Legacy Motor Club Las Vegas hopes are high as the team gears up for a pivotal run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend, where an array of seasoned drivers and staff, including Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Erik Jones, and John Hunter Nemechek, will look to build on the club’s history and recent improvements. With notable appearances, key race statistics, and special events planned both on and off the track, Legacy Motor Club (LMC) is seeking a breakout performance at the 1.5-mile desert oval.
Jimmie Johnson’s History of Success at Las Vegas
Jimmie Johnson, Legacy Motor Club’s owner and a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion, boasts a remarkable record at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Across 23 Cup Series starts at the venue, Johnson has secured four victories, seven top-five finishes, and 10 top-tens, having led a total of 595 laps. Johnson achieved an unprecedented streak of three consecutive wins at Las Vegas in March 2005, March 2006, and March 2007. In his 2005 victory, Johnson started from ninth position, led 107 laps, and finished ahead of Las Vegas native Kyle Busch by more than a second and a half. The following year, he won after starting third and edging Matt Kenseth by mere fractions of a second. Johnson repeated his winning performance in 2007, beginning the race in 23rd and ultimately passing Jeff Gordon to claim the win. His final Las Vegas Cup Series victory came in March 2010, where he started 20th and held off Kevin Harvick after leading the final 18 laps. In the Xfinity Series, Johnson’s best finish at the track was 14th in March 2001.
Matt Kenseth’s Las Vegas Highlights
Legacy Motor Club’s competition advisor, Matt Kenseth, is another decorated driver at Las Vegas, with 19 Cup Series starts that resulted in three victories, six top-fives, and 10 top-10s, accumulating 526 laps led at the track. Kenseth’s maiden Las Vegas win came in March 2003, starting from 17th and ending with a sizeable lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr. The next year, he started 25th and claimed victory after leading more than a third of the race. Kenseth captured his last Las Vegas win in March 2013, after starting 18th and once again finishing ahead of Kasey Kahne. Kenseth also competed in the Xfinity Series at Las Vegas, securing a runner-up spot from the pole in March 2006.
Legacy Motor Club’s Recent Results at Las Vegas
Since 2023, Legacy Motor Club has entered five races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with five different drivers: Erik Jones, John Hunter Nemechek, Jimmie Johnson, Carson Hocevar, and Noah Gragson. The club’s highest starting grid position was 20th by John Hunter Nemechek in March, while Nemechek also achieved their best finish to date, capturing ninth place in the October 2024 event.
Celebrating Leadership and Partnerships Ahead of Race Weekend
Off the track, Legacy Motor Club is marking notable milestones, including CEO Cal Wells III’s 70th birthday on October 10. Wells, who began his motorsports career at Precision Preparation, Inc. in 1979 and was named LMC’s CEO in July 2023, brings decades of leadership experience to the team. Continuing their community engagement, LMC drivers Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek will visit the UFC Apex facility just off the Las Vegas Strip for a training session with UFC legend Forrest Griffin and participating fighters, offering them insight into high-level athletic preparation outside of motorsports.
Following the UFC visit, Jones and Nemechek will serve as grand marshals for the traditional hauler parade, leading the fleet of race team haulers into Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a Toyota Camry and kicking off the race weekend’s festivities.
Bayne Returns to Xfinity Series in Special Collaboration
Legacy MC ambassador and 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne will make his first NASCAR Xfinity Series start since 2023 in Saturday’s race, driving the No. 24 Olipop x SpongeBob Movie Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. This return is part of a joint partnership with LMC sponsor Olipop and the upcoming SpongeBob Movie, set for release on December 19. Olipop has introduced a Pineapple Paradise flavor featuring SpongeBob on the can, which will be mirrored on Bayne’s car, with fans invited to collect special edition cans and participate in prize draws on DrinkOlipop.com.
Never Settle Podcast Provides Insight Behind the Scenes
For fans seeking deeper engagement, LMC owner Jimmie Johnson co-hosts the “Never Settle” podcast with ESPN’s Marty Smith. The program offers behind-the-scenes commentary on both racing and broader sports culture, available to view on YouTube, providing additional context on the team’s journey and perspectives from inside the racing world.
Strong Driver Lineup: Focus on John Hunter Nemechek
John Hunter Nemechek, pilot of the No. 42 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Toyota Camry XSE, enters the Las Vegas weekend with increasing momentum. In five previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at the track, his best finish was ninth, achieved at last year’s fall race. Nemechek’s record in the NASCAR Xfinity Series stands out at Las Vegas, with a win in March 2024 among seven starts and only two finishes outside the top ten. He also claimed victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Las Vegas in March 2021, earning two poles and consistently competitive results at the venue.
Detailing one of his recent triumphs, Nemechek led 99 laps en route to victory in the March 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series race, finishing over four seconds ahead of Cole Custer. He also won the March 2021 Truck Series race by leading 94 of 134 laps and holding a narrow lead over Kyle Busch to the checkered flag.
“We’ve been seeing progress in our mile-and-a-half program all year, so I’m excited to see what we can do in Las Vegas. I’ve had success at this track in other series in the past, so I’m feeling confident heading into the weekend.”
– John Hunter Nemechek, Driver
Crew Chief Travis Mack’s Las Vegas Experience
Travis Mack, crew chief for Nemechek, is set for his 10th NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas. Mack’s debut at the track was with Kasey Kahne in 2018, followed by a multi-year collaboration with Daniel Suárez, achieving a personal best Cup Series finish of 10th in March 2023. Mack has also guided drivers in the Xfinity Series at Las Vegas, including Michael Annett, with whom he notched three top-10s and a best result of fifth in March 2019.
“We’re ready to keep building on our mile-and-a-half program. We’ve been showing speed all year, and I think we have a top-five car if we can execute the way I know we can. I’m really looking forward to Vegas.”
– Travis Mack, Crew Chief
Erik Jones Looks to Build on Las Vegas Momentum
Erik Jones, driving the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE, is about to make his 17th NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas. Across his career there, he has four top-10 finishes, with three eighth-place results—March 2018, September 2020, and October 2022. Outside of the Cup Series, Jones earned a third-place finish in the Xfinity Series and claimed a win in the Truck Series at Las Vegas in September 2014, never placing outside the top 10 in Truck Series races at this venue.
Crew chief Ben Beshore has significant experience at Las Vegas as well, leading three drivers—Kyle Busch, John Hunter Nemechek, and Jones—to a total of four top-fives and four top-10s in the Cup Series. Beshore’s strongest Las Vegas results with Busch include three third-place finishes and a Cup win in the Xfinity Series after leading 98 laps in March 2019.
“Las Vegas should be a good one for us. Our mile-and-a-half program has been our strongest one this season, and I think we’ve shown up and had speed at a good bit of those tracks. It’ll be nice to go there after last weekend’s race and see what we’ve got. Hopefully we can put it all together and come home with a strong result from this race.”
– Erik Jones, Driver
“Typically, the weather is a little warmer in the Fall Las Vegas race rather than the Spring. That can make for a little bit different style of racing. You’re going to see guys moving around a lot more because of the lower grip on the track. On top of that, the new tire that was at Kansas a few weeks ago, and will be used this weekend, seems to be down on grip as well from the previous Kansas race. We’re just trying to factor all of that in, and I think you’ll see a race where guys are moving around a lot from bottom to middle to top. There should be a lot of passing, and it should be a really fun race.”
– Ben Beshore, Crew Chief
Fan Engagement and Community Events in Las Vegas
Beyond the racetrack, LMC and its drivers are set for several fan outreach moments throughout the weekend. On Thursday afternoon, October 9, John Hunter Nemechek and Trevor Bayne will host an Olipop product sampling at the Circle K on East Craig Road in North Las Vegas. The following day, Nemechek will appear with Danielle Trotta and Larry McReynolds on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, followed by Erik Jones joining the “On Track” program. Joint autograph sessions will take place Saturday at the NASCAR Classics trackside merchandise stand.
On Sunday, before the Las Vegas 400, fans can see Jones at the Toyota Gazoo Racing Experience pit box in the fan zone for a Q&A session. Additionally, on Thursday, Nemechek and Bayne are scheduled to visit the Las Vegas Lights United Soccer League team at Cashman Stadium, engaging with club players and sharing their experiences as professional athletes.
Race Details and Upcoming Broadcasts
The highly anticipated Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, October 12, with a green flag drop at 5:30 p.m. ET. Fans can catch all the action on USA, MAX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Legacy Motor Club’s Outlook for Las Vegas and Impact for the Season
Legacy Motor Club enters Las Vegas with a blend of historic success, experienced personnel, and renewed competitive edge, as shown by steady improvements in their mile-and-a-half track performance. The combination of triumphant drivers like Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth, promising recent results, strategic leadership, and active fan engagement signals a determination to capitalize on momentum at this crucial stage in the season. As Nemechek, Jones, and their crews look to convert their progress into top results, Legacy Motor Club Las Vegas ambitions will be closely watched by fans and rivals alike, with the weekend poised to shape their narrative for the remainder of the year.
