Petty GMS changes name, brand and announces Jimmie Johnson’s new number

INTRODUCING: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

STATESVILLE, North Carolina (Jan. 11, 2023) – NASCAR team owners Maury Gallagher, Jimmie Johnson and team ambassador Richard “The King” Petty announced today the organization will officially change its name from Petty GMS to LEGACY Motor Club moving forward. LEGACY M.C. is home to two full-time NASCAR Cup Series teams featuring rookie Noah Gragson in the No. 42 Chevrolet and Erik Jones in the No. 43 Chevrolet as well as a part-time entry for seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Johnson.

“Just over a year ago, I had the opportunity to acquire Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said Gallagher. “We made great strides throughout the 2022 season – winning the Southern 500 with Erik at Darlington and bringing Noah into the team for 2023. With the addition of Jimmie in an ownership role, we knew change was inevitable with his experience and knowledge. Our goal is to win races, win championships and to represent our partners by performing at the highest level. The new image of LEGACY M.C. is something that will allow us to stand out and foster a team environment that breeds success.”

Johnson unveiled the team’s new name and logo on NBC’s “TODAY” show Wednesday morning in New York City.

“After brainstorming about the new name of our team, Maury and I recognized the opportunity to do something special and different. We felt it was important to have a name (LEGACY) that honored the past and acknowledged the future. The term ‘Motor Club’ is a nod to car clubs of the past. LEGACY M.C. will be an inclusive club for the automobile racing enthusiast. I am excited to be a part of a story so rich in heritage and look forward to creating a new legacy in this sport outside of the racecar.” said Johnson.

“As we were all talking about creating a new name for the team, we looked at Jimmie, myself, and Dale Inman – that’s 22 championships – so there couldn’t be a better name to fit our race team than LEGACY. The “Motor Club” is a perfect fit because we want our fans to pull for the whole team.” remarked Petty.

“When I see the No. 42 & 43 cars, no matter who the driver was, is currently, or could be in the future, I want our fans to remember the Petty history that comes with them, and that history will continue to be made with LEGACY M.C.”

Additionally, Johnson also answered the much-anticipated question of which number he would compete with in 2023. The 83-time NASCAR Cup Series winner will campaign a limited driving schedule in the No. 84 Chevrolet, starting with the DAYTONA 500 on Feb. 19. Johnson will announce the remainder of the races that he is scheduled to compete in at a later date.

“I’m looking forward to a new era in the No. 84 Chevrolet with LEGACY M.C. and getting a shot to drive the new Next Gen car this season,” said Johnson.

The NASCAR Cup Series season will begin in Los Angeles, California at the LA Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, February 5th for the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum. Tune-in to FOX at 8:00 PM ET as LEGACY Motor Club makes its highly-anticipated official on-track debut in the exhibition race ahead of the 65th-annual DAYTONA 500.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY Motor Club is a team that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, owned by Maury Gallagher, Jimmie Johnson, and Team Ambassador, Richard Petty. LEGACY M.C. operates two full-time entries, the No. 42 Chevrolet of Noah Gragson and the No. 43 Chevrolet of Erik Jones. The team also fields a third part-time entry, the No. 84 Chevrolet, for Johnson’s limited racing schedule.

LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing, which fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS Racing in 2012, Gallagher, along with one of the NASCAR garage’s most accomplished figures, Team President, Mike Beam, built a victorious organization, capturing the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships, the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, as well as the 2019 & 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

For the last 75 years, the iconic Petty family name has been synonymous in NASCAR, spanning four generations. Over the course of his driving career, Richard Petty forever enshrined himself as “The King”, earning 200 wins and seven NASCAR Cup Series championships. GMS Racing entered the NASCAR Cup Series in 2021, later acquiring Richard Petty Motorsports to form Petty GMS. The team was rebranded to LEGACY Motor Club in 2023 with the addition of Johnson, another seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, to the ownership structure. As a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for the automobile racing enthusiast, fostering a team environment that will breed success for years to come. LEGACY M.C.’s vision is to honor the rich history of its past and acknowledge future of the sport with some of today’s most iconic drivers.

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