Top Dog: Erik Jones
There is no denying it: Toyota is the fastest manufacturer in the NASCAR Cup Series right now. Joe Gibbs Racing is consistently in the top five, and 23XI Racing has improved mightily since last season. While not as flashy, Legacy Motor Club has shown immense improvement compared to 2025.
Byron, Michigan, native Erik Jones, driver of Legacy’s No. 43 Toyota Camry, had a career day at his home track. Jones had one of the fastest cars on Sunday (June 7), nearly winning stage two and finishing runner-up in the race.
While the team has shown speed in the past few months, Legacy has become much more consistent. As the battle to make The Chase rolls on, Erik Jones has established himself as a contender.
The Climb to the Top
Jones showed speed in qualifying, setting the 10th-fastest time. However, the No. 43 team would forfeit its position, getting sent to the rear for unapproved adjustments.
Jones was hard at work in stage one, making it up to 15th by stage end. Not long after the start of the second stage, Jones was established in the top 10. During a caution early in the stage, Jones dropped back to 25th due to a slow stop, but he quickly recovered. The No. 43 was great on restarts, entering the top five near the end of stage two. Jones continued to pick off cars, and he was in contention to win the stage but crossed the line second.
An early caution in the final stage occurred just outside the fuel window. Jones, along with the rest of the field, came into pit lane to top off on fuel. With multiple cautions shortly after, the No. 43 was getting good fuel mileage, and he could make it to the end without having to make another stop.
The final restart occurred with 39 laps to go with Jones in seventh. The No. 43 lost a position within a few laps, but as the run went on, Jones steadily gained spots. With 24 laps to go, Jones moved inside of the top five. Coming to five laps to go, Jones was clear into second and drove away from the cars behind before finishing runner-up.
The second-place finish was Jones’ best result since his win at Darlington Raceway in 2022. It was his first top five and third top 10 of the season, bringing his average finish up to 17.7.
Looking Ahead
With a performance like that, Jones showed his ability and Legacy’s growth as an organization. In his 10th full-time season, Jones has moved from 21st to 18th in the standings, now only 18 points outside of The Chase.
Legacy’s improvement is measurable. Since 2023, Jones has finished 27th, 28th and 24th in the standings, but with more runs like today, good end-of-season results will come.
The Jimmie Johnson-owned team has made moves in recent months, including country music star Darius Rucker becoming an investor. Both the No. 43 and the No. 42 driven by John Hunter Nemechek have shown speed and are becoming residents of the top 20.
Over the next few months, there are a handful of chaos races. Pocono Raceway, Naval Base Coronado and EchoPark Speedway all provide an opportunity for attrition. If the No. 43 team can weather the summer stretch, Legacy can make the Chase.
Top Dogs of the Lower Series
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Though RAM has had a stretch of solid runs in 2026, Michigan was a reminder that they are still gathering experience in the Truck Series. Despite the struggles, Brendan “Butterbean” Queen had a decent day, finishing 14th.
From the drop of the green flag to the end of the race, Queen methodically gained spots. Qualifying 21st, Queen climbed to 18th in stage one, 17th in stage two and ultimately notched another top 15.
Outside of the Chase cutoff by 36 points, a postseason birth for Queen is not unlikely. As the season progresses, Kaulig and RAM will only continue to learn.
Small Team Scheme of the Week
Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue. 🇺🇸
— LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (@LEGACYMotorClub) June 2, 2026
Bringing a special @PyeBarkerFire scheme to Michigan and Pocono! pic.twitter.com/HnNt8xiVvz
Continuing to improve in performance, Legacy Motor Club has fielded some great liveries in 2026. Their No. 42 car driven by Nemechek was no exception.
Sponsored by Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, the No. 42 Toyota Camry featured a white base, with blue accents, highlighted by white and red gradient-filled flames.
Nemechek started mid-pack, making his way up to 11th at the end of the first stage. During a restart in stage two, Nemechek was in the top 10 before getting turned, resulting in damage.
That did not stop the No. 42 team. With his steering off-kilter, Nemechek rallied. Having to come from the back after the incident, Nemechek worked his way up to 14th. All in all, it was a strong day for Legacy.
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