Jimmie Johnson Relieved to Be in Daytona 500 Field Despite OEP Cons

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion had to battle like crazy through the Duels to make it into he Daytona 500 the last couple of years, he's thankful to not have that problem in 2026.

Jimmie Johnson expressed relief during Daytona 500 Media Day as he is locked into the field for the race, a change from the last couple of seasons for the legendary driver. | Ricky Martinez | Racing America On SI

Last season, Jimmie Johnson turned back the clock with an impressive third-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. For the 83-time race winner and seven-time series champion, it was a big deal to score another top-three finish, as it was his first since the 23rd race of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season at Dover Motor Speedway.

However, it wasn't a smooth transition to a third-place result. For the last couple of seasons, Johnson has had to fight and claw his way into the starting lineup through the Duel qualifier events. This year, he'll have no such worry, as his LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team was granted an Open Exemption Provisional (OEP), which will guarantee Johnson a spot in the field. However, he'll be unable to collect race winnings due to the provisional. But Johnson feels relieved and that the OEP is a fair trade off.

"It's a huge relief, granted we've lost upside potential with prize money, but to be guaranteed in the race. That stress. The efficiencies that we can focus on as a team, and make sure we're more competitive for the race, and even help our other two cars. That's worth it for us," Johnson explained at Daytona 500 Media Day on Wednesday.

While Johnson is locked into the field and the field size extends to 41 cars, eight other drivers and teams aren't as fortunate, as they'll have to try to secure their place in the Daytona 500 starting lineup through Wednesday's qualifying session and/or Thursday's America 250 Duels.

Having to remain laserfocused on simply making the race, before they can focus on the race itself will cause a large majority of the eight teams to be at a strategy disadvantage, when it comes to getting their cars tuned up for the Daytona 500.

Johnson feels there is one exception among the eight entries -- Corey Heim and the No. 67 23XI Racing team.

"I'm trying to think of the [Open] cars, I would assume the 67, not so much," Johnson stated. "The other guys, yes. The 67 being the Gibbs/23XI relationship and how deeply intertwined they are. Even for us, yes, we're in the Toyota system, but we're on our own. So, we've increased 30% of our learning by having a third car in the race, so it is meaningful for us."

Johnson's guaranteed entry brings LEGACY MOTOR CLUB up to three total entries in the Daytona 500 field as Johnson joins full-time competitors, Erik Jones (No. 43), and John Hunter Nemechek (No. 42). But before you start even thinking that Johnson will be all-in on pushing his teammates to victory lane in the Great American Race, remember, he's a racecar driver, who will attempt to win the race himself if at all possible.

“I have no idea what I would do in that moment," Johnson said if he had the choice of pushing a teammate to the win, or going for the win himself. "I really don't. And I feel like it's circumstantial, you know, if it's the Hail Mary, there's no need. But if I legitimately have a shot, then, you know, it's a different, it's a different situation. I've only raced one way, which is to win. So, I really find it hard to believe when the helmet doesn't go on, that I'm not looking around, regardless of the car that's there, and want that clean air, and want to be the first one to strike."

A win for Johnson would bring his career total to 84, which would place him in a tie with Darrell Waltrip for fifth on the all-time NASCAR Cup Series winslist. But whether he finds himself in a position to win on Sunday afternoon or not, Johnson is just happy the path to competing for a Daytona 500 win will be much simpler this year.