Jimmie Johnson Not Backing Down Against Lawsuit Scare With Strong Message for Team

When Jimmie Johnson returned to NASCAR in 2023, he didn’t just slide back into the driver’s seat; he jumped in as a team owner, taking a bold swing with Legacy Motor Club. The team hit the ground running, fielding full-time Cup cars for Erik Jones and Carson Hocevar, with Johnson himself hopping in for races like the 2023 Daytona 500. And with expansion plans on his mind, Johnson’s team entered an agreement with Rick Ware Racing (RWR) to acquire one of its two Cup Series charters, but the disputes with them over dates involved the teams in a lawsuit battle. Yet, instead of shying away from the courtroom drama, Johnson has issued a strong message of resilience for his team.

Now, as NASCAR grapples with a fiery charter system lawsuit, Johnson’s not shying away from the fight. Legacy MC’s caught in the legal crosshairs alongside teams like 23XI and Front Row Motorsports, battling for fairer rules in a sport where expansion’s tougher than ever. Johnson’s doubling down, delivering a clear message to his team about growth and grit.

Johnson’s bold vision amid legal drama

Jimmie Johnson’s not one to back down, and in a recent SiriusXM interview, he laid out a fearless plan for Legacy Motor Club despite the charter lawsuit storm. “We have full intentions to expand to a third car. Obviously, we’re in litigation and working through all of that, but our core product, if you will, is NASCAR Cup Series racing. In order to be as successful as possible, you need as many cars, in my belief, as you can on track, in order to leverage and maximize the financial aspect, the technical learning drivers, all the aspects.” he said.

That’s Johnson thinking like the champ he is. The ongoing lawsuit, where teams like 23XI and Front Row are challenging NASCAR’s charter system for locking out new growth, is a 50/50 legal toss-up, but Johnson’s focus is on building a powerhouse. Multi-car teams like Hendrick Motorsports, where Johnson won his seven titles, and Joe Gibbs Racing have dominated by pooling data and sponsorships across three or four cars.

Hendrick’s four-car setup gave Johnson an edge with shared setups from teammates like Jeff Gordon, while single-car teams like Germain Racing struggled without those resources. Legacy MC, with Erik Jones scoring top-10s and rookie Carson Hocevar showing promise, needs that extra car to compete with the big dogs.

Johnson didn’t stop there, “If we could have four, I would aspire to have four Charters, if I could, but with the new rules, it’s only three for a new team. That’s our first step. We really need to shore up competition, and then everything will build off that.” He’s calling out NASCAR’s 2025 rule capping new teams at three charters, while giants like Hendrick and Penske keep four.

The numbers back him up; multi-car teams have owned the top 10 in owner points for years, with Hendrick winning titles from 2020 to 2022 and Penske taking 2023. Legacy MC’s switch to Toyota in 2024 was a step toward that competitive edge, tapping into a tight-knit manufacturer group.

But with sponsorship costs hitting $20 million per car annually, Johnson knows a third or fourth charter could spread resources and attract bigger deals. His push for expansion isn’t just ambition; it’s survival in a sport where data and dollars rule. Even with the lawsuit’s uncertainty, Johnson’s sending a clear signal to his team: keep pushing, stay focused, and aim big.

Johnson slams All-Star Race

While Jimmie Johnson’s got his eyes on growing Legacy Motor Club, he’s also not shy about calling out NASCAR’s missteps. On his Never Settle podcast with ESPN’s Marty Smith, he didn’t hold back, “I think in an All-Star Race you want to put the drivers in a position to rough each other up.” The 2026 All-Star Race is headed to Dover Motor Speedway, a track Johnson loves, he’s an 11-time winner there, but he’s scratching his head over the move.

It’s the first time since 1968 that Dover won’t host a points race, and the first daytime All-Star event since 1991, swapping out North Wilkesboro’s return to the points schedule. Johnson’s not alone in wondering why a driver-favorite track is losing its points status for an exhibition race.

“You need to track that somebody will crash the guy in front of him for five million bucks,” he said, arguing Dover’s size and speed don’t fit the rough-and-tumble vibe an All-Star Race needs. Short tracks like Bristol or Martinsville, where bumping and banging are the norm, would better suit the no-points, all-glory format.

Johnson’s also pushing for a bigger purse to match the stakes. The current $1 million payout was “a lot of damn money” back in the race’s heyday, but he thinks it’s time to bump it up: “You need to track that somebody will crash the guy in front of him for five million bucks.”

A bigger prize could spark the kind of aggressive racing fans crave, boosting both the on-track product and viewer buzz. Johnson’s four All-Star wins give his words weight; he knows what makes the event pop. Dover’s a tough, technical track, but as he put it, it’s not where the All-Star Race will “shine.”