Jimmie Johnson, 50, to make bid for Daytona 500

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will attempt to qualify for the 2026 Daytona 500.

Legacy Motor Club announced Thursday that the 50-year-old team owner will drive the No. 84 Carvana Toyota.

A two-time Daytona 500 winner (2006, 2013), Johnson will attempt to qualify for the season-opening Feb. 15 race as an open, non-chartered entry. It would be his 23rd entry in "The Great American Race."

"Carvana has been an incredible partner, and every season we've found new ways to celebrate what makes racing so special," Johnson said in a team news release. "This year's scheme is sharp, it's fresh, and I can't wait for fans to see it on the track in Daytona."

Johnson, who retired from full-time competition after the 2020 season, has raced a partial Cup Series schedule for the past few years. The 83-time race winner's last victory came in 2017.

The NASCAR Hall of Fame member previously announced that he will enter the inaugural Cup Series race in San Diego on June 21 at Naval Base Coronado, near his hometown of El Cajon, Calif.

--Field Level Media