John Hunter Nemechek will part ways with Legacy Motor Club after the 2026 Cup Series season. The shock announcement came after Nemechek finished 27th in the regular-season standings.
Nemechek joined LMC in 2024 and had a rather poor season, recording four top-10s and finishing 34th in the No. 42 Toyota. He then launched an impressive comeback with a career-best two top-five finishes and eight top-10s in 2025.
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This season, however, saw him record just two top-10 results, while a fourth-place finish at Pocono served as his season-best. Nemechek dropped a response to LMC’s announcement, writing:
“I am incredibly grateful to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB for the past three years. While I am obviously disappointed with their decision, I am as motivated as ever. It has been such an honor to represent Toyota, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and all of their sponsors. I can’t wait to continue this journey, as I know my best days are ahead.
“This is a tough sport, and I am so thankful for the love and support from Tyler Gibbs, Jack Irving, everyone at Pye Barker, my JHN Autosports team, and so many others that have kept me lifted up through good times and bad. For now, I’m going to hug my family, focus on putting together 10 great races to finish the year, and figuring out what comes next,” Nemechek added.
John Hunter Nemechek joined the top division in 2020 and drove for Front Row Motorsports. The subpar equipment kept him among the backmarkers, and Nemechek took a bold move the following year.
He decided to drop down to the Truck Series and launched a title bid with Kyle Busch Motorsports. He won seven races with the team from 2021-2022, while making the Championship 4 in the first season.
Joe Gibbs Racing’s O’Reilly team came knocking, and Nemechek obliged, becoming the winningest driver in 2023 with seven wins to his name. A whopping 17 top-fives and 24 top-10s in 33 races bolstered his reputation.
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Legacy Motor Club announced John Hunter Nemechek’s departure with a statement on X. The Toyota-backed team revealed that it was their decision to part ways.
LMC further added:
“We are grateful for John Hunter’s contributions to Legacy Motor Club and appreciate his professionalism and commitment to the organization throughout his time with the team.”
The exact reasoning for the split hasn’t been revealed. Nemechek could have a tough time landing a Cup seat next year.
Furthermore, LMC will expand into a three-car entry in 2027, with Erik Jones the only confirmed driver so far. Josh Berry’s odds of landing a Cup seat have now gone up, as he looks at an uncertain future after leaving Wood Brothers Racing this season.
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Notably, Berry is currently on a hot streak after scoring five straight top-10s to bookend the regular season.
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