“Next year is not a ‘mail it in’ year. We’re going to win races and contend for a championship.” Jimmie Johnson made this announcement, stating his retirement from full-time racing in 2019. After seven championships, winning through changing formats and his five consecutive championships from 2006 to 10 put Johnson on NASCAR’s Mount Rushmore. But his statement about being competitive in his last year never materialized.

For every NASCAR fan growing up in the 2000s, Johnson was their hero. And his decision to call it quits despite time being on his side was a head-scratcher. One of those fans is none other than Craftsman Truck Series driver Spencer Boyd, who’s looked up to Johnson since his racing dreams started taking shape. Yet, he couldn’t get over the fact that the HMS icon called it quits at 44; he had the fuel to go on for a couple of years, like he did with IndyCar.

But now that he has returned to racing with his own team, Legacy Motor Club. Spencer Boyd couldn’t help but think about his hero’s departure from NASCAR racing and his present-day struggles with the Next Gen car. The 29-year-old Missouri native, in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, opened up about his fandom for Johnson, along with his racing adventure in the Truck Series.

Spencer Boyd feels Jimmie Johnson had more in his tank to continue beyond 2020

“I think Jimmie is one of the best ever to do it. We all know about that. I felt like he retired too early, obviously the last couple of years of his career didn’t necessarily go, I wouldn’t say bad, but just when you’re used to Jimmie competing for Championships, year in and year out, things were rocky, and then he’s jumped into this Legacy deal. Which I think is huge for the sport to have drivers like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Jr. in ownership,” said Boyd.

2016 was the year when Jimmie Johnson hit his peak for the last time, racking in his seventh championship. The following year, he was still competitive with three wins despite the addition of stage racing, but that was it. For the next three years, including his final season, the #48 Chevy was restricted to mid-pack finishes, with a few good results. And this just might have forced Johnson to make that tough call, after all, he was used to contending for wins and championships.

His 2025 part-time return with Legacy Motor Club, where he’s now the majority owner after taking over in early 2025, has been a big deal for NASCAR. The team, previously known as Petty Enterprises and Petty GMS Racing before rebranding to Legacy Motor Club in 2023, is a nod to racing history, and having Johnson at the helm alongside legends like Richard Petty is a dream for fans who love seeing the sport’s past and future collide. But seeing Johnson struggle in the #84 Toyota Camry is a frustrating sight for Boyd as well.

“All these things are big and it’s the transition to the next era, but he hasn’t ran that great, which is frustrating. Even as someone who is a Jimmie fan, you’re like, ‘What’s going on with these cars? Why is Jimmie not running great?’ And then they had a good finish at Daytona, and that resparked life a little bit. I think it’s big when Jimmie comes back and runs,” Boyd added.

There was a lot of chatter surrounding his 700th start at the Coca-Cola 600, and many believed it could’ve been his last race. But Johnson cleared the air surrounding his racing future, claiming that he wishes to race beyond 2025. Given that LMC could use his expertise with a jump from Chevy to Toyota, he is likely to stick around for a couple of years. Or who knows, he is chasing that 84th Cup win to draw level with Darrell Waltrip in the all-time win list.

It looks like Boyd was inspired by Johnson and took a massive leap last year in co-owning a Truck Series. A single-truck entry with Boyd piloting the #78 Chevy. Although the first year had its challenges, the 29-year-old feels that his team is heading in the right direction this year.

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Boyd feels rewarded ever since he donned the owner/driver hat

Now Boyd has been racing for quite some time. He’s troubled Jimmie Johnson during his Cup Series stint at Richmond back in 2019, then he’s even had an opportunity to run full time in the Xfinity Series in 2018 with SS-Green Light Racing. However, Truck Series racing is where he’s truly honed his craft and also made some lasting memories. And last year, he embarked on a new adventure in co-owning a Truck Series team with Chris Miller.

While the first year had its challenges, the team is now headed in the right direction. “Last year being our first year full-time. Being a driver, owner, there were a lot of things I wasn’t expecting and prepared for. But I had some really good people around me, and I was able to learn pretty quickly. And now in our second year, things are more fluid. I’m proud of what we’re accomplishing. We are currently the highest independent team in the points, which is awesome,” Boyd explained.

The #76 team has been really strong on the superspeedway tracks, but this year the results are spread across all types of tracks. So far, Spencer Boyd has helped the team register five top 20 finishes, and they are making progress every step of the way. Although he has 130 Truck Series races under his belt, racing on weekends feels rewarding, especially now that he is a team owner. “Been doing this a while, to be going to racetracks, getting my best finishes, definitely feels rewarding,” he concluded.

Freedom Racing Enterprise might not be one of the biggest teams in the Truck Series, but they do pack a punch. And keep an eye out for them, especially at Talladega.