Jimmie Johnson Hits NASCAR With $5M Demand Amid NASCAR Schedule Controversy

The NASCAR All-Star Race is all about throwing caution to the wind, short formats, big bucks, and a green light for drivers to get rowdy without fretting over points. For years, it was a Charlotte Motor Speedway staple, but lately, it’s been hopping around like a restless nomad: Texas in 2021 and 2022, North Wilkesboro in 2023 and 2024. That $1 million purse has long been the carrot, pushing drivers to go for broke for bragging rights over championship math. But with tracks like Dover limiting aggressive, risk-taking moves, is that enough today?

But for 2026, NASCAR’s shaking things up again, planting the All-Star Race at Dover Motor Speedway, the “Monster Mile” with its steep concrete banks and brutal physical demands. It’s a head-scratcher. Dover’s a driver’s track, no doubt, but it’s more about endurance than the bumper-banging chaos fans expect from an All-Star showdown. Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time Cup champ and 11-time Dover winner, isn’t sold on the choice. He’s also calling for a major cash boost, saying the $1 million prize is chump change compared to what it’ll take to get drivers to throw elbows.

$1 million is too little, says Johnson

On the latest episode of his Never Settle podcast with ESPN’s Marty Smith, Jimmie Johnson and his co-host got real about NASCAR’s 2026 All-Star Race move to Dover. Smith kicked things off with a jab, “The schedule just got released. It did. Dover is now the All-Star race venue. I hope I am wrong but there’s gonna be like 40 people over there.” His quip’s a bit exaggerated, but it nails a sore spot. NASCAR’s been battling sagging attendance for years. Dover, once packed with roaring “Dover Millionaires,” hasn’t seen the same crowds lately, a trend that’s hit many tracks as the sport’s fanbase evolves.

Johnson was just as skeptical, “I am scratching my head on that one. Attendance has been down. The driver experience on that track is top-shelf like every driver loves that place. I think in an all star race you want to put the drivers in a position to rough each other up.” He’s got a point. Dover’s a beast, with its 24-degree banking, hard-hitting concrete, and tire-chewing surface that tests every driver’s skill. It’s a favorite for guys like Johnson, who’s won there 11 times, but it’s not exactly a bumper-car playground as it thrives on chaos. Johnson’s not knocking the track; he’s just saying it’s built for grueling points races, not the wild, no-stakes showdown the All-Star event demands.

Then he dropped the big one, “There’s a million on the line. It should be five though. That’s the point I am trying to make. It’s worth the investment for somebody somewhere. And you need a track that somebody will crash the guy in front of them for 5 million bucks. It’s not Dover. I mean you hurt people there.” Johnson’s calling for a $5 million purse to crank up the intensity, arguing it’d push drivers to risk it all, maybe even nudge a rival into the wall for the win.

Dover’s no place for that; its high G-forces and physical toll make crashes riskier than at, say, a short track where bumping’s part of the game. The $1 million prize was huge back when the All-Star Race was at its peak, but Johnson’s right. Today’s economics demand a bigger carrot to get drivers to go full send.

Smith wrapped it up with a sigh, “And now I don’t feel the same energy I felt before and that’s because Money has changed.” He’s hitting on how NASCAR’s gone big-business, sometimes losing the raw, gritty passion that packed grandstands in the sport’s heyday. Johnson’s $5 million demand isn’t just about cash. It’s about bringing back that old-school fire.

While Jimmie Johnson’s stirring the pot on the All-Star Race, he’s also got his sights set on getting back behind the wheel for NASCAR’s newest adventure: a 2026 street race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego.

Johnson eyes San Diego street race return

On Never Settle, when Marty Smith asked if he’d try to race his hometown event, Johnson didn’t hesitate, “Try 100%. That I end up there? 99.9% chance.” The SoCal native’s been making sporadic starts for his Legacy Motor Club in the No. 84 Toyota since 2023, though it’s been a rough ride. His average finish across 14 starts is a bumpy 29.9. Still, 2025 showed promise with a third-place run in the Daytona 500, dodging a last-lap wreck to remind everyone he’s still got it.

Johnson’s not locked in for any more races this season, but the San Diego street course has him fired up. “I want to keep going. I want to stay in a car,” he told Kevin Harvick on Happy Hour, reflecting on how a race last season made him feel more suited for the sponsor suite than the track.

That San Diego race is a big deal. NASCAR’s returning to Southern California with a street circuit, a bold move after the success of the Chicago Street Course. Johnson’s enthusiasm isn’t just hometown pride; it’s a chance to race on a track where his experience and road-course smarts could shine.

Last year, he admitted to Harvick that he struggled with the balance of being an owner and driver, but the pull of a new challenge like San Diego’s got him itching to strap in. As Legacy MC fights through the 2025 playoffs at Gateway and a messy charter lawsuit, Johnson’s not just shaking up NASCAR’s All-Star plans. He’s plotting a comeback that could steal the show in 2026.