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“Tired of Getting Used Up” – Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Ex-Protege Lashes Out on Hendrick Motorsports Legend’s Equipment, Citing Struggles for New Team’s Competitiveness

Published 05/08/2023, 1:43 PM EDT

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Noah Gragson, a former protege of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and ex-driver for JR Motorsports, recently voiced his frustration with the equipment provided by Legacy Motor Club, a team co-owned by NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson. In a recent interview after the Kansas Speedway race, Gragson expressed his disappointment in the team’s struggles for competitiveness and stated that he was “tired of getting used up.”

Gragson’s comments come amidst Legacy Motor Club’s announcement of their decision to change their manufacturing alignment from Chevrolet to Toyota for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. With the addition of Legacy Motor Club, Toyota will grow from six cars to eight full-time cars on the grid in 2024. This move is set to provide a fresh start for the team, as they aim to forge a new legacy for the future.

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Noah Gragson Expresses Frustration with Legacy Motor Club Equipment Post Kansas Race

Noah Gragson is currently in his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series with Legacy Motor Club after making the switch from Xfinity Racing Series last year where he tied with fellow driver, Sam Ard for the most consecutive race victories with 4 wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. However, Gragson’s performance this season has been below par. With not even a single top-10 finish to date, Gragson currently sits 32nd in the standings with 127 points, way behind the leader Ross Chastain.

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Gragson’s struggles have been attributed to the equipment provided by Legacy Motor Club. The team, co-owned by Jimmie Johnson, has been struggling to find its footing this season, with only two top-ten finishes in the first ten races. This lack of competitiveness has frustrated Gragson, who has been vocal about his disappointment in the team’s performance.

In a recent interview after the Kansas Speedway race, Gragson expressed his frustration over the situation and said, “It was an up and down day, we had a really good start to the race and kind of fell back and had a loose wheel issue and kind of cautions fell our way and then got back up there… Just tired of getting used up. But definitely makes it a lot worse because we’ve flat-out sucked this year and we had somewhat of a decent run going and get used up.” 

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Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club to Partner with Toyota For 2024 Season

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Legacy Motor Club’s switch to Toyota could be the beginning of a new era for the team. While the team has had some success with Chevrolet equipment, they have not been as competitive as some of the other Chevrolet teams. The switch to Toyota could give the team a boost in competitiveness and put them on par with some of the top teams in NASCAR.

Toyota has had success in NASCAR with Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing, and the addition of Legacy Motor Club will only strengthen Toyota’s presence in the sport. The eight full-time Toyota lineups in 2024 will be the largest for the Japanese automaker since the 2011 season, and Toyota will have a significant presence in NASCAR.

Johnson, who has made several changes from personnel to even a team name change since becoming the co-owner of Legacy Motor Club in the off-season, commented on joining hands with Toyota on Twitter. He expressed his appreciation for Team Chevy and what they had accomplished together, but he is looking forward to forming a new legacy in the future with the change in manufacturing.

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The change in manufacturing alignment for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season adds another layer of complexity for a team that is still adjusting to new personnel and equipment.

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Noah Gragson’s frustration with the struggles of Legacy Motor Club is understandable, and the team’s decision to switch to Toyota could be seen as a step towards improving competitiveness. However, only time will tell how the change will affect the team’s performance on the track, and whether or not Gragson’s concerns will be alleviated.

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Written by:

Dasnoor Anand

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Dasnoor Anand is a NASCAR writer at EssentiallySports who brings a fresh perspective to the world of motorsports. She has always had a knack for writing and a love for cars. For years, she has been a devoted follower of motorsports and is particularly intrigued by the inner workings of Formula 1 teams as well as Stock Car Auto Racing.
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