Tuesday, November 5, 2024
HomeCup Series2023 Season in Review: Legacy Motor Club

2023 Season in Review: Legacy Motor Club

Driver: Erik Jones

Legacy Motor Club Logo
(courtesy of Jayski & Legacy Motor Club)

#43 Allegiant Chevrolet

Crew Chief: Dave Elenz

Engines: Earnhardt-Childress

2023 Season Grade: C+

(courtesy of Jayski & Legacy Motor Club)

Erik Jones entered the 2023 season hoping to improve upon an impressive 2022 campaign. Both Jones and crew chief Dave Elenz signed multi-year extensions, while 7-time champion Jimmie Johnson became a co-owner of the team now known as Legacy Motor Club. Funding would also be a large bookmark on 2023, as the team struggled to find sponsorship.

Noticeably missing when the #43 team arrived in Daytona, is the disappearance of 2022 sponsor FOCUSfactor, replaced mainly with Allegiant Travel. Rocking a GUNS ‘N ROSES paint scheme for the 2023 Daytona 500, Jones had rough start to year, finishing 37th. 

Guns ‘N Roses on the 43 at Daytona (courtesy of Jayski & Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Following Daytona, the 43 crew and Jones struggled to recapture that magic from the previous season, finishing mid-pack the next few races until an 8th place finish in Atlanta. The up and down finishes would continue throughout the season, killing any chance of serious momentum for the 43 team. There were some hints of progress though, which include top 10 runs in Talladega, Nashville, and Pocono. These were also followed by a strong top 5 run in Kansas late in the season. The mid-pack season for Jones would end with a 27th place points finish, one top 5, seven top 10 finishes, and an average finish of 20.4.

2024 Outlook: Having already announced that Legacy Motor Club will be switching to Toyota for 2024, change is on the horizon for Jones yet again. A former Toyota driver in his own right, Jones will be somewhat familiar with the manufacturer. With the smaller Toyota camp and increased support, Jones could return to 2022 form. Look for the 43 to run strong at larger tracks, as well as Darlington where Jones runs well and won with the 43 team in 2022. One last added wrinkle of 2024 is a redesigned Toyota Camry currently testing.

The team has also recently announced Advent Health has been signed to a 6-race sponsorship deal on the 43 car, including the Daytona 500.

The 2024 Advent Health scheme and new Toyota (courtesy of Reddit)

2023 Results by Track:

 

TRACK

ST

FIN

LAPS

STATUS

1

Daytona

25

37

118/212

Accident

2

Fontana

34

19

200/200

Running

3

Las Vegas

22

19

270/271

Accident

4

Phoenix

10

21

317/317

Running

5

Atlanta

28

8

260/260

Running

6

COTA

8

23

75/75

Running

7

Richmond

22

31

398/400

Running

8

Bristol (Dirt)

18

14

250/250

Running

9

Martinsville

28

31

398/400

Running

10

Talladega

24

6

196/196

Running

11

Dover

11

16

399/400

Running

12

Kansas

19

21

267/267

Running

13

Darlington

28

25

293/295

Running

14

Charlotte

26

32

341/400

Running

15

Gateway

31

18

243/243

Running

16

Sonoma

28

32

109/110

Running

17

Nashville

23

8

300/300

Running

18

Chicago

21

16

78/78

Running

19

Atlanta

25

11

185/185

Running

20

Loudon

30

11

301/301

Running

21

Pocono

24

9

160/160

Running

22

Richmond

27

23

399/400

Running

23

Michigan

25

10

200/200

Running

24

Indianapolis GP

36

35

81/82

Running

25

Watkins Glen

31

29

90/90

Running

26

Daytona

24

18

163/163

Running

27

Darlington

20

10

367/367

Running

28

Kansas

19

3

268/268

Running

29

Bristol

31

24

497/500

Running

30

Texas

12

30

255/267

Accident

31

Talladega

26

26

188/188

Running

32

Charlotte ROVAL

23

36

79/109

Accident

33

Las Vegas

23

28

266/267

Running

34

Homestead

19

14

267/267

Running

35

Martinsville

29

21

499/500

Running

36

Phoenix

7

20

312/312

Running

========================================================

#42 Sunseeker Resorts Chevrolet

Driver(s): Noah Gragson, Grant Enfinger, Mike Rockenfeller, Josh Berry, John Hunter Nemechek, and Carson Hocevar

Crew Chief: Luke Lambert

2023 Season Grade: C

(courtesy of Jayski and Jeff Curry/Getty Images)

As dramatic as 2023 was for the #43 team, LMC’s #42 Chevrolet had an even more eventful season. Signing Cup new-comer Noah Gragson, as well as his crew chief Luke Lambert. The #42 team had high hopes after rebuilding from a lackluster 2022 campaign. Attempting to carry the momentum from duo’s Xfinity Series run, the team quickly found the Cup Series is a different animal. Much like the 43 team, the 42 team also struggled to find funding for the season as well.

Gragson started the season decently with finishes of 24th and 22nd in Daytona and California. Similar to their sister #43 team, Gragson and Lambert struggled to gain momentum throughout the season though, not finishing better than 12th once. Gragson was also a bit of an incident magnet during the season. Gateway was the most vicious accident, causing Gragson to have to sit out Sonoma due to concussion-like symptoms. 

GMS Truck Series driver Grant Enfinger got behind the wheel of the 42 in Sonoma, finishing 26th. Gragson returned to the seat of the 42 in Nashville, but the team continued to struggle heading into Richmond where they would finish 28th. During the week between Richmond and Michigan, Gragson made some personal mistakes that led to an indefinite suspension, at the time. Forced to fill the seat for the remainder of the schedule, the team used a mix of Josh Berry, Mike Rockenfeller (for road courses), John Hunter Nemechek, and Truck Series driver Carson Hocevar. 

  • Josh Berry: Tapped as the “super sub” for 2023, JR Motorsports’ Berry made 2 of his 10 Cup Series starts in 2023 with the team. Berry would finish 34th in Michigan, while coming home in 22nd at Daytona.
  • Mike Rockenfeller: Sports car driver Rockenfeller returned in 2023, running 3 road course races in the #42, with a best finish of 19th in Watkins Glen.
  • Carson Hocevar: Hocevar, making his Cup Series debut in 2023, made 8 of his 9 starts with LMC. Hocevar was relatively impressive considering the lack of Cup experience he had, scoring three top 20 finishes. 
  • John Hunter Nemechek: In a one race deal between Toyota, Chevrolet, Legacy and Joe Gibbs Racing, 2024 #42 driver John Hunter Nemechek jumped into the car in Phoenix. Nemechek would qualify 24th and finish 32nd (due to an accident).

2024 Outlook: As mentioned above, JGR Xfinity driver John Hunter Nemechek will be taking the wheel of the 42 car, as the team switches to Toyotas. Nemechek, who has 40 Cup Series starts dating back to 2019, will have JGR crew chief Ben Beshore with him as well.

The jury is still out as to how the team will perform with all these changes, but expect Nemechek to make the most of his Cup return. A solid top 20 points finish should be an attainable goal, but only time will tell. Nemechek has only one full-time Cup season under his belt in 2020, with three top 10 finishes driving for Front Row Motorsports.

2023 Results by Track

RACE

TRACK

DRIVER

ST

FIN

LAPS

STATUS

1

Daytona

Noah Gragson

22

24

210/212

Running

2

Fontana

Noah Gragson

20

22

199/200

Running

3

Las Vegas

Noah Gragson

25

30

269/271

Running

4

Phoenix

Noah Gragson

32

29

316/317

Running

5

Atlanta

Noah Gragson

22

12

260/260

Running

6

COTA

Noah Gragson

10

20

75/75

Running

7

Richmond

Noah Gragson

23

37

303/400

Accident

8

Bristol (Dirt)

Noah Gragson

36

33

205/250

Running

9

Martinsville

Noah Gragson

29

30

398/400

Running

10

Talladega

Noah Gragson

30

32

188/196

Accident

11

Dover

Noah Gragson

33

34

43/400

DVP

12

Kansas

Noah Gragson

22

29

262/267

Running

13

Darlington

Noah Gragson

29

26

293/295

Running

14

Charlotte

Noah Gragson

28

36

117/400

Engine

15

Gateway

Noah Gragson

32

33

197/243

Accident

16

Sonoma

Grant Enfinger

35

26

110/110

Running

17

Nashville

Noah Gragson

30

26

299/300

Running

18

Chicago

Noah Gragson

23

25

78/78

Running

19

Atlanta

Noah Gragson

31

33

174/185

Running

20

Loudon

Noah Gragson

29

32

268/301

Accident

21

Pocono

Noah Gragson

32

22

160/160

Running

22

Richmond

Noah Gragson

12

28

398/400

Running

23

Michigan

Josh Berry

35

34

50/200

Accident

24

Indianapolis GP

Mike Rockenfeller

37

24

81/82

Running

25

Watkins Glen

Mike Rockenfeller

21

19

90/90

Running

26

Daytona

Josh Berry

29

22

163/163

Running

27

Darlington

Carson Hocevar

15

17

367/367

Running

28

Kansas

Carson Hocevar

21

20

268/268

Running

29

Bristol

Carson Hocevar

16

11

499/500

Running

30

Texas

Carson Hocevar

19

16

267/267

Running

31

Talladega

Carson Hocevar

38

35

161/188

Accident

32

Charlotte ROVAL

Mike Rockenfeller

26

29

109/109

Running

33

Las Vegas

Carson Hocevar

25

36

110/267

Accident

34

Homestead

John H. Nemechek

24

32

218/267

Accident

35

Martinsville

Carson Hocevar

32

31

496/500

Running

36

Phoenix

Carson Hocevar

22

19

312/312

Running

========================================================

#84 Carvana / Wyndham Rewards Chevrolet (Part-Time)

Crew Chief: Todd Gordon

2023 Season Grade: D

(courtesy of Jayski and Joel Bray)

 7-time champion Jimmie Johnson returned to NASCAR in 2023 after struggling to find success in IndyCar with Chip Ganassi. Now running a third #84 Chevrolet on a part-time basis in addition to being co-owner, Johnson’s 4-race schedule did yield the results that were expected.

Johnson’s return in 2023 began with the Daytona 500. Wheeling his #84 entry with former IndyCar sponsor Carvana on board, Johnson would qualify 39th and finish 31st. The next race on the schedule was COTA, where the #84 would come home 38th. This was followed by a 37th place finish in Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, a track where Johnson has had tremendous success previously.

Johnson’s last race of the season, the Chicago street race was abruptly cut short due to a family issue, and with the team withdrawing for the final planned race of the season. 

2024 Outlook: Johnson is again expected to run a partial schedule of at least 3 races in the new season, with Advent Health also joining the #84 Toyota. Again, the wildcard is the switch to Toyotas as Johnson has driven Chevrolets the entirety of his NASCAR career thus far. With Johnson also a co-owner, expect Toyota to be heavily involved in bolstering the team’s performance in their limited starts.

2023 Results by Track

RACE

TRACK

ST

FIN

LAPS

STATUS

1

Daytona

39

31

203/212

Accident

6

COTA

31

38

0/75

DVP

14

Charlotte

37

37

115/400

Accident

18

Chicago

 

 

 

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