and certainly, when we come back here next year, that’ll happen again, but I’m now savoring and enjoying, the emotions, feelings, conversations, all the moments around the time I’ve spent in this sport and all the great times we had. So, there’ll be more of that, but as I look back, the Hall of Fame, first being nominated, which kind of knew that was coming (laughter), but the week, and all the events going into the Hall of Fame, it was just such a special time and it’s really opened the door to enjoy these emotions and reflecting and letting it in. So, I’m getting better at that and enjoying it, and, I know we’ll have another year of that.”
What do you take away from this chapter of your career?
“When I think of the 20 years or I spent probably 25 now, there’s been so much innovation, so much change, from the safety side, the technology, where we race, and how we race now, is technical, but an entirely new way. I feel very fortunate that I was in the generation where ingenuity and creativity really was allowed, and we can do that stuff. Chad (Knaus) was one of the best at it being a rule maker. He did break the rule a couple times, (laughter), but we were much more rule makers than anything. The innovation, and the journey, was really fun, and all the testing we were allowed to do. I can’t tell you how many times, at the end of a test session, he’d stick his head in the window and he’s like, I have no clue what this is going do, let’s tiptoe into this. He just always had some crazy ideas, and going on that journey with our engineering group, and developing all that technology, was really fun.”
Was there something specific about the Daytona 500 that made you want to make that your last race?
“No, it just made a lot of sense. I think as a driver that moonlights, the restrictor plate-tracks or that style of tracks is where you can be the most competitive. This car is so different than any generation of car I’ve driven before. To show up at Kansas and think that you’re going have a shot to win, even when I ran a 9-race schedule. It’s just not a truth that they can really be seen, or realized. Daytona, you can, Talladega, you can, Atlanta for sure. So, I want to show them being competitive, and to have my last race in an event where I could truly win – it could be that cool walk off home run.”
Is INDYCAR still a possibility on future races?
“No, that one’s closed too. The commitment it takes to be where I want to be in the field, I just, I don’t have that in me anymore. My focus and interest is truly building this race team. When I reflect on who I was is a 25 year old kid jumping in that 48 car – I was up at o dark 30 with this passion and energy to chase the day and do the best that I could.I don’t have that passion for that part of life anymore, and that’s been a tough thing to kind of accept, and if I’m honest with myself, maybe the last year or two of driving, I was in that phase, but I mean, I had the best seat in the house. I was almost in denial of, maybe what was going on, and it’s taken time. It took the two years in INDYCAR, and the journey that I’ve been on now to really reflect on that and see it. I mean, I had four hours of sleep last night, because we’re a sponsor event, and I was up all night doing emails, and then I was over at Home Depot this morning buying plants and furniture for our hospitality area and the driver owner lot, and that was fun. I mean, we had a great time this morning doing all that. I going to go over there and start putting chairs together. (laughter) So it’s just, I’m in a different place of life and really enjoying it.”
Would you be in your third chartered car or a fourth entry?
“It’d be a fourth.”
Is there a plan to promote everything you’ve done in the sport?
“No, that’s fair. I wasn’t as focused on brand on my legacy that I was leaving behind, and, I failed in that respect to take advantage of the moment when I was still in the car, and the next day in the car, and now where I sit in our evolution as a company, the intentionality around our name, the storytelling we plan to do as time goes on and what we want our brand to be about, gives me that chance to really put energy into it and treat that right, and hats off to the Earnhardt family and the Petty family for really carrying that on. Being famous or that part of it, and not that the others were, but I just, I didn’t pay any attention to it. I was in such a great system at Hendrick, and they did such an amazing job promoting me in the moment, that when I left, I just wasn’t prepared to keep that going, and I regret that I haven’t, but I still have time ahead of me, and obviously, deeply involved in the sport, and can do that now.”
Is there a planned focus for you to be a face of your team?
“Without a doubt. Yes, that is a big part of going forward. When I got involved with Maury (Gallagher), and we renamed the company, we were working in that direction, had some other things to focus on, more so at that point in time. Then our tragedy happened, and we chose to go to England and just have our time as a family. Then stayed a second year, and it was really an incredible year for our family to be together and grow and heal, and, we got back in August of (20) 25. Now that I have control of the company and a lot of other elements are in play, I can really lean into that. So, I was going get started a few years ago, but a little behind schedule, and we’ll do a lot more of that now.”
How did the Helmet to Heroes program come together?
“We have a great relationship with Pye-Barker and Bart Proctor, the CEO there. His support of John Hunter (Nemechek), and coming into LEGACY with us, and the growing friendship and understanding of their business has really led to this opportunity. As a kid, I wanted to be a fireman. That was so present around me growing up in Fire Country, my best friend, his father, was the captain of local fire department, and I just thought they were the coolest people ever, and so as we’ve been able to understand Bart’s business and the various points of interest in wanting to use the Daytona 500 as a platform to do good and raise awareness for a cause. When they brought it to us, it was a very easy yes and excited to represent the Fallen Firefighters Foundation. They’re going to take the helmet and auction it off, do something with it, but excited to draw that attention to them.”
Can you tell us about your collaboration with Joe Gibbs Racing this season?
“Yeah, it’s really just an evolution of how we can all work closer together in more alignment and closer together with Toyota, TRD. Toyota’s been very focused on small numbers, and tremendous support to the race teams. We’ve had a lot of growing to do as a company and did a lot of that last year, and through that evolution and building trust and respect, both directions and how to manage all of that, we’re at a great point in time where we’re shoulder, shoulder partners with them, and, all, of course, working for Toyota on this journey to win races and championships. We still have a lot of growing and maturing to do as a company, but, I’m confident it will be noticed this year as we get into the schedule and get racing, and I’m excited for the future, and how we can all collaborate more together.”
Do you get a passion about being a mentor for others at this point in your career?
“I do, and I wish that I had more experience in this car to directly help Erik (Jones) and John Hunter (Nemechek). I don’t necessarily for the car, but the outside parts in life, I love that. It is so rewarding, and something I’ve also really enjoyed was, and being the nucleus of a team, and getting people to work together – in my day, it was really about 15 to 20 people, just that road crew and a small group of the 48 team, and now it’s 140 men and women at LEGACY, and we’ll be growing as we bring on that third car and get closer to 200 employees, and it fills a bucket and gives me a lot of purpose and something I really enjoy.”
What other motorsport events are still on your bucket list?
“Man, anything with an engine. I was just with Marty (Smith) and (Ryan) McGee, and, McGee mentioned the Bonneville Salt Flats, and, I mean, I’ve never been. I mean, that’s something I should probably try to do, so I’m going figure out. I know our Toyota friends are here, so guys, what can we go break a speed record with? (laughter). Between Toyota and Carvana, they’re like, yes, great idea. Let’s go do that. So, we’re racing the Mint 400. I get to go back and go to my roots. Back to my roots and compete with Troy Herbst here in a handful of weeks. So excited about that one. But trying to find those marquee moments, those neat opportunities to go racing.”
Would you like to come back, do the Rolex 24, maybe 24 Hours of Le Mans?
“I would. I really, really would. I had an invite for Rolex. They come typically as a driver, those opportunities show up in December. People start looking around for drivers, and if I’m to do it, I need to plan in like July or something to pull that off. The off-season is just so busy for the team. We have so much expansion taking place that a very credible offer came my way. I had to sadly turn it down. I just didn’t have the bandwidth to do it, but I certainly would look at that. Definitely.”
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