Why is Jimmie Johnson’s LEGACY MC ditching Chevrolet and joining Toyota?
With the acquisition of LEGACY MC, TRD will be a three-team operation in the 2024 season.
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Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson
LEGACY MOTR CLUB has announced that they will be part of the Toyota NASCAR fleet from the 2024 season. They have signed a new agreement with TRD to see him fielding a Toyota Camry instead of the current Chevy Camaro ZL1s. This will help Japanese manufacturers become an eight cars operation from the six cars they have now. Joe Gibbs Racing (4 cars) is the major and Premier Toyota NASCAR team. They were joined by 23XI Racing (2 Cars) in 2021.
LEGACY MC is the former Petty Enterprises owned by seven times Cup champion Richard Petty which went through multiple regards over the years. They became Petty GMS Racing in after Maury Gallagher became the team’s majority owner after he bought shares from Petty. At the end of 2022, Jimmie Johnson, another seven-times champ, joined them as co-owner/ part-time driver, and the team was re-branded.
The Toyota move marks yet another high-profile change in the LEGACT MC garage. The teams have gone through multiple changes with the side personals and overall marketing of the teams with Johnson’s arrival as he was given the decision-making power over Richard Petty. Entering the Toyota garage is their biggest move and will have wide-ranging consequences. Johnson won 7 titles and multiple races with Chevy team HMS, and the change might be too much for some fans to accept.
While Toyota is the new partner for Johnson and Petty, for their Cup drivers, it’s homecoming. Erick Jones, the No:43 driver, was one of the most promising Toyota prodigies, and TRD was forced to let him leave after they didn’t have a Cup seat offer for him following his exit from JGR. He was one of their biggest investments. Noah Gregson of the No:42 car also spent a significant time in the TRD junior setup before a Chevy move.
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What Jimmie Johnson said about the Toyota move?
Jimmie Johnson pointed out that the owner’s group is excited about the new partnership. He is looking forward to writing a new legacy with TRD as he is an admirer of their businesses in the sport. He also thanked Chevy for all the support they had in the past for his career and the teams.
“Maury Gallagher and I are excited about the partnership with Toyota and TRD beginning in 2024. We admire and respect the level at which Toyota conducts their business in this sport and look forward to forging a new legacy for the future,” said Johnson.
“I will always be appreciative to Chevrolet and everything we have accomplished together. I’m so thankful they took a chance on a kid from California so long ago and proud that the history books will forever memorialize our record-breaking success we shared,” Johnson added.
What Toyota had to say about LEGACY MC’s decision?
David Wilson, the Toyota Racing Development, USA President, said that the LEGACYY owners are impressed by their long-time vision and plans for them. He added the now Chevy team has the character that can be aligned with their current partners JGR and 23XI.
“Jimmie Johnson and Maury Gallagher have impressed us with their long-term vision and commitment to building a championship-caliber organization. More importantly, their character and values are aligned with ours and our current Cup Series partners, Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing. Of course, we also look forward to reuniting with our old friends, Erik Jones and Noah Gragson,” David Wilson said.
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Justin P Joy
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