This previous week, Legacy Motor Membership introduced that John Hunter Nemechek won’t return as the driving force of the No. 42 Toyota in 2027, regardless of earlier plans to maintain him as the driving force by means of subsequent season.
Whereas Josh Berry is the main candidate to interchange him, the crew additionally introduced the addition of a 3rd full-time entry for 2027 with Riley Herbst as the driving force of the No. 84.
As for Nemechek, a rumor started circulating about an alleged confrontation between Legacy co-owner Jimmie Johnson and Nemechek after the Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The tweet claiming there was a verbal conflict of some type attracted greater than 200,000 views.
Talking on the choice to maneuver on from Nemechek, Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup champion, informed SiriusXM NASCAR on Friday: “There wasn’t an incident or second. We’re in professional sports activities, and as we glance throughout the panorama for a way we develop the corporate, and for those who’re a chessboard, two or three chess performs down the highway, how one can take advantage of knowledgeable, sensible choices for the corporate. Now we have companions to think about, we’ve got traders to think about.
“There was a situation there that we would have liked to discover, and the choice was made — not at all a straightforward one. Our dedication to John Hunter and supporting him — I’m undecided different groups would behave the identical manner, however we wish to do something we are able to do to assist him, however simply from a long-term perspective, there are another choices or alternatives that we have to preserve open.”
John Hunter Nemechek, Legacy Motor Membership
Picture by: Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos
As for the allegation of a verbal confrontation between the 2 after New Hampshire, Johnson may solely chuckle. He and Nemechek have really been texting concerning the rumor, making mild of it.
“Not true,” stated Johnson, chuckling. “No. Really, we had been texting final night time. I feel a kind of could counsel that we’d gotten right into a fist struggle, and we had a humorous textual content alternate about that. So, none of that’s true.”
“You realize, and actually, because the proprietor of this firm, I’ve not been on this scenario, and it’s not straightforward, and I don’t wish to be lighthearted about it. You realize, it was a really troublesome determination for us to make. John Hunter is somebody that I imagine in and care about. We stay in a professional sports activities world, and you recognize, generally there are different components in play that simply must be thought of and considered and that’s actually the basis of all of it.”
Learn Additionally:
Watch: 2026 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award finalist: Meet Jim Osborn
We would like your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Group
