STATESVILLE, N.C. (JANUARY 25, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB today announced 2011 DAYTONA 500 champion Trevor Bayne will join the Club as a Driver Optimization Leader for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Bayne is a NASCAR veteran widely recognized for winning the 2011 DAYTONA 500 in the iconic No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing and for his work as an analyst at FOX Sports. Working closely alongside LEGACY M.C.’s competition advisor, Matt Kenseth, Bayne’s role will focus primarily on the race preparation of drivers John Hunter Nemechek, Erik Jones, and Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson.
“I’m super humbled that Jimmie (Johnson), Joey (Cohen), Matt (Kenseth) and our drivers are trusting me with their preparation process this year. Preparation is one of the biggest keys in motorsports, and with so much data that is available to the drivers, it’s my job to translate the most important parts to them and work with them to make sure they are ready to go in all aspects come race weekend. Jimmie, Matt and I built a great relationship through road biking and training together over the years. We all share a common mentality that drivers can all become even better at their craft if they are willing to put in the work -whether that be in fitness, studying, or leading their teams. Relying on raw ability at this level isn’t enough. It’s funny, because when I was a driver everything felt like it was being built around me, so as I make this transition, I’m looking forward to building up others and helping them make the most of their careers. Very few teams have in house programs like this so I’m excited to build this from a blank slate alongside our leaders and drivers.” said Bayne.
Additionally, as announced via social media this week, Truck Series standout Corey Heim will serve as a “reserve driver” for both 23XI Racing and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB throughout the 2024 season. In addition to competing for a Truck Series championship with TRICON Garage this year along with several starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Sam Hunt Racing, five-time Truck Series winner and nine-time ARCA Series winner Heim will work closely with LEGACY M.C.’s crew chiefs and Toyota Racing Development as a simulation driver. In 2023, Heim clinched the Truck Series regular season championship and ultimately finished third in Truck Series points.
“This is a big opportunity, and I can’t thank everyone at LEGACY M.C. and Toyota for believing in me. The access to information and the extra sim time as I continue to grow in my career is extremely valuable. I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible from the drivers and Club members at the track.” said Heim.
Joey Cohen, Vice President of Racing Operations, is anticipating a successful season for the Club as it takes to the track under the Toyota banner and believes Heim and Bayne will be a huge component to that success.
“With the parity of the race vehicles, NASCAR NextGen competition has placed a huge emphasis on the driver and their abilities to extract performance. Corey and Trevor are critical components to ensure our drivers have the best data and tools to execute and deliver results at the racetrack for LEGACY M.C. Toyota Racing also provides excellent resources to support this program and we are excited to see the results it can produce this season,” said Cohen.
The NASCAR Cup Series will hold its first event of the year, The Clash, this Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The series will pause a week for Superbowl LVII and resume its regular season with the opening event – the 66th running of the DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, Feb. 18th. For more information and news throughout the season, visit www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (NCS) Jimmie Johnson. The club competes full-time in the NCS fielding the Nos. 42 and 43 Toyota Camry XSE entries, respectively, along with the No. 84 part-time entry for Johnson. Richard Petty “The King” serves as Club Ambassador.
In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ (LEGACY M.C.). With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level.
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