John Hunter Nemechek will return to the NASCAR Cup Series for the first time in three years by joining Legacy Motor Club in 2024, Nemechek announced on a YouTube live stream Sept. 6.
Legacy confirmed on Twitter that Nemechek will pilot the No. 42 next season, joining Erik Jones and team co-owner Jimmie Johnson at the organization. Johnson plans on running a limited schedule next season.
The team will also be switching from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2024.
“To be able to announce my plans for next season so early and officially say I will be competing full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series relieves a lot of pressure,” Nemechek said. “There is so much to be done for next year, and this gives us the opportunity to get the news out there and move forward. Also, driving for Maury (Gallagher), Jimmie (Johnson) and Richard Petty is a dream come true for me.”
Nemechek currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he sits second in points with five wins, 12 top fives and 18 top 10s. He has seven career Xfinity wins, as well 13 victories in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he made the Championship 4 in 2021.
The Mooresville, N.C. native has 40 Cup starts to his credit, competing for rookie honors with Front Row Motorsports in 2020. That year, he earned three top 10s and a best finish of eighth in both races at Talladega Superspeedway.
Nemechek dropped down to Trucks in 2021 with Kyle Busch Motorsports, where he stayed for two years before joining JGR to drive the No. 20 this season.
Legacy currently fields the No. 43 for Jones and the No. 42, which has featured a rotation of drivers since Noah Gragson was released from the team on Aug. 10. Josh Berry, Mike Rockenfeller and Carson Hocevar have filled in since Gragson’s release.
Sponsors for Nemechek and the No. 42 are to be announced.
About the author
Luken Glover arrived on the Frontstretch scene in 2020. He has been an avid NASCAR fan for the majority of his life, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who used to help former team owner Junie Donlavey in his garage. Glover covers news for the site and took over "The Underdog House" column in 2021. In addition to being a college junior, his hobbies include volunteering at church, playing basketball and tennis, racing go-karts, and helping at his high school alma mater.
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So Legacy is part of the Reverend Joe stable. Who woulda thuink that? Toys are getting more cars in Cup to get a better chance to win.
Ole 7-time JJ climbing in bed with Toyota. Nobody gave a damn about you as a driver or current owner of “the club”. You’ll be remembered as:
1. The guy that couldn’t hack it in IndyCar.
2. The guy that treated Richard Petty like a POS.
How did he do that ! Petty put a price on selling out and Jimmie paid that price. Simple business. If you want your name on something then don’t sell it.
What, how? He’ll be remembered as one of the greatest drivers of all time, the 2022 Indy 500 Rookie of The Year, a 7 time cup series champion, and the driver who tied Cale Yarborough for 83 Cup Wins
Someone’s cranky that Jimmie has more success than their favorite driver
It should have been Malukas. He finished the race.