Groovy Hollow Recap
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has announced he will race in the June 21, 2026, NASCAR Cup Series race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, California.
This announcement marks the first confirmation that the NASCAR legend will not retire after making his 700th Cup Series start earlier this season.
Since making that start at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Johnson has publicly debated returning to racing throughout several podcast appearances. Though he scaled up his part-time schedule to nine races in 2024, Johnson scaled back his effort this past season, announcing only race dates at Daytona and Charlotte.
These factors led to speculation that he could call it a career after Charlotte, a theory now rendered moot.
Since retiring from full-time NASCAR Cup Series racing after the 2020 season and returning to the sport as an owner/driver in 2023, Johnson has entered 14 NASCAR Cup Series races as a part-time driver.
In fact, earlier this year, Johnson scored his best finish since the second race at Dover in 2020, coming home third in his 22nd attempt at the Daytona 500.
Late Tuesday night, Johnson posted a photo online from his one-off start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for former team owner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss, sparking speculation among fans that he could enter the Truck Series race at San Diego.
While this start does not confirm that Johnson is not racing in the truck series race, that post was likely tied to today’s announcement.
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