Without a fast enough qualifying speed in Wednesday night’s time trials and driving a non-chartered third entry for the Legacy Motor Club team he co-owns, the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion needed to race his way into Sunday’s starting line-up.
While there were nearly two dozen cars in Johnson’s qualifying race, his battle to make the 500 was in essence a one-on-one tug-of-war between himself and veteran J.J. Yeley as a late-race spin from a multi-car accident left Johnson behind Yeley on the last lap of his 60-lap Duel race.
“I’m like, I’m not going to make it, not going to make the Daytona 500,” said Johnson.
“I’m going to have to call all our partners. I’m going to have to stand in the suite during the 500 and shake hands, not drive a car. This is running through my mind as I’m catching him. I have to figure out a way.”
However, a check-up ahead created an opportunity for Johnson, who sent it up the middle and got up to 12th and enough to earn a spot in Sunday’s race.
“To go through that just now, literally have it come down to the last hundred yards of the Duel, that wasn’t in my playbook,” said Johnson.
“Coming through (Turns) 3 and 4, there was almost a wreck again. J.J. chose one lane, I chose the middle lane. The middle lane prevailed by the time we got to the start/finish. Just as simple as that.”
The last time Johnson, now 48, failed to qualify for a race was in 2000 for the Daytona season opener in what is now called the Xfinity Series.
Now a Cup team co-owner, NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and 83 Cup race wins later – including a pair of Daytona 500 wins – facing the same scenario for Johnson seemed surreal.
“I’ve never been through anything like this. In my first year down here (in Cup), we fortunately won the pole. I had exposure to racing my way in. It was pretty stress-free after qualifying,” he said.
“To fight like we did in those closing laps, I mean, I’ve only done that for a race win here. Never had that level of anxiety and fight for a Duel or anything else except for a proper win.”
Watch: Seven-time makes it in on last lap after intense Duel 1 at Daytona
