After three years of driving the number 42 car for Legacy Motor Club, John Hunter Nemechek will not return to the car next season.
In an up and down career at LMC, Nemechek has finished in the top 10 just 14 times with no wins.
Earlier this year LMC announced that they would be moving to a three car team in 2027.
Nemechek was just 16 when he began driving in the Craftsman Truck Series; racing for his father’s (“Front Row” Joe Nemechek). He later moved to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (then the Xfinity Series) in 2019 before moving on to the Cup Series in 2020.
He returned to the Truck Series in 2021 and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2022 before moving back to the Cup Series in 2024.
Nemechek has a total of eleven wins in the O’Reilly Series and 13 wins in the Truck Series.
Legacy Motor Club has announced that Riley Herbst will move over from 23XI Racing to drive the number 84 car next season.
Earlier in the year, 23XI announced that Herbst would not be returning to the number 35 car next season.
Speaking on driving for Legacy Motor Club Herbst said, “it was awesome to team up with a childhood hero. My dad always used to tell me that he grew up with Jimmie, knew Jimmie – I didn’t believe him. This is when Jimmie was on a streak of five in a row and dominating.”
He added, “I love Jimmie, but this red badge on my arm was probably case number one of why Legacy was the right option. The investment that Tyler [Gibbs, group vice president and president of Toyota Racing Development] and Jack [Irving, TRD general manager] and everybody at Toyota USA puts into NASCAR and motorsports is second to none, and I think Jimmie would back that up. I’m just excited to stay with the Toyota family and continue to grow with that manufacturer and hopefully take Legacy to the next step within the Toyota camp.”
Jimmie Johnson spoke on Herbst saying “he’s the perfect fit for us, and he’s the future of Legacy. Troy, he’s been so kind, offering me a chance to race a [off-road] truck the last couple of years, and it came together in March. As we worked through that incredible opportunity, this started to heat up in this opportunity. There’s a certain discipline that you learn on the dirt and driving those vehicles that I really feel like gives you a huge advantage in a Cup car, and I was able to exploit that. And then you take the work ethic and commitment this young man has, his dedication and focus to being the best driver he can be.”
He added, “Riley is an up-and-coming driver in the sport. There’s a lot of legacies that built it, but we’re hopeful we’re just dropping seeds and watering that soil for all these legacies to grow out in front of us.”
Herbst spent five seasons in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series before moving up to the Cup Series and 23XI Racing.
“I just gained so much knowledge throughout 38 races the first year, and then this year, I felt like our pace has been way better,” Herbst explained. “I feel like this year, we’ve turned the page, and we’ve really progressed with pace and speed and finishes. I’m very grateful to have really good teammates in Bubba and Tyler that have taught me how to prepare, and be able to go to what, [64]-time winner in Denny to ask questions.”
He continued, “ but all that has to do with great people, and I mean that wholeheartedly, and to have a really good ownership that I know will be seamlessly for my transition over to Legacy.”
Sponsor Monster Energy will follow Herbst to LMC.
Current driver of the number 42 car John Hunter Nemechek will not be returning to LMC and the team has yet to name the new driver.