Jimmie Johnson nears 700th NASCAR start at Charlotte this weekend, returning to the track where his remarkable Cup Series career began, as his Legacy Motor Club (LMC) team quietly powers through a season of steady improvement that is gaining attention across the NASCAR community. As Johnson approaches this personal milestone at Charlotte Motor Speedway, industry insiders and racing veterans are highlighting both the team’s turnaround and his evolving role as a leader and owner.
From Rookie to NASCAR Legend: Johnson’s 24-Year Journey
It was 24 years ago that Jimmie Johnson first graced the grid at Charlotte Motor Speedway as an under-the-radar prospect behind the wheel of the #48 Hendrick Motorsports car. At the time, few could foresee how Johnson would become a defining figure in NASCAR, building a Hall of Fame-worthy career. His early days, highlighted by strong efforts in qualifying but not always storybook endings, set the stage for a relentless drive that would mark his path in the sport. Now, as he readies for his 700th start, Johnson brings a lifetime of racing wisdom both to his driving and to managing Legacy Motor Club during a pivotal era for the team and sport alike.
Reflecting on the challenges of transitioning from driver to team owner, Johnson previously remarked,
“It’s been a journey. Where I stand today, I have learned so much in the last two years. The sport has evolved a bunch in the last two years. When you look at the first year and the competitiveness of our organization and how the sport continues to push forward and where the big teams are finding speed, how they are stacking 10 to 20 things to define a tenth of a second advantage. As time goes on, it’s more challenging to consistently compete at that level.”
—Jimmie Johnson, Majority Owner/Driver
Legacy Motor Club Finds Its Rhythm in 2025
The 2025 NASCAR season has brought measured but meaningful progress for Legacy Motor Club. After grappling with growing pains in the previous year, LMC is now showing flashes of consistency—often away from the spotlight but not unnoticed by those within the sport. The team‘s steady improvement is especially obvious on intermediate tracks, where their results have quietly but clearly trended upward.
Motorsports commentator Pete Pistone and broadcaster Brett McMillan discussed the shift in LMC’s performance, with McMillan sharing,
“One team I see, Pete, that seems to be rising and looking pretty good on these intermediate tracks is Legacy Motor Club. You know, especially John Hunter Nemechek. They – I think it’s kind of quiet—they’re rising through the field.”
—Brett McMillan, Broadcaster
Indeed, LMC’s determined progress was apparent from the season-opening Daytona 500, with Johnson racing to a third-place finish even as Byron and Reddick took the spotlight. Erik Jones, too, has already posted more top-10 finishes than the previous season at this stage, moving past his prior year’s high of twelfth and frequently breaking into competitive positions. The turnaround spans the garage: John Hunter Nemechek’s average finish has climbed from 25.42 to 18.17—a significant leap for a team still finding its full potential. Nemechek’s strong fifth place at Daytona was an early indicator of greater consistency to come. These improvements are the result of months of careful rebuilding, not overnight change.
Pistone explained,
“It’s funny that you said that because this is kinda what a lot of people thought we would get last year from Legacy Motor Club. When they made all those changes in the offseason, and know by their own admission that just did not work out. They’re kinda where I thought they would be, maybe a year ago, where you’re seeing good finishes. You’re seeing John Hunter up there, and he’s been pretty impressive. You’re seeing, obviously Erik Jones up there and, you know, how about Jimmie Johnson maybe making career start number seven hundred for legacy coming up Sunday in the Coke 600.”
—Pete Pistone, Motorsports Commentator
A Year of Change Sets the Foundation
The momentum LMC displays now is rooted in a year of sweeping changes. In mid-2024, the team underwent a sharp decline in form that left fans and industry experts alike wondering about its trajectory. The high-profile switch from chevrolet/”>Chevrolet to toyota/”>Toyota increased both expectations and pressure for results. Sensing the need for a fundamental overhaul, Johnson, in his capacity as majority owner, initiated significant staff changes—bringing in new crew chiefs, engineers, and other key personnel to retool the organization top to bottom.
This bold restructuring gained the approval of one of NASCAR’s most respected voices. Richard Petty stated in January,
“We’re looking, really looking forward to it. We’ve had one year with Toyota, and now we’ve just redone the whole business of Legacy. We got the same drivers, but we got different crew chiefs, we got different people working on the car, we got different engineers. So, it’s really almost like starting with a new team. So, I think all of our people are excited about it. Have put the right people together in the right place. So, it’s gonna be exciting for us just because it’s gonna be like completely starting all over again.”
—Richard Petty, NASCAR Legend
Johnson’s Leadership Inspires Team and the NASCAR Community
As majority owner and veteran driver, Johnson has proven integral to LMC’s upward trajectory, blending on-track competitiveness with the vision needed to guide a modern NASCAR program. His return to Charlotte for his 700th start—at the very track where he debuted—underscores both his influence and the sentimental weight of this milestone.
Johnson looked ahead to the milestone with emotion:
“I’m like, dang, my first was at Charlotte and now my 700th will be at Charlotte. And so, you know, it’s put a lot more weight on it. And I found that now, you know, my starts are far in few between. And the experience I had going into the Hall of Fame, I am now reflecting and savoring my career in these moments that I have to be back in the car and experience the stuff. So I’m really excited for Charlotte and very thankful that, you know, it’s a big milestone event.”
—Jimmie Johnson, Majority Owner/Driver
As the team uncovers new levels of cohesion, Johnson’s path from racer to owner continues to inspire both drivers and fans, cementing his role as a unifying figure within the garage.
Renewed Friendships and Rivalries: Johnson Reacts to Kurt Busch News
Beyond the garage and the grandstands, the NASCAR community is keenly aware of the human stories that circle the sport. Among the most memorable has been Johnson’s years-long rivalry with fellow Cup champion Kurt Busch. Their history included tense moments, dramatic races, and candid words. During Busch’s competitive peak, he remarked, “We’re in his head,” referencing his battles with Johnson. The fiery competition boiled over at times, notably clashing on track at Richmond in 2011 before simmering down in later years.
That relationship has matured, as illustrated by Johnson’s reaction to Busch’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2026. Johnson revealed,
“We certainly had strong opposing feelings for one another at different points, but it’s wild, man. You put the helmet on and just kind of become a different person, and he and I have always gotten along really well outside of the car, and certainly in these last five, eight years, I don’t know, our relationship has gone to new levels. With his injury, the role that he’s playing now, I know it’s filling him up in a different way. He’s been very supportive of me. He came to my Hall of Fame induction and the after-party, we’ve seen a fair amount of each other over the last little bit of time and happy to see him go in.”
—Jimmie Johnson, Majority Owner/Driver
Kurt Busch’s forced retirement—brought on by injuries after a crash during practice at Pocono in 2022—left an imprint on the larger racing fraternity. Johnson offered a heartfelt tribute:
“For me, ultimately, from my seat on the bus, an amazing career. He unfortunately didn’t go out on his terms, but he has stayed engaged, he’s found new purpose, and then this moment and experiencing it and knowing how he’s going to feel in January after he leaves that stage, he didn’t maybe get the finish he dreamed of, but I think he’s going to end up with a finish that would greatly exceed that dream he had as a kid.”
—Jimmie Johnson, Majority Owner/Driver
Looking Ahead: Legacy MC’s Upward Momentum and Lasting Impact
As Jimmie Johnson prepares for his 700th NASCAR Cup Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, both his career and Legacy Motor Club’s future are under the spotlight. The persistent improvements from John Hunter Nemechek, Erik Jones, and the broader LMC team show that bold changes and patient rebuilding are bearing fruit. Johnson’s leadership and his willingness to evolve—on and off the track—have guided the organization through challenges to a place of renewed hope and competitive energy.
The timing could not be more significant: Johnson launches his milestone start at the same place his Cup journey began, bringing his remarkable story full circle. With insiders from Pete Pistone to Richard Petty expressing optimism, and as drivers like Nemechek and Jones build on recent progress, LMC seems poised to keep climbing the NASCAR ranks. For both Johnson and the team, the future promises not just nostalgia, but a fresh era of competition and achievement for the entire NASCAR community.
