NASCAR insider reacts to Jimmie Johnson's expanded role with Legacy Motor Club

Jimmie Johnson is now the majority owner of Legacy Motor Club. He will also race a couple of times this NASCAR Cup Series season. Is the new role a good sign for the future of the organization? Depends on who you ask.

With a very limited schedule this season on the track, it appears that Jimmie Johnson is taking on a bigger role at LMC. The organization has made a ton of hires and leadership moves. Now it’s time to get their cars further up in the field.

Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports talked about Johnson’s new role recently on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour. It’s maybe not the timeline Johnson had in mind, but it’s the one he has been given.

“Yeah, well Jimmie is now the majority owner of Legacy Motor Club. I think most of us felt he was kind of running it already, but now he is listed as the majority owner. Maury Gallagher now takes an ambassador role, kind of like what Richard Petty has with the team.

“This is a little bit quicker than Jimmie probably anticipated him having this role, but I think he’s seen enough and is ready to try to – look, there’s nowhere else to go but up for Legacy. So, I think if you’re going to do it, now is the time to do it.”

Jimmie Johnson has a big task ahead of him, and I’m not talking about qualifying for the Daytona 500. Legacy Motor Club has two drivers in Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek who should be doing better than 30th+ place.

Legacy is in year two with Toyota. As the organization builds its notebook, you would hope to see improvement.

Jimmie Johnson will have big challenge at Daytona

When Jimmie Johnson announced his 2025 schedule, he did so with intention. The Daytona 500, the biggest race of the year, and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Johnson had his first Cup start at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and if he qualifies for both races this season, he will have 700 starts.

Those 700 starts will go nicely with his seven championships. But making the Daytona 500 will be a huge challenge. There are nine open cars vying for four open spots. So, as many as five cars will go home, depending on whether or not Helio Castroneves uses his Open Exemption Provisional.

Jimmie Johnson had trouble last year in a head-to-head battle with JJ Yeley and NY Racing. Given his recent record in his part-time starts at Legacy, I don’t have high hopes. Of course, at Daytona, anything can happen.