Rick Hendrick has announced that Jimmie Johnson will take the wheel of the No. 48 for the 2027 Daytona 500, bringing the legendary car full circle for a final NASCAR Cup Series outing. The decision comes after a lengthy dialogue with Alex Bowman, Ally, and series officials, and it sets the stage for what many are already calling a historic farewell.
The No. 48 has been synonymous with Hendrick Motorsports for a quarter‑century, a period during which it has become one of the most recognizable liveries in American motorsport. Its legacy is inseparable from the successes that Jimmie Johnson achieved while wearing the number, a connection that makes the upcoming race emotionally charged for fans and participants alike.
The legacy of the No. 48
Johnson’s résumé in that car reads like a Hall of Fame career: 83 Cup victories, seven championships, and a string of record‑breaking streaks that defined an era. Beyond stock cars, he also contested 29 IndyCar events and participated in several IMSA endurance races, always representing the No. 48 with the same intensity.
Alex Bowman currently occupies the seat in the No. 48 for the upcoming season, but the arrangement is temporary. When the 2027 Daytona 500 rolls around, the number will be handed to Johnson for what will be his 703rd and final Cup start, the 69th running of the Daytona 500.
The race will mark the culmination of a career that began in 1998 and has spanned more than two decades of top‑level competition. Johnson’s last official Cup start was at the 2020 Phoenix finale, and his return to the Daytona 500 adds a poetic full‑circle moment that resonates throughout the garage and the grandstands.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has hinted that the No. 25 could reappear on Bowman’s car next year, a move that would further shuffle the lineup and keep the conversation about driver movements alive. Meanwhile, Hendrick has emphasized that no final decisions have been made regarding Bowman’s number for the 2027 Daytona 500, leaving room for future announcements.
Both Hendrick and Bowman have expressed gratitude for the collaboration that made Johnson’s final run possible, and they have hinted that additional details will be revealed in due course. The anticipation surrounding the event underscores the enduring impact of the No. 48 and the excitement for what comes next in the sport.