Jimmie Johnson was simultaneously relieved and overwhelmed as he climbed out of his No. 84 Toyota at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday night. It was a different set of emotions for the seven-time NASCAR champion and the two-time Daytona 500 winner.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Jimmie Johnson ended up feeling more emotions than he thought at the Daytona 500 on Sunday. Johnson, 49, who won the Daytona 500 in 2006 and 2013, went from 15th to third through a last-lap crash on the backstretch to earn his best finish since winning the Daytona 500 in 2013 for Hendrick Motorsports.

The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion previously retired from full-time racing after the 2020 season, but he’s back for the Daytona 500. The No. 84 Toyota driver for his own team, Legacy Motor Club, will start from the 40th position in row 20.

Not only did Johnson race through a last-lap accident to finish third, the Legacy Motor Sports Club that Johnson runs posted finishes of 5th and 12th

Already previously retired from full-time racing, Jimmie Johnson showed that there was still gas left in his tank after a surprising podium finish on Sunday in the 2025 Daytona 500 at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.

Jimmie Johnson finished third in the Daytona 500, his best result in the race since winning in 2013. Johnson, a seven-time Cup Series champion, is now a team owner and driver for Legacy Motor Club. DAYTONA BEACH — Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson survived last-lap chaos at the Daytona 500 and savored landmark achievements as driver and team owner Sunday night.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 12: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #84 Carvana Toyota drives through the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 12, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

After a historic finish by the three entries of Legacy Motor Club, Jimmie Johnson was all smiles when the checkered flag waved.

Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, proved once again why he’s a legend in the sport. The 49-year-old driver-turned-team owner delivered an outstanding performance at the 2025 Daytona 500,

In sports, legends aren’t just defined by their victories, but by how they evolve beyond them. The post Jimmie Johnson Goes After Rick Hendrick and Others' NASCAR Legacy With New World Ideas appeared first on EssentiallySports.