Legacy Motor Club is prepared to make a statement at the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, on March 1, 2026. As the premier team enters the season’s third race, all eyes are on their pursuit of progress and the renewed energy brought by their focus on road course performance—a central focus for this Legacy Motor Club NASCAR preview.
COTA’s Dynamic Racing History Shapes 2026 Expectations
The Circuit of the Americas first opened in 2012 as the United States’ inaugural purpose-built Formula One venue and has since evolved into a major motorsports destination. COTA hosted its first F1 Grand Prix the same year and continues to attract top-tier racing series, including MotoGP and INDYCAR. In 2021, NASCAR added a race on a modified 2.4-mile, 17-turn layout tailored for stock cars. The 2026 event marks the sixth time NASCAR’s Cup Series will challenge COTA’s distinct road course, a track known for its technical complexity and unpredictable outcomes.
Legacy Motor Club Overview and COTA Track Record
Legacy Motor Club, led by owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, has deep roots in motorsports excellence. Johnson himself attempted COTA in 2023, starting 31st but exiting early due to a multi-car accident, finishing 38th after only a single lap. Despite that setback, Johnson remains a formidable force on road courses, with one win at Sonoma, 161 laps led, and 20 top-10s across 41 road course starts. Club Competition Advisor Matt Kenseth, a 2003 series champion, brings further expertise, with nine career top-10s in 39 road course outings and a memorable runner-up at Watkins Glen in 2017.
Jimmie Johnson’s Dual Role and Support for Dario Franchitti
Before racing at COTA, Jimmie Johnson is set to serve as Honorary Crew Chief alongside Jerame Donley for Dario Franchitti, a four-time INDYCAR champion, at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series contest. Franchitti, guiding Johnson during his INDYCAR tenure, returns to competition for the first time since 2013, piloting the No. 1 Dollar Tree Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Tricon Garage. This partnership underscores the collaborative spirit at the heart of Legacy Motor Club’s approach—integrating veteran insight to bridge experience between racing disciplines.
John Hunter Nemechek Seeks Breakthrough in the No. 42 Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Camry
John Hunter Nemechek enters COTA aiming to build on past performances in multiple NASCAR divisions. This Sunday marks his third Cup Series appearance at the track, with a best finish of 21st set in March 2024. In the 2024 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at COTA, he impressed with a third-place finish, and in the Craftsman Truck Series was runner-up in 2022. Nemechek and crew chief Travis Mack are committed to advancing Legacy’s road course capabilities, emphasizing offseason driver training and analytical adjustments.
“I’ve been working really hard on my road course skills over the off-season, so I’m looking forward to putting what I’ve learned to the test this weekend at COTA. I’ve had good results in the Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, but the Cup car has been a challenge for me. We’ve put a lot of effort into improving our road course program over the past couple of months, so I’m excited to see these improvements come to life.”
—John Hunter Nemechek, Driver
Travis Mack offers strategic insight into the balancing act required by the updated points system and the choices teams must make throughout the race weekend:
“We’ve been working really hard the past couple of weeks to capitalize on some changes we made during the off-season to improve our road course program. John Hunter has also been doing a lot of driver training to get ready to go road course racing. With the new points system, it’s going to be really interesting to try to collect stage points and win the race. To collect stage points, you’ll probably sacrifice the race win, so maximizing our points for the day will be really important. It’s going to definitely be a balancing act between collecting points and going for the win.”
—Travis Mack, Crew Chief
While in Austin, Nemechek and Mack plan to visit the well-known Terry Black’s BBQ, giving fans a lighter look at race week traditions before the focus shifts to the engineering and driving challenges ahead.
The Pye-Barker Fire and Safety brand, returning as primary partner on the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE for 17 races this year, introduces a striking new livery—white, green, and blue with dynamic flame graphics—showcasing the company’s national leadership in safety solutions.
Erik Jones and the No. 43 Dollar Tree Camry: Building on COTA Experience
Erik Jones makes his sixth NASCAR Cup Series start at COTA, highlighted by a ninth-place finish in 2022 after starting deep in the field. He has completed every lap run at the track in Cup competition, a testament to his consistency and awareness on technical circuits. Across 37 career Cup Series road course starts, Jones claims three top-fives and nine top-10s, with a best of third on the Charlotte Roval in 2020. His versatility is further evident in O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series outings, including a victory at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in 2015.
This weekend, Jones will drive a No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE wrapped in a bold green-and-white Dollar Tree livery, bolstered by Coca-Cola as a supporting vendor. The partnership will feature collaborative activation on Legacy Motor Club’s digital channels throughout the event.
Crew chief Justin Alexander brings recent COTA experience, having overseen two top-12 Cup finishes with Austin Dillon at this venue. He aims to leverage lessons learned as he guides the No. 43 team through the evolving demands of road course racing.
“This weekend’s race at COTA will be a good test to see just where our road course program is at for the start of the 2026 season. It’s something LEGACY MOTOR CLUB as a group has been working on with over the last few years with the NextGen car. We’ve been trying to hit on something to get better. I’m looking forward to getting there and seeing where we stack up with some of the stuff we’ve changed, we’re trying some different options from the past. I think the short course at COTA is a little bit better for the NASCAR Cup Series and how we race. I’m looking forward to going back and seeing where we can end up.”
—Erik Jones, Driver
The offseason focus on simulation and data review is central to Alexander’s approach:
“Road courses were definitely a place where LEGACY MOTOR CLUB could improve last year, and COTA was no exception. We’ve been putting a bigger emphasis on our road course program this offseason, spending more time in the sim, really digging into what we need. We’re not going to fix everything overnight, but we want to show improvement this weekend and keep building from there.”
—Justin Alexander, Crew Chief
Legacy Motor Club: Blending Heritage with Future Ambitions
Legacy Motor Club’s robust organization draws from the accomplishments of figures like Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR icon Richard Petty, who serves as club ambassador. Partnered with Knighthead Capital Management, the group fields the No. 43 and No. 42 Toyota Camry XSEs, piloted by Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek, respectively, as well as limited starts for Johnson in the No. 84 car. Blending tradition and innovation, Legacy embraces both the racing community’s storied past and a drive for future breakthroughs at top-tier NASCAR events.
The team’s active efforts to engage with fans, such as public autograph sessions with Nemechek and behind-the-scenes glimpses at race preparation, highlight its dedication to building a vibrant motorsport community. As Legacy Motor Club attempts to translate offseason development into measurable improvement, the circuit’s passionate crowd and national television audience will be watching closely when the green flag drops at 3:30 p.m. EST on March 1, airing on FOX, MAX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
What This Race Means for the Season and the Club
As the third race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign, COTA presents both a technical and psychological challenge. For Legacy Motor Club, it is an opportunity to validate extensive investment in road course preparation, test the synergy between drivers like Jones and Nemechek, and set the tone for continued progress. The outcome at this dynamic Austin venue could prove crucial in shaping season momentum and in establishing Legacy’s place among the series’ elite road course contenders. With renewed partnerships, a spirit of innovation, and a clear vision, Legacy Motor Club enters COTA ready to pursue their next milestone victory.
