The expansion plans continue for Legacy Motor Club and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.
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The Hall of Famer has confirmed that the team he co-owns will have another car in the fold next season as they continue to work with Toyota Racing.
"Without question, we will have a third car on the grid next year," Johnson told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio's The Morning Drive. "Very excited about that. And as we continue to improve, we continue to go inside the industry.
"Our growth and our commitment to growth, we'll be able to attract and recruit the right individuals to help come in and really grow the workforce for this third car. And that's really an exciting time for us, where we can bring a lot of IP in-house, have 30% more on track time, and all the benefits that come with running an additional car will help speed up our progress."
This expansion has been a topic of conversation for several months, albeit in a different conversation. A charter agreement dispute between Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club led to a pair of lawsuits.
Legacy MC first filed a lawsuit claiming that Rick Ware Racing had backed out of a charter purchase agreement. RWR then responded and claimed that Legacy MC had distorted the facts and attempted to tarnish the team's reputation.
Another lawsuit filing occurred after former Spire Motorsports co-owner TJ Puchyr said he had agreed to purchase RWR and the team's charters. Legacy MC alleged that Puchyr had intentionally convinced RWR to breach its contract with Legacy MC after originally arranging a meeting between the two teams.
Legacy MC and RWR ultimately reached a resolution in September 2025. A charter sale and transfer could take place without more legal battles. At the time, the two teams declined to provide details about when the transfer would take place, but signs pointed to after the 2026 Cup Series season.
So now that this expansion can take place, the attention will turn to the new member of the team. Who will drive this third full-time entry for Legacy MC?
Johnson isn't providing any hints just yet. He knows that manufacturers are locking up drivers on long-term deals much earlier than when he was rising through the ranks. He specifically pointed to Toyota Racing inking a deal with 13-year-old Keelan Harvick.
Johnson says that this is now a very complex market, but Legacy MC should have multiple options as the team looks forward to 2027. More than a dozen drivers are in contract years, and Toyota Racing has more rising through the ranks.
The list of names includes Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, and Austin Cindric. Although 23XI Racing is unlikely to let Reddick out of the building after he reached the Championship 4 in 2024 and kicked off 2026 by becoming the first driver to win the first three races of the season.
"We'll keep a close eye on the driver market," Johnson said. "We know that throughout the season, there are plenty of rumors.
"We feel that there are a lot of drivers in contract years, and so how early does Silly Season start? We're not sure, but we'll keep our eyes open to be ready."
