Jimmie Johnson discusses how Legacy Motor Club landed John Hunter Nemechek

Jimmie Johnson couldn’t be happier to bring John Hunter Nemechek to Legacy Motor Club.

The young Toyota Racing star has long been pegged as a future driver under the Joe Gibbs Racing banner, but Johnson’s organization secured his services, as his team moves to Toyota for the 2024 season. It’s been lauded as a fantastic choice, and a perfect pivot after losing Noah Gragson.

Joining Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, Johnson explained how the move came together, and why he can’t wait to see Nemechek racing he No. 42 in 2024.

💭 "We weren't sure if he'd be available"

🗣️ @JimmieJohnson explains how @LegacyMotorclub landed @JHNemechek to drive for them in 2024. pic.twitter.com/YAs5lKor1v

— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) September 7, 2023

“It really was kind of a reach for us. We weren’t sure if he would be available, due to his relationship with JGR and some things there, that were kind of developing and changing. You know, he thought there was going to be a Cup ride opportunity there for him. There was not,” explained Johnson. “So you know, as things kind of evolved over the last four-to-six weeks, the opportunity really came about, and we just truly feel like John Hunter is primed and ready to go Cup racing.

“He hasn’t been in a Next Gen car, but the journey he’s been on — his growth as a driver, his growth as a man. You know, everything that he’s been living and going through, really has him primed and ready for the Cup Series. I know he had a couple years of running cars in the past at Front Row. Kind of stepped back, which I commend him tremendously, for willing to step back, and going back to winning races and fighting for championships, and he’s certainly done that.”

As Johnson mentioned, it hasn’t been a straight-line for Nemechek to the Cup Series, and he actually had a shot prior, albeit at a smaller team.

Nemechek’s first ride in the Cup Series came in 2020, driving the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. Following a 27th place finish in the points standings, Nemechek parted ways with the race team.

He signed with Kyle Busch Motorsports for the 2021 Craftsman Truck Series season, where he competed in for two seasons, winning seven races. Joe Gibbs Racing promoted Nemechek to the Xfinity Series ahead of the 2023 season.

Since then, he’s proven once again why he’s one of the hottest prospects in all of NASCAR, and figured to jump into Denny Hamlin’s ride if the No. 11 wheelman decided to move on from JGR. However, with Hamlin inking a new extension with the team, and his veteran teammate Martin Truex Jr. doing the same, the writing was on the wall for Nemechek.

Now, John Hunter Nemechek will hope to become one of the faces of Legacy Motor Club, joining Jimmie Johnson’s team in an effort to make his name know at the Cup level. After rebuilding his name in the lower-level series, he’s more ready than he was in 2020.