DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Jimmie Johnson plans to end his illustrious NASCAR Cup Series career at the 2027 Daytona 500.
The seven-time Cup champion announced Saturday, the day before the 68th running of “The Great American Race,” that he will enter one additional Daytona 500 before calling it a career. He wants to continue racing in other series, maybe even in other NASCAR events, but won’t return to stock car’s premier level again.
“I’ve been fortunate to accomplish more than I ever imagined in this sport,” said Johnson, a two-time Daytona 500 champion who finished third in the 2025 season opener. “The last six years have given me the freedom to choose where I compete and, more importantly, the clarity to understand where I’m needed most. I am going to focus all of my energy on leading and building a world-class organization.”
The 50-year-old Johnson is the majority owner of Legacy Motor Club, which fields full-time Cup rides for Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson has two more national series races scheduled beyond Daytona this year — in the Truck and Cup series in San Diego near his hometown.
The No. 84 entry that Johnson will drive Sunday for the 15th time since his retirement from full-time racing will become the team’s third full-time entry next year. Legacy already purchased a third charter from Rick Ware Racing, the last one sold before a federal lawsuit settlement involving two teams and NASCAR upped the price significantly.
That seemingly leaves Johnson driving next year at Daytona in a yet-to-be-determined number after racing his entire career in either the No. 48 or its transposed counterpart.
Johnson walked away from his full-time gig at powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports after the 2020 season. He stepped down after 83 Cup victories and a record-tying seven series titles over 19 years.
He spent more time with his family and embraced the opportunity to design a less-demanding schedule. He competed in the IndyCar Series for two seasons (2021-22), became a partial owner at Legacy and drove in a number of bucket list items like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona and an Unlimited Hydroplane at Seafair. He earned Indianapolis 500 rookie of the year honors in 2022.
He is making his 23rd start in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, having won in 2006 and 2013.
“It’s the only race you get a title,” Johnson said earlier this week. “I was fortunate to experience that. You leave here and anything you do, you got a title. I never had a title in my life. That speaks to the importance of the race, the magnitude of the race, the history behind it all.
“You get a title and you get reminded of it every time you’re introduced.”
He considers that first Daytona 500 victory a turning point in his career. It kickstarted the first of five consecutive championships that made him the face of the series even while competing against Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.
And it came after crew chief Chad Knaus was kicked out of the Daytona 500 and suspended two more races because of an illegal car adjustment.
“A lot of growth took place in that offseason,” said Johnson, who finished fifth in the 2005 standings. “In theory, we bought into what we wanted to be. And then with Chad being sent home, ‘Shoot, now we got to live it.’
“It really was that fortifying moment us. It forced a lot of us to step up instead of just looking at Chad and saying, ‘All right, man, fix it.’ We all had so much more responsibility and skin in the game. We became a more efficient, effective, stronger team as a result. When I look back, that winter and then him being suspended were the most pivotal moment in the 48 team.”
It’s been 20 years since that seminal moment, and Johnson — even with one retirement in the rearview mirror and another one on the horizon — has a hard time believing the milestone.
“How has it been that long?” Johnson said. “I don’t think I’m any more mature. I certainly have a lot more gray. It’s just wild how fast time goes by.”
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Jimmie Johnson's pit crew works during the first of two NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying auto races at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
FILE - Jimmie Johnson waves during driver introductions before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Feb. 16, 2025, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
BORMIO, Italy (AP) — Brazilian ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen turned in a powerful final run to win the Olympic giant slalom Saturday and earn South America’s first medal at a Winter Games.
The race isn’t quite official yet, though, with dozens of lower-tier racers still to take the course. But he's the leader after the top 30 fastest from the first run.
With snow falling and fog settling in, the 25-year-old Pinheiro Braathen remained cool and relaxed as he navigated his way through the technical Stelvio course. After seeing his place — No. 1 — he fell to the snow before starting to scream.
He finished in a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds. He beat Swiss racer Marco Odermatt, the defending Olympic champion, by 0.58 seconds. Odermatt's teammate, Loic Meillard, earned bronze.
Pinheiro Braathen is the fun-loving, samba-dancing skier who’s ready to get this party started. On the back of his helmet, he has in big letters “Vamos Dancar” — “Let’s Dance.”
Fittingly enough, it’s Carnival season, too, a festival of parades, masquerades and partying made famous in places such as Brazil.
There's plenty to celebrate because, “Brazil is an Olympic champion in Alpine skiing,” he said.
Pinheiro Braathen comes from a family where his mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He started racing for Norway until abruptly retiring before the 2023 season, only to return a year later representing Brazil.
“I just wanted to share this with everyone watching in Brazil, following me, cheering for me," he said, speaking to TV Globo. "This can be a point of inspiration for the next generation of children, showing them that nothing is impossible. It doesn’t matter where you’re from. What matters is what’s inside. What the heart does. I bring Brazilian strength today to bring this flag to the podium. This is Brazil’s.”
He’s already accomplished plenty of “firsts” with his new country: First Brazilian Alpine racer to finish on a World Cup podium last year and first ever World Cup win for the country this season.
Now, first Brazilian gold medalist.
“I was pulling. Pulling, pulling, always pulling, trying to find where to step, always trying to find the rhythm," Pinheiro Braathen said. "I was skiing with my heart, and when you ski the way you are, anything is possible. The only thing that matters to me is that I remain who I am. I am a Brazilian skier who became an Olympic champion.”
In Milan, his fans, decked out in green and yellow, crowded into “Casa Brasil.” They cheered for the entirety of his run, screaming and jumping to their feet once he finished. The sound system blared “We Are The Champions” before playing samba-infused songs for everyone to dance to.
He remains a popular figure, with one spectator wearing a “Lucas Fan Club” T-shirt at the Brazil House, while another clutched a sign declaring “I’m a fan of Lucas.”
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva celebrated his country’s first ever Winter Olympics medal on his social media channels.
“This unprecedented result shows Brazilian sport has no limits. It is the reflection of talent, dedication and continuous work to strengthen sport in every dimension,” Lula said. “Congratulations to Lucas Pinheiro and all the team involved in this historic achievement, which inspires new generations and widens the horizon for Brazilian sport.”
It’s another medal at the Milan Cortina Games for the 28-year-old Odermatt. He added this to the silver in the team event, where he partnered with Meillard, and bronze in the super-G.
Atle Lie McGrath of Norway wore a black armband in remembrance of his grandfather, who died on the day of the opening ceremony. He finished fifth.
Associated Press Writers Stefanie Dazio in Milan and Mauricio Savarese in Sao Paulo contributed to this report
AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing and AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Supporters of Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen react at the Brazil House as he starts his second run in the men's giant slalom at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, center, winner of a gold medal in an alpine ski, men's giant slalom race, celebrates with silver medalist Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, left, and bronze medalist Switzerland's Loic Meillard, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen celebrates winning an alpine ski, men's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen celebrates winning an alpine ski, men's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course, during an alpine ski, men's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen competes during an alpine ski, men's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen checks his time at the finish area after the first run of an alpine ski, men's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen competes during an alpine ski, men's giant slalom race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
