Earlier this year, in May, Rexel announced that it would partner with Legacy Motor Club as the primary sponsor for multiple races in 2027, with John Hunter Nemechek driving the No. 42 Toyota. Yet somehow, within four months, Hunter Nemechek finds himself out the door at LMC at the end of the 2026 season.
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The 42 Toyota will now have a new driver, with Legacy already entering 2027 with Riley Herbst in the 84 Toyota as LMC completes its transition into a three-car team. Hunter Nemechek joined LMC in 2024, and it was assumed his contract would be renewed with the Jimmie Johnson-owned team into 2027. But something changed.
“There wasn’t an incident or a moment,” said Johnson on SiriusXM before adding that multiple aspects played a role in the decision-making process, including partners and investors.
“There was a scenario there that we need to explore, and a decision was made, by no means an easy one. Our commitment to John Hunter and supporting him — I’m not sure other teams would behave the same way, but we want to do anything we can to help him. But just from a long term perspective, there’s some other options or opportunities that we need to keep open.”
While Johnson is clear that it was a tough decision and that there are other factors that went into making the deal, earlier there were rumors about a fallout between Hunter Nemechek and his 7-time Cup Series-winning owner Johnson.
Unfounded rumors were floated that there was either a verbal or a physical altercation between the owner and the driver, which led to the break in the relationship between Hunter Nemechek and the team. But Johnson has quashed all of those rumors.
“Not true. No, actually we were texting last night. I think one of those may suggest that we had gotten into a fist fight, and we had a funny text exchange about that,” said Johnson with a laugh. “And really, as the owner of the company, I’ve not been in this situation, and it’s not easy, and I don’t want to be lighthearted about it.”
Johnson seemed saddened by the decision and, unsurprisingly, Hunter Nemechek felt the same. While his tenure will only come to an end when the season is over, his three-year tenure at LMC saw more lows than highs.
In 2024, he finished the season ranked 34th with four top-ten results. 2025 was his best season for the team, with two top-five finishes and a 25th-place finish in points. This season he finished 27th, a step down, but still managed to find two top-ten finishes results including a career-best fourth-place finish in Pocono.
“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,” wrote Hunter Nemechek on X. 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.”
Hunter Nemechek has previously taken a step back when he found himself out of a Cup Series ride. After a rookie year in 2020 with Front Row Motorsports. Hunter Nemechek took a step back and drove for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series for two seasons before a season-long run with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023 in the Auto Parts Series.
Who’s next for Legacy Motor Club?
While Hunter Nemechek finished 27th in points, his teammate Erik Jones delivered a comparatively better season in the 43 Toyota. Two top-five and five top-ten finishes are what Jones managed. Despite his three DNFs to Hunter Nemechek’s one, Jones finished 21st in points, 80 points ahead of his teammate.
After much legal trouble, Legacy Motor Club is finally getting its third charter, which was previously on loan to RFK Racing from Rick Ware Racing. LMC has already made quick work of sealing the driver for that seat.
Riley Herbst, who found himself out of 23XI after Corey Heim was handed his full-time contract that begins in 2027, has already been announced as the driver who will debut the LMC 84 Toyota.
Herbst comes from a Toyota team, and with Johnson and LMC looking to build their own playbook, his experience at 23XI, who have a strong technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, will come in handy at LMC.
Currently, the name doing the rounds to replace Hunter Nemechek is Josh Berry, who finished 28th in points just 4 points behind the departing LMC driver. Berry drove the Wood Brothers Ford and finished as high as he did despite five DNFs and early-season troubles.
Berry was let go by Wood Brothers, who have put Jesse Love in the 21 Ford for next season based on their alliance with Team Penske.
While nothing is certain about Berry to LMC yet, it may not take too long for Hunter Nemechek to be announced.