Jimmie Johnson nearly got Shaquille O’Neal to victory lane at Daytona International Speedway — at least virtually.

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.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson drastically bettered his best finish in the NextGen car on Sunday, finsihing third in the DAYTONA 500 for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.

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)

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.

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.

The 49-year-old legend scored a third-place finish in the Great American Race, his best showing since winning for the second time in 2013. In addition, Legacy Motor Club's two full-time cars ran fifth (John Hunter Nemechek) and 12th (Erik Jones), despite the latter absorbing damage in a wild wreck that sent Ryan Preece airborne.

Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. qualified for the Daytona 500 as unchartered cars thanks to their single-lap qualifying speeds Wednesday.

Also locking into the field was 2017 Cup champion Martin Truex Jr., who is racing the No. 56 Toyota for TRICON Garage after stepping back from racing full time in 2025. He turned the fastest lap of the open cars at 181.302 mph, ensuring TRICON’s Cup debut.

Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. locked into the Daytona 500 field via their qualifying times in Wednesday's NASCAR Cup Series single-car qualifying session.

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.