“I do feel there are other opportunities for expansion within motorsports, throughout NASCAR, in other divisions.” Jimmie Johnson’s booming vision regarding Legacy Motor Club was clear at the start of 2025. It was fairly surprising after a disastrous 2024 season when all his cars finished outside the top 25 in championship standings. But now that things have taken a turn for the better in 2025, new avenues of growth are appearing for Johnson.

For years, NASCAR has debated bringing in a new OEM to the sport. Toyota was the last car manufacturer to enter the sport, way back in 2007. The last OEM that left was Dodge in 2012 after Brad Keselowski won them a championship at Team Penske. But now, teams could be gearing up for a new entrant, with RAM already making their way to the Truck Series in 2026 and plans set for a future in the Cup Series. And one NASCAR insider feels Jimmie Johnson’s organization could be in the prime spot for this potential OEM switch.

Jimmie Johnson is setting sights on a big goal

Well, the 7-time Cup Series champion has undergone the process once already. After acquiring ownership stakes in Petty GMS Racing in 2022, Jimmie Johnson brought wholesale changes. He not only changed the name to Legacy Motor Club, but also changed the OEM from Chevrolet to Toyota. The transition was far from smooth, as both Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek stumbled throughout the 2024 season. In 2025, however, both drivers displayed top 5 speed at times during this summer stretch.

This glimmer of improvement has led Johnson to seek further expansion, although those efforts led him to file lawsuits against Rick Ware Racing. After LMC claimed they had a deal done with RWR for a third charter, RWR has allegedly delayed this sale, and now sold their team to TJ Puchyr, adding another layer to this charter drama. Still, Jimmie Johnson’s goal is unhindered.

Johnson said on his ‘Never Settle’ podcast with Marty Smith recently. “It’s been a process, unfortunately, but I think we’ll have some form of outcome here soon. It’s our intentions and ambitions to put a third car on the grid in ’26, I’d say worst case scenario would be ’27.” Now, this vision of expansion could be intertwined with another deal, embracing a new manufacturer in the sport.

Estepp spurred the rumor in his video, “LMC [Legacy Motor Club] would never be the top Toyota team. So maybe a new manufacturer swap in the coming years makes sense, having three charters proving that you have the infrastructure to embrace a new manufacturer is extremely important…Three charters is the sweet spot from a competitive standpoint, from a business standpoint, potentially from a new OEM standpoint.” 

Joe Gibbs Racing has stamped its dominance as the top Toyota OEM with multiple championships and Hall of Fame-worthy drivers on its roster. LMC even denied a technical alliance with JGR after their OEM swap, in a bid to stay independent. Now, doesn’t that team sound like an enticing prospect for a new OEM? Estepp certainly thinks so. However, first, they’d have to decide on a third driver if they get that all-important third charter.

An OEM change and a third charter would mark another point of transition for Legacy. Although a third charter is not on the table at present, Jimmie Johnson may be looking at a possible third driver to join Jones and Nemechek. The options currently hover around Jesse Love, Daniel Suárez, and Connor Zilisch, two future prospects, and one seasoned veteran.

Estepp also explained why this would help out LMC and a new OEM: “Under the new charter agreement, 3 is the max you’re allowed to own unless your name is Joe Gibbs or Rick Hendrick…3 charters seem to be the perfect balance in the Next-Gen era, strengthen numbers, ability to share data back and forth, while not spreading your organization too thin. Plus, it could be attractive to a new manufacturer.”

While working on his team’s expansion, Jimmie Johnson also has a strong opinion about horsepower.

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The high costs may hurt

Presently, NASCAR Next-Gen cars generate about 670 HP, with fans long claiming for a bump to increase passing, especially at short tracks. Senior VP of Competition Elton Sawyer recently bumped up fans’ hopes surrounding a potential increase to 750 horsepower. But as endearing as that sounds, things are not easy. Any potential shift would require a complete reconfiguration of engines, cooling systems, and aerodynamics.

The Next-Gen car had a goal of achieving cost parity, and this horsepower increase would challenge that. What is more? All three OEMS – Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota – would have to be on board with the drastic cost changes. They must approve and submit the unified body and component designs. With numerous submissions, approvals, and expenses in the pipeline, the added complexity would not be welcoming for a new OEM. Hence, Jimmie Johnson poured water on NASCAR’s recent optimistic look at horsepower.

He said in early June, “Drivers always love more horsepower. Fans like it too. All of the cooling elements will need to be redesigned, which then would mean a new submission for all three OEMs and their bodies. That does not help the cost savings program that we’re all working on.” He added, “I’m glad I’m not NASCAR. Fundamentally, what the drivers are asking for in the pro-horsepower conversation is around abusing tires. We want more passing. It’s harder than ever to pass. We’re at this point where it’s like softer tires that wear out, more horsepower that wears out the tires. So that’s really the driving force behind it.”

Jimmie Johnson is clear about his focus on the expansion of the sport and his team as well. Roping in a new OEM would mean more challenges, yet more ambition for Legacy Motor Club. Let us wait and see what fortune awaits LMC. What do you think about the future of Legacy Motor Club? Let us know in the comments!