Bubba Wallace ‘was bum puzzled’ by Jimmie Johnson’s LEGACY MC joining Toyota

The entire Cup garage was surprised by the unexpected LEGACY to Toyota announcement.

Bubba Wallace ‘was bum puzzled’ by Jimmie Johnson’s LEGACY MC joining Toyota

Jimmie Johnson and Bubba Wallace

Jimmie Johnson and Richard Petty, alongside their Billionaire co-owner Maurice Gallagher made a decision that could change the legacy of their team last week. They have decided to leave the Chevy garage and join Toyota Racing development in 2023. They will become a third team fielding Camry in 2024, along with Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing.  

The news not only baffled the Chevy garage but the whole NASCAR nation was shocked as such a move wasn’t expected. Jimmie Johnson won seven Cup titles in Hendrick Motorsports Chevy’s in his prime decided it was best to be the third-best Toyota team than the 5th best Chevy. Now 23XI driver Bubba Wallace, who has previously driven for LEGACY’s former incarnation Richard Petty Motorsports, has voiced his opinion on the move.

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“I was bum puzzled by that announcement. I didn’t expect that. Talking with Toyota (executives), they’re excited because it’s numbers, right? We’re getting more numbers, more cars to play, especially (super)speedway stuff, so strategy can vary now a little bit. Still a minority, but I think numbers (are) important for sure,” Bubba Wallace said at Kansas on Sunday.

The move gives Toyota a big advantage in 2024, as numbers matter in many races, especially superspeedways. Having more drafting partners is luxury teams seek. Their move also marks the homecoming of former Toyota talents Erik Jones and Noah Gregson, who left TRD after it failed to find new teams for them at the top.

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Bubba Wallace’s teammate Tyler Reddick is similarly excited as well

Tyler Reddick
Tyler Reddick

Tyler Reddick, who left Chevy side Richard Childress Racing last season to join 23XI, pointed out that bringing new minds to TRD is always beneficial. He is also excited to once again race with his former teammate Noah Gragson as they have had some interesting dynamics at junior tracks.

“Really excited about it. Obviously, the more of us that we have out there on the race track certainly really helps at the superspeedways, but just having a larger pool of drivers and crew chiefs and minds that can share information with one another and work together. Obviously, I guess I don’t know how all that’s going to work out,” Tyler Reddick said.

“I don’t want to say anything before I should. But certainly, on the drivers’ side, getting to work with Noah again is going to be a lot of fun. Me and him worked together a lot when we were at Chevy, and Erik’s familiar with the Toyota camp and has had a lot of success with Toyota as well,”  Reddick added.

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