Late in 2024, Jimmie Johnson found himself in a tough place. The optimism that fueled Legacy Motor Club’s shift to Toyota had quickly drained. Results were disappointing, effort felt wasted, and patience, never Johnson’s strength, was wearing thin. He had stepped away from a Hall of Fame career behind the wheel only to find himself leading a struggling team that couldn’t break out of the bottom third of the standings. Despite that, Johnson was hopeful for the upcoming season and had laid out plans to achieve his goals.
“We couldn’t have tried any harder this year. It’s just part of the journey, is probably the best way to put it. I think this year has been a very transformational year for us. We won’t have a great sense of the change until we get into probably March of next year,” he had said. Notably, the shift from Chevrolet to Toyota had not yielded the performance bump he expected. Instead, it triggered a lame-duck stretch where even basic data sharing became a challenge. By the end of the 2024 season, the team had just six top 10s across three cars, with no wins, no poles, and barely a presence on Sundays.
Fast forward to spring 2025, and the scene is starting to shift. Legacy Motor Club is no longer just fighting to stay relevant. Within the first 12 races, the same drivers who struggled last year already matched the previous top 10 count. The highlight came at Texas, where both Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek cracked the top 10, something LMC hadn’t done on a regular track in years. Johnson’s face, once heavy with doubt, now carries a cautious smile. He hasn’t declared victory, but he knows this is progress. And with that, he is giving credit where it’s due.
Jimmie Johnson’s gamble that’s turning around!
Jimmie Johnson’s path from seven-time NASCAR champion to team owner has been anything but smooth. He knew racing; he didn’t know ownership. “It’s been a journey. Where I stand today, I have learned so much in the last two years,” Johnson told NASCAR.com in 2024. His drive didn’t fade. Instead, it evolved. He wasn’t just competing on Sundays anymore, he was building infrastructure, scouting talent, and trying to shape a culture. Two years in, the signs of life are finally showing. And it comes from the plan backed by his partners at Knighthead Capital and Toyota.
Ahead of the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 race, Johnson spoke about the turnaround of Legacy Motor Club. He reflected on how an ambitious plan is fuelling his desire for success. “We certainly looked at the JGR alliance at one point; it didn’t make a lot of sense for us then. But one of our core values has been to be independent and on our own. That’s what has attracted Toyota and helped build this relationship… It started with Mory, and with the added resources from Knighthead Capital and the long-term vision we’re aligned with from Tom Wagner, it just helps us continue planning for the future and making incremental steps in that direction,” he said.
It is worth noting that, unlike 23XI Racing, LMC doesn’t rely on Joe Gibbs Racing for performance and resources to build its program. They are an independent team that is working with Toyota to build their base. Technical alliance doesn’t come cheap, teams have to cough up millions. With the new team, Johnson and his partners wanted a more measured approach, but with the influx of cash and investment through Knighthead Capital, we might see LMC get their hands on resources that they didn’t have before.
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Qualifying Mar 25, 2023 Austin, Texas, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson 84 looks up at qualifying at Circuit of the Americas. Austin Circuit of the Americas Texas USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDanielxDunnx 20230325_tbs_da8_037
These financial growths are helping LMC stay on track as well, and Johnson is seeing results that match his patience. Through just 12-point races in 2025, Legacy has already tallied six top 10 finishes, equaling last year’s total. Both main drivers, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek, are outpacing their 2024 form. Johnson himself even nabbed a third-place finish at the Daytona 500. However, in 2023, Legacy had seven top-10s in 75 race starts, highlighting their struggle. In 2024, that dropped to six with more than 80 race starts.
But in just 25 races in 2025, the team has already logged three top-5s and six top-10s. Their average finish has improved from 24.9 in 2024 to 19.5 in 2025. It’s not championship level yet—but it’s solid ground. That change didn’t happen by chance. Johnson overhauled the team throughout 2024. He brought in Bobby Kennedy as general manager, hired Campe as technical director, and added seasoned engineers. Chad Johnston joined as race engineering lead, while Travis Mack and Ben Beshore took over key crew chief roles.
This helped LMC to operate with a sharper focus and better coordination. There’s still a long way to go, but Johnson isn’t hiding from that. “Last year, I don’t think Toyota or we expected it to be that difficult. We made a lot of changes at the midway point of last year and have slowly been gaining momentum and moving in the right direction,” he added. Now, with Legacy finally showing flashes of what Johnson always believed it could be, the focus begins to shift again. Johnson’s back behind the wheel for a few races in 2025. He’s not done yet. But for the first time, he’s also talking, really talking, about what comes next for him beyond driving.
Johnson opens up about his retirement plan!
Jimmie Johnson isn’t ready to hang up his helmet, not yet. As speculation swirled ahead of the Coca-Cola 600 about whether this would be his final race, Johnson shut it down with a laugh. “Really? No. That’s hilarious. No, it’s just great editing, proud of our digital department, doing a great job,” he told reporters. The 700th start of his Cup career might’ve felt like a farewell, but for Johnson, it’s just another step.
Earlier in the week, he addressed the topic more seriously. “I’m just excited to go racing. I still have that fire, and as long as I can be competitive and it makes sense, I’ll keep going,” he said. After finishing third in the Daytona 500 in February, Johnson proved he still has something left in the tank. He’ll continue racing part-time in 2025, balancing his dual roles as owner and driver. “I still want to be behind the wheel, but it’s really… I need to approach this with a different agenda,” he added.
Johnson confirmed he won’t run a full schedule, but he’s not hanging up his helmet yet. He wants to compete selectively, to scratch the itch. As LMC grows stronger, Johnson’s passion hasn’t faded; it’s just evolved. He’s no longer chasing trophies alone. He’s building a legacy on both sides of the pit wall. And for now, the legend still has miles to go.
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