“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 which left was Dodge, in 2012. But now, teams are gearing up for a new entrant, according to a rumor. And those teams include Jimmie Johnson’s organization.
Jimmie Johnson setting sights on a high 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 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. According to NASCAR expert Eric Estepp, “Last week, Rick Ware actually sold both of his charters to TJ Puchyr, a new owner.”
Still, Jimmie Johnson’s goal is unhindered, as he said on his ‘Never Settle’ podcast 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 is intertwined with another deal – embracing a new manufacturer in the sport. Estepp spurred the rumor in his video, “LMC 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.”
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Test Session Jan 24, 2023 Avondale, AZ, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson tests his Legacy Motor Club car during testing at Phoenix Raceway. Phoenix Phoenix Raceway AZ USA
This would mark another point of transition for Legacy, which has already undergone several overhauls over the past years. 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. Estepp 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.
The high costs may hurt
Presently, NASCAR Next-Gen cars generate about 670 HP. 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.”
Evidently, Jimmie Johnson is clear about his focus on expansion. 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.
The post NASCAR Rumor: Jimmie Johnson’s Loyalty Shift From Chevrolet Could See Another Switch appeared first on EssentiallySports.
