In 2023, Jimmie Johnson re-entered NASCAR ownership by rebranding Petty GMS Motorsports into Legacy Motor Club. Johnson, a seven-time Cup Series champion, took on a leadership role and soon became the face of the team’s rebuild. Backed by Knighthead Capital, where NFL legend Tom Brady is reportedly a partner, Legacy aimed to rise fast. Johnson wanted more than nostalgia. He wanted to grow. And he certainly took steps in the right direction with calls to change the organization. But now, the bold plan that intends to field a third full-time car in 2026 has run into legal trouble. Trouble that just hit a boiling point in court.

Legacy currently runs the #42 for John Hunter Nemechek and the #43 for Erik Jones. Johnson races part-time in the #84. To expand to a 3rd permanent place, the team struck a deal with Rick Ware Racing (RWR) in March this year to buy one of its charters. The goal was to field a third car next year. But what started as a simple deal with T.J. Puchyr helping with negotiations soon turned sour. RWR later claimed the agreement was misunderstood or meant for 2027 and not 2026. Then came the shocking news of RWR planning to sell not one but both their owned charters to former Legacy associate T.J. Puchyr for $150 million. Legacy Motor Club is doing its best to try to stop this sale, and the court has taken their side, as of now.

Court blocks $150M deal as Jimmie Johnson’s charter war escalates

This week, a North Carolina judge issued a 10-day temporary restraining order. It blocks Rick Ware Racing from closing the sale to Puchyr. Additionally, Legacy Motor Club must post a $5 million bond to keep the order active. The judge warned there could be “really serious ramifications” if RWR made a move after previously telling the court no sale was imminent. The court is now preserving the status quo while the case plays out.

The ruling gives Johnson a vital pause. Without it, the sale could go through and crush Legacy’s expansion hopes. Legacy claims Puchyr used inside knowledge. According to them, he gained vital info from his prior role advising the team to hijack the deal. They accuse him of tortious interference and acting in bad faith. If the court agrees, RWR could be forced to honor the original deal. If not, Legacy may lose its shot at a third charter. This decision is especially significant given NASCAR’s charter scarcity. There are only 36 total Cup Series charters, making expansion opportunities rare and highly competitive. For now, though, Johnson’s 2026 plans are still alive, but just barely.

Equipped with a newly granted 10‑day temporary restraining order, Legacy Motor Club secures a brief but critical legal pause. The court has given Legacy and Jimmie Johnson valuable time. Time to unearth evidence, allowing depositions to proceed, including those of Rick Ware Racing, amid its allegations of tortious interference by T.J. Puchyr. As the injunction hearing looms and both sides prepare their cases, the upcoming days will determine whether Legacy’s push for a third charter remains alive. With NASCAR charters in scarce supply and the legal stakes rising, the outcome here could reshape the Cup Series landscape by 2026.

Outside the courthouse, Johnson is ready to fulfill his childhood dream

Jimmie Johnson remains in the midst of a high-profile legal battle involving Legacy Motor Club’s attempt to secure a third NASCAR charter for 2026. The dispute over Rick Ware Racing’s attempted sale to T.J. Puchyr has put Johnson’s expansion plans on hold. Yet, off the track lies another story. A story of childhood longing realized. Just as court filings occupy his days, Johnson is about to step into the cockpit of his childhood hero’s legendary boat, fulfilling a dream almost 46 years in the making.

In 1979, when four‑year‑old Johnson sat on the stern of Bill Muncey’s Blue Blaster after a race mishap in San Diego, he only toyed with one aspiration. One day, he wished to drive that hydroplane himself. Now, that bucket‑list ambition comes to life. Johnson will pilot the restored Blue Blaster at Seattle’s annual Seafair on August 1. A moment that both honors his personal history and offers a vivid contrast to his legal drama.

On Friday, August 1, at approximately 12:05 PM Pacific, Johnson will drive the iconic Atlas Van Lines “Blue Blaster” across Lake Washington during the Seafair Weekend Festival. The boat has been restored at the Hydroplane & Race Boat Museum in Seattle. It is powered by a 2,500‑horsepower Rolls‑Royce Merlin V‑12 engine and hasn’t run in decades. Guided by 11‑time APBA Gold Cup champion Chip Hanauer, who succeeded Muncey as driver, Johnson will pilot the craft in a ceremonial exhibition run.

The image of a youthful Johnson, perched atop the Blue Blaster in a yellow hat during a 1979 hydroplane event, resurfaced decades later. It sparked this invitation to drive the very boat he admired. Despite being immersed in legal wrangling off the pavement, his heart is poised to speed again across the water. A truly full-circle chapter for a racer whose passion spans more than just four wheels.