Jimmie Johnson to drive No. 48 in final Daytona 500
Jimmie Johnson will drive the iconic No. 48 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club in the 2027 Daytona 500, marking his final NASCAR Cup Series start. Rick Hendrick, Hendrick Motorsports and Ally Financial agreed to loan the number for the Hall of Famer’s farewell race, NASCAR confirmed.
The seven-time Cup champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer will reunite with the number that defined his career after Rick Hendrick announced the plan Sunday alongside Johnson on TNT Sports’ “NASCAR Nation Pre-Race” show ahead of the Brickyard 400. For more celebrity sports headlines, follow Celebrity Breaking News on BlasterPost.
Key Takeaways
- Jimmie Johnson will make his final NASCAR Cup Series start in the No. 48 at the 2027 Daytona 500.
- Hendrick Motorsports and Ally Financial are loaning the stylized No. 48 for one race with Legacy Motor Club.
- NASCAR approved the one-race number loan without affecting driver or owner points.
- Alex Bowman, the current No. 48 driver, will run a different number to be announced later at that race.
- Johnson won all 83 of his Cup victories and seven championships in the No. 48 at Hendrick Motorsports.
Why is Jimmie Johnson returning to the No. 48?
According to NASCAR.com, the entirety of Johnson’s full-time Cup career came in Hendrick’s No. 48. He carried that number in 686 of his 702 career starts, from his 2001 debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway through his most recent No. 48 appearance in the 2020 Phoenix season finale.
“This is far more than a number,” Johnson said in a release. “The 48 represents people, relationships, memories and a chapter of my life that shaped who I am. To have the opportunity to make one final Cup Series start carrying that number is something I never imagined.”
Hendrick Motorsports said NASCAR approved the one-race loan of the stylized No. 48 so the tribute can proceed without affecting the driver or owner points standings.
What did Rick Hendrick and Ally say about the deal?
“The No. 48 is part of Hendrick Motorsports’ history, and it’s forever connected to Jimmie,” Hendrick said. “When Jimmie asked about using the number for his final race, it just felt right. Ally immediately understood why it mattered, too.”
Ally Financial, the longtime primary partner of Hendrick’s No. 48 program and Johnson’s primary sponsor in 2019 and 2020, joined the team in approving the loan. Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing and PR officer, said fans deserve to see Johnson at Daytona one last time with that number.
How does this affect Alex Bowman and Johnson’s recent starts?
Alex Bowman currently drives the No. 48 for Hendrick Motorsports. He will instead pilot a different numbered car, to be determined later, for the 2027 Daytona 500. Bowman announced Thursday that 2027 will be his last season of full-time Cup competition.
Since returning to NASCAR in 2023, Johnson has made 16 part-time starts for Legacy Motor Club in the No. 84. He has led 18,941 laps in his career but none since driving that car. A two-time Daytona 500 champion and four-time Brickyard 400 winner, he will close his Cup driving career in the number most tied to his record-tying seven titles, including five straight from 2006 through 2010.