The Daytona 500 is no stranger to big stars on race day. How big?
Try this on for size: 7-foot-1, 300-plus pounds.
That’s right, Shaq is coming to town and he hopes to have a ride for the Great American Race. No, not in a car, but on one.
In a way.
A recent free-throw contest between Shaquille O’Neal and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champ Jimmie Johnson didn’t go Jimmie’s way. Per an agreed-upon wager, via each man’s relationship with Carvana, Johnson’s main NASCAR sponsor, Shaq got to design the No. 84 Toyota Johnson hopes to put in the starting field for next Sunday’s Daytona 500.
And that’s why the No. 84 will feature Shaq’s “Dunkman” logo on the hood, as well as a color scheme and pinstripes apparently borrowing from Shaq’s early-career tenure with the nearby Orlando Magic.
“Jimmie and I had a ton of fun putting this together,” O’Neal said via press release. “The car looks amazing, and I can’t wait to see him tear up the track next Sunday. Lucky for him, he’s got a better shot at victory lane than at the free-throw line!”
Shaq rides post-career free-throw prowess to Daytona 500
The free-throw contest took place following some online back-and-forth between the two. With Shaq’s renowned struggles from the stripe during his career — just 52% overall — it was surely the only fathomable basketball-related contest between the two.
First one to five successful free throws would win, and Shaq got there, barely, winning 5-4.
“I figured our little feud would stay online, but next thing I know, Shaq’s challenging me to a free-throw contest and calling the shots on my paint scheme,” Johnson said.
Johnson had a little more say in the matter than most drivers would, since he’s part-owner of Legacy Motor Club, which fields full-time Cup Series cars for John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones, as well as Johnson’s part-time ride.
First things first for Jimmie Johnson’s Daytona 500 plans
For Johnson’s Shaq-themed car, there’s a tall order of business coming Wednesday and Thursday. WIth the No. 84 car’s part-time status, there’s no guaranteed starting spot for the 500 — nine drivers come to Daytona in that same boat. Johnson has to make the field either through Wednesday night’s pole qualifying or his 150-mile qualifying race Thursday night.
Along with Johnson’s seven Cup championships, he’s also a two-time Daytona 500 winner. He retired from full-time NASCAR racing after the 2020 season and has returned for the past two Daytona 500s, finishing 31st and 28th.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR paint schemes: Shaq designs Daytona 500 car for Jimmie Johnson
