The 2026 San Diego Naval Base race just got more interesting. NASCAR has announced its first-ever active military base event at Naval Base Coronado, a three-day speed racing spectacular running mid-June next year, with the Cup series race on Father’s Day. The course will weave past aircraft carriers and F-18s, offering a unique spectacle and doubling as a celebration of the US Navy’s 250th anniversary. And to celebrate NASCAR’s triumphant return to Southern California, who better to return to the track than El Cajon, California, native Jimmie Johnson!

Seven-time Cup Series champion and Legacy Motor Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson has confirmed that he will return behind the wheel in San Diego next year. His last race was the Coca-Cola 600, and despite being 49 going on 50, Johnson admits that he still has the desire to race in his blood.

Jimmie Johnson eyes himself in LMC’s third charter

Jimmie Johnson’s 2025 season has a brief but nostalgic comeback. In the Daytona 500, he rolled back into competition, qualifying deep in the field and charging to a third-place finish after a last-lap wreck paved the way for his best Cup result since 2020. His second and final 2025 start came at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte. Johnson had earned his 700th career cup start, starting 17th but unfortunately ending with 40th place DNF after a lap 111 crash. It was a bittersweet milestone, joining NASCAR royalty with 700 stars, yet facing the harsh realities of modern Cup racing.

However, when asked about the next season, Jimmie Johnson didn’t dismiss the idea of returning beyond San Diego. Johnson was born and raised in El Cajon, California, approximately 15 miles northeast of San Diego, which is the site of NASCAR’s newest street course race. “I want to keep going. I want to stay in a car. I think it’s good for us,” he told NBC Sports.

In pursuit of wanting to race more races next year with Legacy Motor Club, he said, “We’re hopeful to have a third charter. Need to start building a team. There’s a chance that I run more races next year if we have a third charter on the docket and have a sponsor to bring along, team members to groom, a crew chief to get reps, a driver to get reps. There’s a lot of scenarios that are in play. I’m hopeful I can keep going.”

Well, Johnson’s plan hinges on the outcome of an ongoing legal battle. The team has filed a lawsuit against Rick Ware Racing, claiming the organization is backing out of a March agreement to sell them a charter, while Rick Ware Racing says the wrong charter number was listed. A trial is set for January 26, 2026. Adding to the complexity, Legacy also filed a separate lawsuit on July 16 against former Spire Motorsports co-owner TJ Puchyr, accusing him of interfering with the deal after he told the Associated Press he had agreed to purchase Rick Ware Racing after working on the initial deal with LMC.

Meanwhile, Johnson remains realistic as well. He said, “I certainly don’t want to feed you guys a line of B- here. There is also a scenario where (making San Diego his final Cup start) would make sense. We’ve put zero effort into the idea yet at this point. I have more years in me. I want to keep going.” San Diego could be the emotional final chapter of his Cup-driving story on Father’s Day, nonetheless, bringing his career full circle back to Southern California. Jimmie Johnson’s return is about more than nostalgia; it is about storytelling.

A hometown finale at Coronado, the military base backdrop, a storied career during its emotional crossroads. This isn’t just street racing; it’s legacy racing, no pun intended.

Jimmie Johnson shuts the gate on Daniel Suarez’s LMC opportunity

Legacy Motor Club’s 2026 plans came into sharp focus this week after Daniel Suarez officially parted ways with Trackhouse Racing. With Suarez now in search of a new Cup Series ride, speculation quickly turned to Legacy as a potential landing spot. But Jimmie Johnson, co-owner of the team and a seven-time NASCAR champion, quickly set the record straight. While he praised Suarez as a great friend and great talent, Johnson admitted that timing and logistics likely won’t allow for a union.

Johnson maintained that Suarez is a “great friend and great talent,” but it’s clear that LMC’s current focus is on grooming the next generation of talent. Johnson has even admitted to keeping an eye on drivers like Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love for a potential move. But with Trackhouse having an empty seat and Zilisch being in their developmental pipeline, securing him would be quite a tall task.

And as for where Suarez might go, viable options are limited. The major teams, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske, are locked in for 2026. The same goes for Richard Childress Racing, RFK Racing, Spire, and Kaulig. Some mid-pack teams like Haas Factory Team and Rick Ware Racing have drivers with family connections. Meanwhile, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports remain open entries but aren’t confirmed to be expanding. For now, Suarez’s next move remains one of the biggest question marks of the silly season.