Legacy Motor Club has been one of the biggest underperformers of the last few NASCAR seasons. The team co-owned by 7-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson had high expectations but has struggled to meet them. Since Johnson’s takeover in 2022 team has won just a single race and had just five top 5 finishes.
Notably, the 2022 season was best for LMC with one win at Darlington and three top 5 finishes. However, since then, the team has failed to put up a show. Poor race strategies, inconsistent performances, and lack of experience have led to disastrous back-to-back seasons. As the 2025 season isn’t far away, fans believe LMC will continue their poor run.
What went wrong for Legacy Motor Club?
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Legacy Motor Club (previously known as Petty GMS Motorsports) has struggled to stay consistent long before Johnson’s arrival. With regular changes in the leadership board to chassis and technical alliance, the team has struggled to be competitive. However, in 2022, when Jimmie Johnson purchased the stakes in PGM, fans were excited about the team.
In the beginning, things were looking good, with Erik Jones leading the charge with consistent performances. He won the Darlington 500 and finished in the top five on multiple occasions. However, this soon turned into a nightmare as LMC started struggling. The 2024 season highlighted glaring issues in performance, execution, and team cohesion.
After a dismal 2023 season which saw only no wins and only one top-5 finish, Johnson decided it was time for change. He switched the OEM from Chevrolet to Toyota in hopes of an improvement. The #43 Erik Jones had even driven for Joe Gibbs Racing prior, in the Xfinity series, so fans were hopeful of success. However, Johnson decided against a technical alliance with JGR and decided they would use their own data on the car. This didn’t work out so well…
2024 marked LMC’s worst season yet, with just 1 top-5 and six top-10 finishes. These inconsistencies seem to have prompted a debate on ‘How many NASCAR Cup Series races will Legacy Motor Club win in 2025?‘, as asked by CouchRacer on X. Heading into 2025, LMC has made wholesale changes. Ben Beshore who was crew chief of #42 of John Hunter Nemechek, will move to #43. Travis Mack has been hired to crew chief the #42 while Brian Campe was promoted to technical director.
With more changes in place, Jimmie Johnson and Co. hope for a turnaround in the 2025 season. The team has announced plans to refine its approach, focusing on infrastructure, car development, and strategic execution. There’s speculation that they are working on building their simulation tools to rival others. Despite these hopes fans don’t seem to have faith in LMC management.
Fans claim the downfall of LMC to continue!
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NASCAR fans have not been shy about expressing their concerns for Legacy Motor Club’s future. Amid the ongoing struggles of LMC fans bluntly slammed team management. One fan stated, “They’ll win zero races again, just like in 2024. We’ve seen no improvement, and Jimmie Johnson is wasting resources driving the third car.” Notably, in 2023 seven-time NASCAR champion made his comeback to tracks. He had three race starts but got two accidents and DNFs.
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In 2024 Johnson decided to make more race appearances in order to get more top-rank finishes. However, he failed to get a single top-25 finish. Many feel Johnson’s decision to field a third car for himself diverts attention and funds from developing the team’s primary cars. While Johnson’s experience is invaluable, some believe it would be better utilized behind the scenes rather than on the track.
“None. I think they’re in limbo to be a launch pad for the new manufacturer,” said one fan. While there has been a lot of talk of Honda as a fourth OEM in NASCAR, nothing is official yet. However, the rumor stems from comments by veteran motorsport reporter Marshall Pruett in March 2024. “If you’re a Honda fan and you like NASCAR, you’re probably going to be really happy in the future.” Although LMC did just switch from Chevrolet to Toyota, a move to Honda could be exactly what the team needs to be exciting again.
Meanwhile, some fans highlighted the team’s infrastructure issues, questioning whether they’ve made progress in building their simulations and tools. “If they’re still not getting those things in place, they’ll be just as bad,” one fan remarked. The sentiment reflects a broader concern about whether LMC can develop the necessary resources to compete with NASCAR’s top teams.
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Despite these concerns, some remain cautiously optimistic, placing their faith in Erik Jones’ talent. “Jones has the skill if they can give him a decent car and execute strategy,” one fan said. Another user echoed the sentiments by saying, “Erik Jones has the talent if they have a decent car and execute strategy beneficially. I want to see them in Victory Lane, but if they’re anything like last season, I doubt it will happen.” However, even the optimists acknowledge the uphill battle ahead, with many doubting whether the team can break out of its current slump. So, what do you think will LMC be able to see the checkered flag in the upcoming season?