Jimmie Johnson will not return to the NASCAR Cup Series as an active competitor for the remainder of this season but announced on FS1’s Race Hub that he still intends to run a partial schedule in the Legacy Motor Club No. 84 entry in 2024.
The seven-time Cup Series champion returned to NASCAR after a two-year hiatus in which he competed in both IndyCar and IMSA with the revelation that he purchased a stake in the organization once named Petty GMS.
In addition to joining the ownership ranks, Johnson also scheduled a part-time racing schedule that included starts in the Daytona 500, Circuit of the Americas and Coca-Cola 600. Johnson had entered the inaugural street race in downtown Chicago but withdrew when his in-laws and nephew were found dead in a murder-suicide.
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Johnson never specified an exact number of races he would run but said on Wednesday that it simply didn’t feel right to race while his family was still going through a personal tragedy. He revealed that decision while confirming that John Hunter Nemechek would join the organization as a full-time teammate to Erik Jones at Legacy M.C. next season.
He also said he was looking forward to racing alongside both of his drivers next season in their inaugural campaign under the Toyota Racing Development banner. Jimmie Johnson has contested his entire NASCAR Cup Series career with Chevrolet, mostly at Hendrick Motorsports, where he claimed all seven championship and 83 victories in the No. 48 entry.
Thus, Johnson racing a Toyota will be a personal first for him, although he did race a Honda in the IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing.