Jimmie Johnson will drive his final race with his iconic No. 48 number for his final NASCAR Cup Series start in the 2027 Daytona 500, Hendrick Motorsports founder Rick Hendrick announced on July 26.
The announcement came on the “NASCAR Nation Pre-Race” show on TNT Sports before the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Johnson, a co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, will drive the No. 48 Toyota in an agreement with Hendrick Motorsports.
"(Johnson) called me a few months back and said, 'Hey, Daytona's going to be my last race and I sure would like to use the No. 48," Hendrick said on the show. "And so I talked to Ally, I talked to NASCAR, and we got it pulled off."
Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, retired from full-time Cup racing
in 2020. He has continued to run part-time since then. He raced in the 2026 Daytona 500 and in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at San Diego.
Alex Bowman currently drives the No. 48 for Hendrick, but will step aside from the number for the 2027 Daytona 500 and drive an alternate number. It's not known yet what number that would be.
"I am beyond words; I am grateful for your friendship, mentorship, making my family a part of yours," Johnson told Hendrick. "I hoped the phone call would turn out as it did, and, of course, it has. It means the world to me. Thank you so much Rick; a big thanks to Ally Motorsports. I'm so honored and excited to have my last drive, my first drive and last drive in the 48."
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Jimmie Johnson's NASCAR car number announced for 2027 Daytona 500, his last race
