Lowe’s returns to help sponsor Jimmie Johnson in his final NASCAR race

The upcoming 2027 Daytona 500 appearance for Jimmie Johnson will be a memorable one, no matter what happens on the track. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will make his 703rd career start and his 24th appearance in the Daytona 500. He will be driving for the team he co-owns, piloting the No. 48 Legacy Motor Club Toyota.

It will be Johnson's last-ever Cup race in a career at the highest level that dates back 25 years. He has already worked it out with Rick Hendrick to drive the No. 48 in that race – the very number he won each of 83 Cup wins with. Previously, he's used the No. 84 in all of his starts with Legacy Motor Club.

On Saturday at Daytona, Johnson revealed that he will also have a familiar sponsor on the door of his No. 48, as Lowe's Home Improvement makes an unexpected return to NASCAR to sponsor Johnson in his farewell race.

Lowe's was the primary back for Johnson throughout most of his Cup career, before exiting the sport following the 2018 season. When Johnson won each of his seven Cup titles, it was a Lowe's No. 48 he drove to the championship stage.

Lowe's will share the car with Carvana and Ally, and Johnson should be locked into the race via the Open Exemption Provisional.

"When I first called Rick (Hendrick) about the idea he was in immediately," said Johnson. "I still knew there was a lot of work to be done with Lowe's, Ally, Carvana and all these pieces and how it would play out. But Mr. Hendrick's commitment to speak to everyone at Lowe's, looping in our existing partners and obviously Toyota's support – once the snowballs started rolling, it all came together. The neat thing is we've got a lot of time between now and the Daytona 500 to continue to amplify this opportunity."

Johnson, who turns 51 next month, is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500 (2006 and 2013). He took the No. 48 he will drive next February for a ceremonial lap around the track before the start of Saturday night's Cup race.

Watch: Jimmie Johnson 'feels incredible' after third-place Daytona 500 finish

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