Jimmie Johnson Confirms Exciting Partnership with Cup Team

While teams share the same manufacturers, they do not always work closely together. For example, Team Penske partners with the Wood Brothers. However, they do not work with other teams such as RFK Racing and Front Row Motorsports.

The same situation applies to many teams. Hendrick Motorsports works with Spire Motorsports, while Joe Gibbs Racing works with 23XI. As some teams, like Legacy Motor Club, are left alone, they look to create strength in numbers.

One of the few times manufacturers work fully together is at the Daytona 500. Manufacturers will all pit together, and in drafting strategy, they will link up. It doesn't matter if it is Denny Hamlin with John Hunter Nemechek, Chase Elliott with Kyle Busch, or Ryan Blaney with Ryan Preece—Logos support each other in the Daytona 500.

A key to Legacy Motor Club's growth will be improving the performance of its racecars. No charter can sustain itself by failing to make the playoffs, and not coming close, for that matter.

Jimmie Johnson, the team's majority owner, is doing everything he can to find victory lane. He acquired Toyota shortly after acquiring the team from Richard Petty Motorsports. Over the past few years, Legacy has hired an array of veterans on the backend, including Cal Wells III, former team owner; Jacob Canter of Joe Gibbs Racing; and Brian Campe in 2024 from Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske. Johnson has built on success, and 2026 hopes to unveil new levels.

What Legacy Motor Club and Joe Gibbs Racing will do is share numbers and technology. In performance, they can only get better with smart individuals at work. As Legacy Motor Club moves forward, it is a strong candidate for the Most Improved Charter in the 2026 season. With a champion at work — Jimmie Johnson — this team should know what it takes to win, and begin to do it. Anything less than one win is a failure, and they may very well win multiple times in a hot take.

Legacy Motor Club Shoots for Victory Lane at Daytona 500

John Hunter Nemechek is the best finisher at the Daytona 500 in the NextGen Car era. Look to him to pull another good effort on Sunday, if he stays fresh on the track. As for his teammate, Erik Jones, he has won at Daytona. The former Joe Gibbs Racing star knows what it takes to compete at a high level, as does Nemechek as a Truck Series Champion.

The starting grid will be set after Thursday night's Duels at Daytona. In those Duels, Nemechek will be starting P9 in Duel No. 1. In Duel No. 2, Jones starts P12. Jimmie Johnson will also race his part-time No. 84 car, starting P15 in Duel No. 1. Johnson has the Open Exemption Provisional , or the "Promoter's Choice," for a highly accredited driver. Helio Castroneves got this exemption in 2025.