Legacy Motor Club is now deep in the heart of an explosive courtroom feud that could shift the balance in NASCAR’s charter-driven business model. The team, co-owned by seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, has filed suit in North Carolina Superior Court against a former broker-turned-rival buyer. At stake is a prized NASCAR Cup Series charter—and the club’s expansion strategy for 2025. What started as a business deal has erupted into a bitter legal conflict tied to power, access, and the future of racing rights.
Key Highlights
Legacy Motor Club sues broker T.J. Puchyr for interfering in charter deal with Rick Ware Racing
Puchyr now plans to buy both of RWR’s charters for himself
Original agreement between Legacy and RWR is contested—each side claims a different target year
Legacy claims Puchyr used insider access for personal gain
Broader NASCAR charter disputes continue as antitrust case heads toward December trial
Legacy Accuses Broker of Double Dealing
Legacy Motor Club’s lawsuit names T.J. Puchyr, a cofounder of Spire Motorsports and current motorsports consultant, as the key figure in what the team calls a serious breach of trust. Puchyr allegedly served as a middleman in Legacy’s attempt to purchase one of Rick Ware Racing’s two charters. That agreement was critical to Legacy’s 2025 plan to expand into a three-car operation.
However, according to the filing, Puchyr used his privileged role to turn the opportunity into a personal business move. Legacy alleges that Puchyr not only derailed their charter deal with RWR but then tried to secure both charters for himself.
“Mr. Puchyr was well aware of the parties’ dispute. He knew of the charter purchase agreement between Legacy and RWR that he helped broker. Despite Mr. Puchyr’s insider knowledge of the contract, his obligations under his consulting agreement with Legacy, Legacy’s contractual right to a charter … Mr. Puchyr recently announced that he intends to purchase both of RWR’s charters for himself.” – Legacy Motor Club legal filing
Legacy’s legal team accuses him of violating the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act by acting on confidential information, and they claim he publicly attacked Johnson after announcing his plan to buy RWR outright.
The Charter Timeline Conflict with RWR
This legal action marks the second active lawsuit involving Legacy and Rick Ware Racing. At the center of both is a key disagreement: when is the charter transfer valid?
Legacy claims it purchased one of Ware’s charters for use in the 2025 season. RWR counters that the deal was never meant for next year, stating it was instead agreed upon for 2027 due to existing obligations. Ware says he’s under contract to lease the charter to RFK Racing in 2025 and insists that mistakenly signing a contract labeled “2026” was an oversight—not a waiver of his prior commitment.
Ware has said that honoring both agreements would force his team out of business. As the original deal was brokered by Puchyr, his later involvement as a potential buyer of RWR adds fuel to the fire, according to Legacy.
Charter Crisis Reaches Across the Cup Series
Legacy’s legal dispute plays out amid a much larger charter upheaval in NASCAR. The structure of the sport has been under scrutiny, especially since 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports launched an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR last fall.
Those two organizations were the only ones out of 15 teams to reject NASCAR’s proposed charter agreement extension. As a result, they now risk losing all six of their combined charters after their request for emergency relief was denied in court on July 17.
With a federal trial scheduled for December 1, this wider battle adds pressure on NASCAR to defend its current system. NASCAR maintains it has acted fairly, noting that most teams accepted the new terms and claiming that it has received no response to multiple settlement proposals.
“I would love to see a settlement of some kind. I really don’t think that getting into a knock-down, drag-out lawsuit is good for anybody.” – Jimmie Johnson
What’s at Stake for Jimmie Johnson and Legacy?
The outcome of the Legacy–RWR–Puchyr entanglement could shape the team’s trajectory for years. Without a third charter, Legacy’s 2025 expansion could stall. Their frustration is now centered on the idea that someone once working inside their deal is now positioned to lock them out.
Should Puchyr succeed in purchasing both of RWR’s charters, it would significantly shift the competitive and financial landscape. Teams without charters face steep disadvantages—not just in guaranteed race entry, but in revenue distribution, sponsorship certainty, and operational planning.
NASCAR’s charter model is more than a simple licensing system. It’s become a cornerstone of how teams survive and grow. The fact that multiple lawsuits are now swirling around it only underscores its central role in defining who competes—and how.
News in Brief: Legacy Motor Club Sues Former Broker
Legacy Motor Club has filed suit against former broker and current consultant T.J. Puchyr, accusing him of interfering in a key charter deal involving Rick Ware Racing. Puchyr, who originally helped negotiate Legacy’s purchase of a charter from RWR, is now trying to buy both charters himself. This follows an earlier dispute between Legacy and RWR over the timeline of the agreement. The conflict occurs amid a broader legal battle involving 23XI and Front Row Motorsports over NASCAR’s charter system.
ALSO READ: Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Partner Faces Brutal 8 Billion Dollars Blow—Is Legacy Motor Club in Trouble?
