What’s Happening?

NASCAR Legend Jimmie Johnson spoke candidly about his potential future behind the wheel in NASCAR during a recent media availability. Though he has no set plans for the future, the legend made one thing clear: “I want to keep going.”

Jimmie Johnson, answering a question from @dustinlong, says he's put "zero thought" into when his final race will be yet or whether it could be San Diego next year.

"I want to keep going, I want to be in a car. There's a chance I run more races next year if we have a third…

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 23, 2025

As a son of Southern California, the eyes of the NASCAR world will likely turn to Jimmie Johnson next summer as the sport returns to Southern California for the first time since 2023.

When asked by Dustin Long of NBC Sports if the 2026 San Diego Street race, which will take place at San Diego’s Naval Base Coronado, could be his final race, the NASCAR legend said that the idea for a retirement race “hasn’t crossed my mind.”

Johnson, who has not entered a race since May’s Coca-Cola 600 (his 700th career start), has been rather quiet about his future. He went on to say, “I want to keep going. I want to stay in a car.” The legend even teased that there is a “chance” that he could race even more in 2026, by helping out his race team, Legacy Motor Club, should they acquire a third charter.

The NASCAR legend retired from full-time competition in 2020, opting to race part-time and then full-time with Chip Ganassi Racing in the IndyCar Series in 2021 and 2022 before turning his attention back to NASCAR as owner of Legacy Motor Club in 2023. Since that season, Johnson has raced part-time with the team, entering a third car, the No. 84.

These starts did not amount to much in 2023 and 2024, despite a solid run in the 2023 Daytona 500. In his 12 starts in those two seasons, three in 2023, and nine in 2024, the veteran finished no better than 26th, with only two lead-lap finishes, both of which occurred in the latter of the two seasons.

This year, Johnson scaled his schedule down, only announcing two race dates: the Daytona 500, in which he scored his 13th career top five at Daytona, finishing third, and the Coca-Cola 600. With the 600 being his 700th career start, fans worried that Johnson wanted to reach a milestone and then retire, though he has yet to do so.

Since his early exit from the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, Johnson has continued to be open to entering more races, though it is unclear when or how he will do so. The only thing that is clear about his future is that the 49-year-old wants to keep racing, as he said on Wednesday, “I have more years in me, and I want to keep going.”

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