By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
For driver/owner Jimmie Johnson, the 67th running of the Daytona 500 will be one marked in Legacy Motor Club’s history.
After a crash sparked from the lead trio of cars, the backstretch turned into chaos on the final lap Sunday night. Johnson, who was running 10th, managed to squeeze his way through the accident and survive it to grab third place at the line.
In his 22nd Daytona 500, the three-time winner scored his best finish in the race since he last won it in 2013.
“What an experience,” Johnson said. “We tried to play it smart. Chad (Johnston, crew chief) had a great strategy for the third segment. Unfortunately, on one of the pit stops we got blocked in and lost our track position. Still had a good car and a straight car and there at the end I was able to make my way through the crash in the back. I was in a good position and here we are. This is great.”
Great, not only for Johnson, but for the organization of Legacy Motor Club, who scored their first double top-five result with Johnson in third and John Hunter Nemechek in fifth. The second-year LMC driver nabbed his first-career top five.
“I hate it that Erik (Jones) had some trouble,” he said. “It’s been an interesting couple of years and to have our cars come out and be this strong, this Toyota was rocket ship fast. I’m just smiling inside and out.”
Johnson has struggled to find results in his part-time Cup comeback that started in 2023. In his 13 starts for the team, Johnson failed to score a top 25.
A surprise podium gave the seven-time champion some emotional surprises as well.
“This feels incredible,” he said. “I have emotions that I didn’t expect to have. I’ve never been in this position as an owner, and it’s really opened up a different set of emotions, and the pride that I have in this result and the pride that I have in this company, now that we’re trying to achieve and the journey we’re on – I am so satisfied, so happy right now.”