Bad news for Jimmie Johnson as his 700th Cup Series race at the Coca-Cola 600 derails abruptly

Jimmie Johnson’s 700th Cup Series start in the Coca-Cola 600 came to an early end following a crash on Lap 111. The NASCAR legend fell back to the rear of the field, ultimately settling for a DNF and a disappointing P40 finish.

Johnson, who qualified 17th, was driving the No. 87 car under the banner of Legacy Motor Club (which he owns), marking his second race of the 2025 season. But things started going south early in Stage 2 when his Toyota Camry failed suspension and hit the wall, collecting Cup debutant Connor Zilisch and former Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer in the mess.

Reflecting on the incident that took him out of his 58th start at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jimmie Johnson told NASCAR on Prime (via Motorsport.com),

“I just make a rookie mistake… the traffic situations are just different with this car. My instincts; I kind of reacted in a way that I shouldn't have. And by the team I realized it, it was too late."

Johnson’s car was left limping, almost driving sideways as the seven-time Cup Series champion brought it back to the garage. Zilisch and Custer, however, were able to carry on. The race is currently underway with all eyes on Christopher Bell, the defending champion of the crown jewel race.

Next up for the drivers is the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Scheduled for Sunday, June 1, the 300-lap event will be televised on Prime Video, 7 pm ET onwards, with live radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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Jimmie Johnson gets in a two-seater IndyCar vehicle with a former NFL quarterback

Ahead of this year’s Coca-Cola 600, Jimmie Johnson and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady were seen celebrating the 109th Indianapolis 500. The duo climbed onto an IndyCar vehicle for a ceremonial lap on Sunday afternoon.

“This is incredible,” Brady told FOX. “Jimmie driving, all the fans here, I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve ever been here.”

Johnson previously made 29 IndyCar starts, including the 2022 Indianapolis 500, where he finished 28th. And for the very first time, the race was aired on the FOX network.

Brady wasn’t the only one from the NFL on Sunday. Former New York Giants defensive end, Michael Strahan, wheeled the pace car around the 2.5-mile racetrack, leading the pack to the green. However, the race was delayed by about an hour due to inclement weather.