Jimmie Johnson will have a guaranteed spot in 2026 Daytona 500

Taking advantage of the Open Exemption Provisional, seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will have a guaranteed spot in the 68th running of the Daytona 500.

The Open Exemption Provisional, which was created one year ago, can be utilized by a non-chartered team with a world-class driver to ensure them spot on the grid for any race where the field eclipses the maximum number of allowed entries (40). Johnson's use of the OEP ensures a field of 41 cars for next month's season-opener.

By opting for the guaranteed spot, Johnson will not earn any purse money, nor will he acquire any points from the event. The rule has evolved over the past year, and previously, a driver could attempt to qualify on their own and then fall back on the OEP if needed. That is no longer the case, which means there are still four open spots on the grid and with Johnson relying on the OEP, there will be 41 starters.

The OEP has only been used once before when four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves and the Project 91 Trackhouse Racing entry relied on it in last year's Daytona 500. 

Johnson will be piloting the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota as a teammate to Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. The NASCAR Hall of Famer is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, winning the event in 2006 and 2013.

Johnson retired from full-time competition after the 2020 season, but has since made a handful of appearances as a driver/owner at Legacy. Last year, he evaded a wild last-lap crash to earn a third-place finish in the Daytona 500.