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Jimmie Johnson Will ‘Aggressively’ Work to Run San Diego Street Race

Originally posted on Racing America on SI
By Joseph Srigley | Last updated Jul 23, 2025 3:21 PM ET

John K Harrelson, Lumen Digital Agency

Jimmie Johnson is, without a doubt, one of the best drivers to ever put rubber to racetrack in the NASCAR Cup Series, winning seven championships (including five in a row) and becoming one of the most decorated drivers in NASCAR history.

Now, a half-decade after his “retirement”, which involved the 49-year-old driver running a two-year stint in the NTT IndyCar Series before jumping back into NASCAR, both as a part-time driver and team owner with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.

Johnson ran the No. 84 entry in three races in 2023, nine in 2024, and then dwindled his schedule down to just the DAYTONA 500 and Coca-Cola 600 this season, but Wednesday’s announcement that NASCAR would be racing on the streets of San Diego has certainly piqued his interest.

“This is really exciting. I honestly didn’t think that NASCAR would ever be able to race in San Diego. Growing up in El Cajon, watching it develop and change so much, watching El Cajon Speedway sadly go away, it’s just a reality or thought of NASCAR in a traditional sense on an oval in San Diego, it just never seemed possible.”

The 83-time NASCAR Cup Series race-winner was born and raised in El Cajon, California, which is located about 15 miles to the Northeast of San Diego and the Coronado Naval Base. So, there’s no surprise to hear that this race is definitely on the bucket list for a potential drive in 2026.

“[The race] definitely intrigues me,” Johnson said. “Obviously, it’s not news, but the desire to race in my hometown is off the charts. I will aggressively work on being in the event. If for some reason I am not able to pull that off, I will absolutely be there and help support LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, all of our partners, NASCAR, the city.”

#NASCAR... Asked by @Jordan_Bianchi if he will be competing in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at San Diego, @JimmieJohnson says that he will be working hard to compete in the event.

Johnson adds that his desire to race in his hometown is "off the charts".
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) July 23, 2025

Obviously, with 11 months until the race takes place, there is nothing set in stone, yet. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is still working to acquire a third NASCAR Cup Series charter, which would see a third full-time entry be run out of the team’s stable. Johnson says that there is definitely a scenario in which he could run more frequently than he did in 2025.

For those Jimmie Johnson fans who believe this would be the perfect storybook ending to the career of the seven-time champ, don’t worry about that, just yet, says Johnson, who believes that he’s still got some more left in him.

“It hasn’t crossed my mind,” Johnson said about San Diego possibly being his final race. “I want to respond with no, but who knows. We’ll have to do some planning over the off-season.”

“I want to keep going. I want to stay in a car. I think it’s good for us. We’re hopeful to have a charter. Need to start building a team. There’s a chance that I run more races next year if we have a third charter on the docket and have a sponsor to bring along, team members to groom, a crew chief to get reps, a driver to get reps. There’s a lot of scenarios that are in play. I’m hopeful I can keep going.”

As of right now, Johnson does not have another race on his NASCAR Cup Series schedule, as his two scheduled starts for 2025 have already passed (Daytona and Charlotte). However, next year very well could provide an opportunity for him to race in his hometown.