Seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, fresh off his 23rd Daytona 500, is ready to swap the helmet for a headset and microphone. Johnson is set to climb atop the pit box for Dario Franchitti when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to St. Petersburg on February 28.
This will mark Franchitti’s first NASCAR start in 17 years. While the rest of the garage prepares to head to Austin, Texas, for Circuit of the Americas next week, the Truck Series will take on a road course at St. Petersburg for the first time in 31 years. The Trucks schedule now features two road courses in 2026, with the San Diego Road Race also on the calendar.
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A Tricon Garage representative confirmed Monday that Jerame Donley will serve as the crew chief for the No. 1 Toyota and handle pit box duties. Johnson’s involvement will be more ceremonial in nature, though he is expected to contribute in a support and advisory role.
Johnson said, “I’m super excited, Tricon has incredible equipment. They’ve put together a really nice opportunity for us to run Dario.”
The bond between Johnson and Franchitti goes back decades. The Legacy Motor Club owner nudged Franchitti into strapping into a truck, but there was a catch. Franchitti laid down one condition. If he was going to race, Johnson had to be on the box. The seven-time Cup champion signed on the dotted line.
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Now he will perch atop the pit box and try not to throw a wrench into Franchitti’s rhythm. Both drivers belong to a small circle with laps logged in both NASCAR and IndyCar. Franchitti owns four IndyCar titles and three Indianapolis 500 victories.
Even before this pit box reunion, Johnson had crossed paths with full-time No. 1 crew chief Jerame Donley during their Hendrick Motorsports days. Donley also shares ties with Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club, having called the shots for Ty Dillon’s No. 42 Chevrolet in 2022.
Beyond his first-ever stint as a crew chief, word has also surfaced that Johnson will line up for the BFGoodrich Mint 400, a desert off-road showdown near Las Vegas, Nevada, running March 4 to 8. The event features more than 50 classes, ranging from 1,000-horsepower Unlimited Trucks to bikes, UTVs, and even vintage Volkswagen Bugs. Johnson will pilot the No. 84 Carvana 1Nine Industries-built Trick Truck under the Terrible Herbst Motorsports banner.
So while he keeps plates spinning in every direction, Johnson has also drawn a line in the sand, confirming that next year’s Daytona 500 will be his final Cup Series appearance, bringing the curtain down on even his part-time runs.
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