“An honor well earned”: NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson pays tribute to the new Hall of Fame class of 2025

Seven-time Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson recently took to social media to pay tribute to the newly inducted Hall of Fame members of 2025. Johnson posted a video on X sharing how the evening of the induction ceremony, which was held on Friday, February 7, was truly special for him and expects that it was the same for everyone else who attended it.

The class of 2025 Hall of Fame included three of NASCAR's most beloved personalities - Carl Edwards, Ricky Rudd, and the late Ralph Moody. The three drivers (Moody being a driver/owner) are known for their on-track brilliance and quirky personalities that earned them the NASCAR's biggest honor. The sports' pool of inductees has now grown to 67 members.

Jimmie Johnson's congratulatory post was captioned:

"Congrats to the @NASCARHall of Fame Class of 2025. An honor well earned."

"As a proud member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, I want to congratulate the family of Ralph Moody, also want to congratulate Ricky Rudd and Carl Edwards on their induction into the Hall of Fame. I know how special the weekend was for me and I hope everyone had just the most special time as well. Congratulations," Jimmie Johnson shared in the video.

Here are some things to know about the newest members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame:

Carl Edwards enjoyed a successful 13-year Cup Series career, earning 28 wins at the highest level. His achievements extend beyond the Cup Series, with 72 national series victories, beginning in 2002. Edwards became widely known for his trademark celebratory backflip following race wins, making him one of NASCAR's most recognizable personalities.

Known as NASCAR’s “Ironman,” Ricky Rudd showed extreme toughness throughout his 32-year career. His impressive streak of 788 consecutive starts displayed his resilience. One of his most legendary moments came when, after suffering severe facial injuries from a crash, Rudd famously taped his eyes open to race in the Daytona 500.

Ralph Moody, a World War II veteran, returned home to pursue his passion for motorsports in 1949. As a driver, he won five races before forming the Holman-Moody Racing team alongside John Holman in 1957. The team dominated NASCAR for years, securing back-to-back championships with David Pearson in 1968 and 1969.

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Jimmie Johnson will drive the #84 in Daytona designed by Shaquille O'Neal

Since stepping away from full-time racing in 2020, Jimmie Johnson has made selective appearances in the Cup Series. In 2023, he became a part-owner of Legacy Motor Club (formerly Petty GMS Motorsports) and continued racing part-time, including the prestigious Daytona 500.

Ahead of the 2025 Great American Race, Johnson revealed a striking new design for his No. 84 Toyota Camry. The paint scheme, created by NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, was shown during an event at Shaq's Fun House in New Orleans. Inspired by O'Neal’s iconic 1990s NBA uniform, the car features bold pinstripes and the "Dunkman" logo on the hood.

"[Jimmie Johnson] and I had a ton of fun putting this together. The car looks amazing, and I can’t wait to see him tear up the track next Sunday," O’Neal was quoted as saying on MotorsportWire.

Johnson needs to qualify his #84 car in the top 40 to take part in the Daytona 500.