John Hunter Nemechek will concentrate solely on the NASCAR Cup Series at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) after participating in the Truck Series earlier this season. Following his involvement in double duty races at Daytona and Atlanta, the Legacy Motor Club driver has shifted his attention back to a full-time Cup schedule for the 2026 season.
Nemechek competed in the No. 62 Toyota for Halmar Friesen Racing in the first two Truck Series events, but Wesley Slimp will now drive the No. 42 as the Truck Series heads to St. Petersburg for its inaugural street course race. Meanwhile, the Cup teams prepare for their upcoming weekend at COTA, where no Cup drivers will be involved in the Truck race for the first time.
Stewart Friesen remains the driver of the No. 52 Toyota after recovering from injury last year, while the No. 62 truck will continue as a part-time entry with different drivers yet to be announced. Nemechek’s two Truck Series performances this season showed promise with finishes of fifth at Daytona and eighth at Atlanta. Conversely, his Cup results were less consistent, highlighted by an 11th place finish at the Daytona 500 and a 19th place at Atlanta, where car handling issues affected his performance.
During the Atlanta race, strategic decisions briefly placed Nemechek in the top 10, but late-race slowdowns and contact during overtime pushed him back in the field. With his Truck schedule now on hold, Nemechek aims to advance his Cup program, and the upcoming weekend at COTA offers a critical chance for progress.
John Hunter Nemechek Prepares for Improvement at Circuit of the Americas
Entering his third full season competing in the NASCAR Cup Series, John Hunter Nemechek races under the Legacy Motor Club banner, which is led by ownership that includes Jimmie Johnson. The team is focused on building sustainable success, with particular attention to improving performance on road courses.
“I’ve been working really hard on my road course skills over the off-season, so I’m looking forward to putting what I’ve learned to the test this weekend at COTA,” Nemechek said. “I’ve had good results in the Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, but the Cup car has been a challenge for me. We’ve put a lot of effort into improving our road course program over the past couple of months, so I’m excited to see these improvements come to life.” – John Hunter Nemechek, Driver
COTA has been a venue where Nemechek has shown potential in NASCAR’s lower divisions. The upcoming race will be his third Cup start at the Texas road course, with his best finish so far being 21st place in March 2024. He also has two starts and a third-place finish in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, while his Truck Series history includes a runner-up finish at COTA in 2022.
This weekend’s event offers John Hunter Nemechek a valuable opportunity to reset and build momentum in the Cup Series, aiming to convert his road course improvements into stronger finishes and more consistent results. As the season progresses, his performance on tracks like COTA could shape his trajectory and that of the Legacy Motor Club’s ongoing campaign.
