The seven-time Cup Series champion tells NASCAR Roundtable about his ambitious roadmap to disrupt the "big three" hierarchy by expanding to a three-car operation and securing a title in the next five years
FT. WORTH, Tex. - Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has accomplished a lot in his career, but his story is far from finished.
Johnson plans to hang up his firesuit for the final time after next year’s Daytona 500. He’s embarked on a new chapter, leading LEGACY Motor Club as the team’s primary owner, after joining the organization at the end of 2022.
The team has faced some challenges, having not reached victory lane since the organization rebranded under Johnson’s leadership. While Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing have thrived under the Toyota brand, LEGACY has struggled to find its footing. The team is having to carve out its own path, operating separate from the two other Toyota entities.
While the on-track success has been lacking, Johnson isn’t settling for small goals for the team to compete in NASCAR’s top series.
In an exclusive interview with NASCAR Roundtable at Texas Motor Speedway, Johnson made his aspirations clear, “We’re here to win races and championships. Our five year goal is to have a championship under our belts, and be positioned as one of the big four. Right now we have the big three (Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske). We want to make it the big four teams.”
2027 will be a big step forward for Johnson’s team. LEGACY Motor Club will be expanding their operations to include a third full-time chartered team, with a driver to be named at a later date.
The current driver lineup includes Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Jones currently sits 22nd in points, while Nemechek is sitting at 29th.
For Johnson, adding the additional entry not only gives them another car to compete with, but also provides strength in numbers to his other cars.
He stated, “The game has changed so much since my final year (2020). We now have a standardized car, and a much different development system for technology, and just to get our drivers reps. So when you add a third car, you pick up 33% more data, 33% more track time on and on, so I think it will be a really important step for us.”
The ownership side has allowed one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers to stay involved in the sport, but also be invested in the growth of it long-term. It hasn’t always been easy, but for Johnson, the journey is worth it.
“I’ve enjoyed it far more than I anticipated. I knew it would be a journey. We’ve been bruised at times, there’s no doubt, but I just love our sport. I know this industry so well, and I think timing is important in anything in life, and where NASCAR is heading, the interest in our sport, the permanency in our charters, which I’ll now call franchises, the stability it brings to the environment is creating a lot of opportunity,” he said.
While the transition from the racecar to ownership is nearly complete, there is still some unfinished business for Johnson on the track.
Not only will he run next year’s Daytona 500 for a career sendoff, but he will also return to his hometown of San Diego next month to run the street race at Naval Base Coronado.
For Johnson, he’s soaking it all in, “I’m not going to fully let go. I’ll still find some steering wheels to hold, and play in a variety of other less intense lap forms. To be on your game here, and just the evolution of this car week-to-week, if you’re not living in the simulator or in the car, you just find yourself behind. It is time to turn the page on the high-end professional side, and really focus on growing this team, and achieving all the goals we have set for ourselves.”
The seven-time champion’s competitive juices still run deep. In his hall of fame career, Johnson has never feared adversity, and he isn’t hiding from his biggest challenge yet.