Legacy Motor Club, owned by Jimmie Johnson, has taken a significant step in its ongoing NASCAR charter dispute with Rick Ware Racing after a North Carolina court approved LMC’s request to depose RWR representatives. This move follows recent news about a potential sale of the team, which could affect the contested charter agreement between the two organizations.
The legal fight, which began in April, centers on the lease terms of Rick Ware Racing’s charter. Legacy Motor Club states they had an agreement to lease the charter for the 2026 season, while Rick Ware Racing insists the lease was set for 2027, adding that RFK Racing has already secured its own charter for 2026. These conflicting claims have intensified the dispute surrounding the valuable NASCAR asset.
Potential team sale complicates Rick Ware Racing’s position
Recently, reports of a possible sale of Rick Ware Racing to Spire Motorsports have emerged, creating additional uncertainty in the case. T.J. Puchyr, a co-owner of Spire, originally helped broker the lease deal between Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club, raising questions about the implications of this potential acquisition.
The presiding judge warned Rick Ware Racing that withholding truthful information regarding their intentions could lead to contempt of court. Despite this, the team maintains it has no binding agreement with LMC. Last month, Rick Ware Racing responded by filing a countersuit accusing Legacy Motor Club of falsely claiming the charter sale had been completed. Their statement reads:
“Should RWR be forced to sell Charter No. 27 for 2026, it would have no charter under which to race and would go out of business. For this reason, RWR would never have agreed (and unequivocally did not agree) to sell Charter No. 27 in advance of the 2026 season.” —Rick Ware Racing statement
If finalized, the deal would have valued the charter at $45 million, making it the highest price ever paid for a NASCAR charter and providing Johnson’s team with a third car entry for the 2026 season.
Jimmie Johnson outlines candidates for Legacy Motor Club’s third car
Since becoming the majority owner of Legacy Motor Club in 2025 and switching to Toyota in 2024, Jimmie Johnson has expressed ambitions to run a three-car team starting in 2026. He recently discussed prospects for the third driver seat during an interview on the X/Never Settle podcast, highlighting emerging talent within NASCAR’s development ranks.
“When you look through the Xfinity Series, Connor Zilisch, Jesse Love. I think you also look through the garage area in the Cup series, and there’s some young talent that took early steps to get into vehicles. So there are just questions in my mind, especially wearing my team owner’s hat. We’re looking to expand to a third car and hope to announce some stuff here in the near future around that. But where to look, it’s tough,” —Jimmie Johnson
Among the names mentioned, Jesse Love is connected with Richard Childress Racing through his Xfinity Series involvement and has made two Cup Series starts with RCR, with another race scheduled at Richmond Raceway. Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch has been rumored to replace Daniel Suarez at Trackhouse Racing, reflecting strong competition for the available spots.
John Hunter Nemechek’s performance underlines LMC’s competitive strength
Legacy Motor Club’s current roster also delivered notable results recently. John Hunter Nemechek secured a victory over teammate Erik Jones in Round 3 of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge at Sonoma Raceway. This win qualified Nemechek for the final four showdown at Dover International Speedway, underscoring the team’s growing prowess on the track.
As Legacy Motor Club expands its footprint within NASCAR’s top tiers, the ongoing legal battle involving the charter remains pivotal. Its outcome could determine whether Jimmie Johnson’s team gains the resources to further expand its competitive operations in the near future.
