Eighteen years ago, in the roar of engines at Bristol Motor Speedway back in August 2008, Jimmie Johnson climbed into a Craftsman Truck Series machine for the only time during his Cup dominance. The seven-time champion led 29 laps that night before a lap 101 crash ended his bid for victory. Since then, he focused almost exclusively on his Cup career, becoming one of NASCAR’s all‑time greats and never returning to the Truck Series. Until now.

Jimmie Johnson Returns to NASCAR’s Truck Series

Nearly two decades later, Jimmie Johnson is eyeing another shot at truck racing glory. NASCAR journalist Kelly Crandall confirmed through an X post that Jimmie Johnson will be racing once again in a truck.

“Jimmie Johnson will drive the No. 1 truck for Tricon Garage in the inaugural event at San Diego in June. It’ll be his first start in the Craftsman Truck Series since 2008.”

This marks his first Truck Series start since that 2008 Bristol outing, fitting into NASCAR’s new San Diego weekend on the 3.4-mile, 16-turn street circuit along the waterfront.

Carvana serves as the primary sponsor for the truck and Johnson’s planned No. 84 Cup entry with Legacy Motor Club the next day, Sunday, June 21.

Johnson, hailing from nearby El Cajon, emphasized the personal stakes in a statement:

“Racing in San Diego means everything to me – it’s home.” He added, “Getting behind the wheel of a Truck Series entry has been on my mind for a while. The competition is incredible, and doing it at a historic street race on a Navy base in my hometown? That’s special. I’m grateful to TRICON and Carvana for making this happen, and honestly, I can’t think of a better way to honor our military and celebrate where I’m from.”

This one-off aligns with Johnson’s selective 2026 schedule, including the Daytona 500 in the Cup Series. Tricon Garage highlighted the excitement, posting “WELCOME SEVEN-TIME!” alongside images of the No. 1 truck.

With 83 Cup wins and a Hall of Fame induction, Johnson’s truck return spotlights the series’ rising intensity amid full-time stars like Carson Hocevar and Rajah Caruth.

But while the Trucks comeback sounds good, fans aren’t very happy with his Daytona return.

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Jimmie Johnson under scrutiny for Daytona backlash

Jimmie Johnson’s 2026 Daytona 500 entry via the Open Exemption Provisional (OEP) has ignited fan backlash over NASCAR’s rule changes.

Legacy Motor Club secured the exemption for the No. 84 Carvana Chevrolet, expanding the field to 41 cars regardless of qualifying speed, with Johnson ineligible for points or purse money.

The OEP, introduced ahead of 2025 and tweaked in March that year, guarantees spots for world-class drivers on non-chartered teams to boost prestige at majors like the 500.

Bob Pockrass clarified: “Legacy applied for and has been granted the ‘open exemption provisional’ … so Johnson is guaranteed a spot and field will be 41 cars. Johnson won’t get the purse $.”

Fans vented confusion and frustration online, questioning the shift from prior rules where qualifying on speed kept the field at 40.

One supporter admitted, “I’m a Jimmie Johnson fan, and I think this rule is so stupid. Race your way in or don’t race at all,” while others lamented, “Why can’t we do 43 like it’s been for many years?”

This ties into Johnson’s selective schedule, including San Diego, highlighting tensions between star power and merit-based access. Let’s hope things change for the better until the race arrives.