Well, the 7-time Cup Series champion has undergone the process once already. After acquiring ownership stakes in Petty GMS Racing in 2022, Jimmie Johnson brought wholesale changes. He not only changed the name to Legacy Motor Club, but also changed the OEM from Chevrolet to Toyota. The transition was far from smooth, as both Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek stumbled throughout the 2024 season. In 2025, however, both drivers displayed top 5 speed at times during this summer stretch.<\/p>\n
This glimmer of improvement has led Johnson to seek further expansion, although those efforts led him to file lawsuits against Rick Ware Racing. After LMC claimed they had a deal done with RWR for a third charter, RWR has allegedly delayed this sale, and now sold their team to TJ Puchyr, adding another layer to this charter drama. Still, Jimmie Johnson\u2019s goal is unhindered.<\/p>\n
Johnson said on his \u2018Never Settle\u2019 podcast with Marty Smith recently. \u201cIt\u2019s been a process, unfortunately, but I think we\u2019ll have some form of outcome here soon. It\u2019s our intentions and ambitions to put a third car on the grid in \u201926, I\u2019d say worst case scenario would be \u201927.\u201d\u00a0Now, this vision of expansion could be intertwined with another deal, embracing a new manufacturer in the sport.<\/p>\n
Estepp spurred the rumor in his video<\/a>, \u201cLMC [Legacy Motor Club] would never be the top Toyota team. So maybe a new manufacturer swap in the coming years makes sense<\/strong>, having three charters proving that you have the infrastructure to embrace a new manufacturer is extremely important\u2026Three charters is the sweet spot from a competitive standpoint, from a business standpoint, potentially from a new OEM standpoint.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Joe Gibbs Racing<\/a> has stamped its dominance as the top Toyota OEM with multiple championships and Hall of Fame-worthy drivers on its roster. LMC even denied a technical alliance with JGR after their OEM swap, in a bid to stay independent. Now, doesn\u2019t that team sound like an enticing prospect for a new OEM? Estepp certainly thinks so. However, first, they\u2019d have to decide on a third driver if they get that all-important third charter.<\/p>\n via Imago<\/p>\n NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Test Session Jan 24, 2023 Avondale, AZ, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson tests his Legacy Motor Club car during testing at Phoenix Raceway. Phoenix Phoenix Raceway AZ USA<\/p>\n An OEM change and a third charter would mark another point of transition for Legacy. Although a third charter is not on the table at present, Jimmie Johnson<\/a> may be looking at a possible third driver to join Jones and Nemechek. The options currently hover around Jesse Love, Daniel Su\u00e1rez, and Connor Zilisch, two future prospects, and one seasoned veteran.<\/p>\n Estepp also explained why this would help out LMC and a new OEM: \u201cUnder the new charter agreement, 3 is the max you\u2019re allowed to own unless your name is Joe Gibbs or Rick Hendrick\u20263 charters seem to be the perfect balance in the Next-Gen era, strengthen numbers, ability to share data back and forth, while not spreading your organization too thin. Plus, it could be attractive to a new manufacturer.\u201d<\/p>\n While working on his team\u2019s expansion, Jimmie Johnson also has a strong opinion about horsepower.<\/p>\n ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n![\"article-image\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/imago1022726293h.jpg\")
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