Jimmie Johnson Reveals the Hardest Part About Retirement as a Full-Time NASCAR Driver

After a stupendous career that spanned nearly two decades from the early 2000s, the seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson retired from full-time racing in 2020. He finished 18th in his final season, ending it with a top-5 finish at the Phoenix Raceway.

Johnson’s life was defined by motorsport. He, reportedly, started racing motorbikes in 1980, when he was just four years old. Understandably, calling it quits was hard for him.

After his final race as a full-time Cup Series competitor in 2020, Johnson spoke to the press about how difficult it had been to arrive at this decision.

“For me, the hardest point was about this time last year [2019] when thoughts were heavy on my mind. And I was going to make the decision and made the decision to myself and my family, then had to go to Rick’s house and talk that through with Mr. Hendrick. So that point in time was probably the most emotional and most difficult,” Johnson had told the press.

Once the decision was made and his final season had begun, Johnson was all about reflecting on his career with pride and savoring every moment. All those memories rolled into one on that final day in Phoenix, leaving him both excited and euphoric.

“It was nice to be competitive out there and run the top 5, finish in the top 5, but my bucket is full. NASCAR has been so wonderful for me. This journey has been more than I could have ever dreamed of, expected, or hoped for,” added Johnson, who was 45 at the time.

Johnson’s final seasons in the sport weren’t as dominant as his earlier ones, and he was aware of it. But he was still happy racing because he had the opportunity to work with some highly capable individuals.

His final championship victory was in 2016. In 2017, Johnson finished 10th in the driver standings, and in 2018, he was 14th. In 2019 and 2020, he finished in 18th place. The iconic Chad Knaus had been his crew chief through all those seasons.

Johnson concluded the 2020 post-race interview with a heartwarming statement. “All those emotions and all that pride rolled up into just a huge smile today walking out on the grid,” he said.

The NASCAR icon went on to become a co-owner of Legacy Motor Club in 2023, and still makes occasional appearances on the grid. Notably, he finished in third place in the 2025 Daytona 500, driving the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE.

Leaving the Cup Series field must have been one of the most heart-wrenching decisions he had to make in his life. But he has found a way to stay associated with the sport in a massive way.