During NASCAR’s recent return to Japan for a demonstration at Fuji Speedway, John Hunter Nemechek made an unexpected discovery while visiting a thrift store in Tokyo, uncovering a rare Jimmie Johnson Daytona 500 shirt. This striking find highlighted the strong international appeal of the Jimmie Johnson Daytona 500 shirt and became a point of conversation among drivers and fans at the event.
NASCAR Exhibition Showcases American Racing in Japan
Legacy Motor Club driver John Hunter Nemechek traveled to Japan as part of NASCAR’s schedule, featuring a special demonstration at Fuji Speedway. This appearance, known as the
“USA Motorsports Culture Introduction Demo Run,”
was organized around the finale of the Super Taikyu season to showcase American stock car racing to a Japanese audience. The event included dynamic displays, vendor booths, and scheduled demonstration runs to engage both new and existing fans. Nemechek’s unexpected thrift-store visit produced a rare Jimmie Johnson rookie-year polesitter shirt among other NASCAR memorabilia, showing that American motorsports culture has reached distant corners of the globe.
“I found a Jimmie Johnson rookie season polesitter shirt for the Daytona 500 from 2002,”
Nemechek told Racer.
“It was pretty much anyone and everyone that you can think of from back in the day. It was cool to see that. But the fans were all wearing those jackets or current stuff, hats. Literally anything and everything. There were people who had so many die-casts of Jimmie from throughout the years.”
— John Hunter Nemechek, Driver
Alongside Nemechek, the event roster at Fuji Speedway included Jimmie Johnson piloting the Garage 56 chevrolet/”>Chevrolet, Kamui Kobayashi representing 23XI Racing in the No. 67 toyota/”>Toyota, and Takuma Koga, with Kazuto Kotaka and Toshiki Oyu from Toyota Gazoo Racing, participating in ARCA-spec cars. The multi-day program wrapped up on November 16 and featured several on-track demonstration runs, autograph signings, and a fan-favorite burnout exhibition on the frontstretch, further energizing the Japanese audience.
Global Fans and Strong Local Enthusiasm
This occasion represented NASCAR’s first on-track activity in Japan since events at Suzuka and Motegi in the late 1990s. With the sport absent from the country for decades, the exhibition was a significant opportunity for NASCAR to engage with the Japanese fan base and reach out to motorsports supporters from Asia and beyond. Nemechek observed that the positive atmosphere and reception exceeded his expectations, underscoring NASCAR’s international resonance.
“I don’t know if it could have gone much better,”
he said.
“The way the fans embraced it, the way that everyone who went had smiles all around. It was an amazing experience. The one common thing I’d say from the trip is that everyone was smiling the entire time, and that makes you feel good as a driver, for a team owner from Jimmie’s standpoint, the manufacturer of Toyota, and even from the fan base.”
— John Hunter Nemechek, Driver
Nemechek also pointed out that fans had traveled to the Fuji Speedway event from other countries in Asia and the Middle East, fueling enthusiasm for NASCAR’s future international expansion. The diverse international turnout at the event demonstrated the potential for growing the sport’s presence in new markets.
Toyota Chairman Joins On-Track Action at Fuji
The racing celebration at Fuji Speedway was made possible in large part by Toyota chairman Akio ‘Morizo’ Toyoda, who took a hands-on role in the proceedings. Dressed in a Toyota rookie racing suit, Toyoda joined John Hunter Nemechek and Jimmie Johnson as a passenger in demonstration laps and later climbed behind the wheel of a Chevrolet to drive his own laps. His participation underscored the collaborative nature of the event and signaled the broad support for NASCAR’s visit from Japanese industry leaders.
To mark the special occasion, the drivers and teams exchanged gifts with Akio ‘Morizo’ Toyoda: Jimmie Johnson gave him a helmet signed by the racing legend himself and a bottle of Frank August Kentucky bourbon; Nemechek also presented a signed helmet, and 23XI Racing added a NASCAR steering wheel as a memento. Hendrick Motorsports brought a miniature car to further commemorate the meeting, cementing the cross-continental goodwill on display in Fuji.
Legacy and Future Opportunities for American Motorsports Abroad
Jimmie Johnson, whose racing resume includes the 2025 Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600, is scheduled to return for select appearances in 2026, such as the anticipated San Diego road course event in his hometown. The involvement of major organizations like Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet, Toyota, and 23XI Racing at the Fuji Speedway event highlighted the shared commitment to nurturing global motorsports connections.
NASCAR’s demonstration at Fuji Speedway not only reconnected the sport with its Japanese and wider Asian fan base, but also served as a powerful symbol of international cooperation within motorsports. The discovery of the Jimmie Johnson Daytona 500 shirt in Tokyo punctuated a memorable week that may encourage NASCAR to pursue further international engagement in the years ahead.
What a time in Japan 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/cQyBb3ic0K
— LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (@LEGACYMotorClub) November 18, 2025
