LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
LAS VEGAS II PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: South Point 400
DATE: October 4, 2026
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 31 of 36
TRACK: Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 1.5-Mile Oval
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT LAS VEGAS: John Hunter Nemechek has seven NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas, with his highest finish at the track of ninth coming in October 2024. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Nemechek has made seven starts, including one race win in March 2024. He has only finished outside the top-10 twice at Las Vegas in the series. In his 10 starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he earned two pole awards and a race win in March 2021.
WINNER AT LAS VEGAS: Nemechek won the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Las Vegas in March 2024, where he led 99 laps and won with a margin of victory of 4.36 seconds over Cole Custer. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he took home the checkered flag in March 2021 where he led 94 of 134 laps and won with a margin of victory of 0.686 seconds over Kyle Busch.
HONORING TROOPER PHILIPS: Kentucky State Police Trooper Hayden Phillips was killed in the line of duty on Monday, Sept. 28, during a traffic stop in Warren County, Kentucky. In honor of his service and sacrifice, Nemechek will carry Phillips’ name above the driver-side door of the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE, along with a commemorative decal honoring his life and dedication to protecting others.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“We were able to find some long-run speed with our intermediate package in Kansas, so I’m hoping that will translate as we head into Vegas. This one should be a good one for us, and I’m excited to have a strong run this weekend.”
ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES LAS VEGAS STATS: Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will mark Erik Jones’ 19th NASCAR Cup Series start at the 1.5-mile oval in the desert. Through these starts, he’s collected four top-10 finishes with a best result of eighth, earned three-times in his career. The first came in March 2018 after starting ninth. He followed that up with another eighth-place finish in September 2020 when he started 13th. Finally, he finished eighth in October 2022 after starting 22nd. Additionally, Jones has four starts outside of the Cup Series at Las Vegas – two in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and two in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He earned a best finish of third in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in March 2016 after starting second. Jones never finished outside the top-10 at Las Vegas in the Truck Series with a win in September 2014 and a ninth-place finish in October 2015.
TRUCK SERIES WINNER AT LAS VEGAS: Jones is a winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in his NASCAR career. In September 2014 when Jones was running a part-time schedule in the Craftsman Truck Series, he started 13th in the No. 51 Truck for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He led twice for 19 laps in the race, first leading for five laps on Lap 27 before taking the lead for the final time on Lap 133. He bested runner-up Bubba Wallace by 1.329 seconds to earn his second of three victories in a season where he ran just 12 races.
WINDOW OF HOPE STEPS UP: Despite some conflicts with the manufacturer of the iconic pink window nets, Jones and the Erik Jones Foundation pivoted for the 2026 season to continue their efforts to raise money for Breast Cancer research. The Foundation asked drivers from all three National Series to help donate an autographed pair of race shoes to go up for auction at the end of October. The money raised from this auction will be donated to several organizations to support breast cancer research. More information to come.
CONTRACT EXTENSION: Last Sunday at Kansas Speedway, Jones announced a multi-year contract extension with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB to keep him in the famous No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE for years to come. As a cornerstone of the team, Jones will welcome two new teammates as LEGACY MOTOR CLUB continues to grow and improve in an expansion era. In addition, he will continue to work with Crew Chief Justin Alexander who joined the No. 43 team prior to the 2026 season.
ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“I’m excited to get to another intermediate track. These have really been our strength this year so hopefully this series of them can help us get back on track. We’ve had some bad luck over the past few weeks – getting involved in situations that weren’t of our own doing. With six races to go in the season, we want to end on a strong note to help us as we prepare for 2027. I’m confident that the No. 43 team can do just that starting this weekend at Vegas.”
CLUB NOTES:
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB AT VEGAS: Since 2023, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has competed in five races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with five drivers: Erik Jones, John Hunter Nemechek, Jimmie Johnson, Carson Hocevar and Noah Gragson. The team’s best starting position was 20th, achieved by Nemechek in March, while its best finish also came from Nemechek, who secured ninth place in the October 2024 race.
JJ AT LAS VEGAS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson has an impressive record at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He owns 23 Cup Series starts at the track that have resulted in four wins, seven top-fives, and 10 top-10s as well as 595 laps led. Johnson won three back-to-back races at Las Vegas in March 2005, March 2006, and March 2007. In 2005, he started ninth, led 107 laps, and bested Las Vegas native Kyle Busch by 1.661 seconds. Johnson followed that up in 2006 when he started third, led the final lap of the race, and bested Matt Kenseth by .045 of a second. He returned once again in 2007 where he started 23rd and bested Jeff Gordon by 2.795 seconds after leading 89 laps. Johnson’s final win in the Cup Series at Las Vegas came in March 2010. He started 20th, led 18 laps and bested runner-up Kevin Harvick by 1.874 seconds. He has two additional starts at Las Vegas in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with a best finish of 14th in March 2001.
KENSETH LAS VEGAS STATS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB competition advisor and 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth owns 19 Cup Series starts at Las Vegas. In these starts, he’s collected three victories, six top-fives, and 10 top-10s in addition to 526 laps led. He scored his first win in March 2003 when he started 17th, led 88 laps, and bested Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 9.104 seconds. He followed that up the next year in March 2004 when he started 25th, led 123 laps, and beat Kasey Kahne by 3.426 seconds. Kenseth’s final win at Las Vegas came in March 2013. He started 18th, led 42 laps, and bested Kahne once again by .594 of a second. Kenseth has an additional 10 starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Las Vegas where he earned a best result of second from the pole in March 2006.
DAY WITH THE CLUB: Join LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Thursday, October 8 at the shop in Statesville, N.C. to help celebrate the 2027 season and prepare for the race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Stay tuned for more details and a schedule for the day.
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT:
Between laps around the speedway, Jimmie Johnson and Carrie Joy talk about money, opportunity, and the work being done to help everyday Americans better understand and take control of their finances. It is a unique mix of high-speed action and meaningful conversation as Jimmie shares the experience of NASCAR racing while discussing the importance of financial empowerment.
CLUB APPEARANCES:
John Hunter Nemechek will visit the Dollar Tree Display in the fan zone on Saturday, October 3 at 11 a.m. local time, and then the trackside merchandise trailer at 11:30 a.m. local time for an autograph session. On Sunday, October 4, he will stop by the NASCAR Kids Zone for an autograph session at 11 a.m. local time.
Erik Jones will visit the NASCAR Kids Zone on Saturday, October 3 at 11:45 a.m. local time for an autograph session before heading to the Cracker Barrel stage and Dollar Tree display at 12:05 p.m. local time for a Q&A and autograph session.
TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, October 4 at 5:30 p.m. EDT on USA Sports, HBO MAX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. The No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE driven by Riley Herbst will debut full time in the 2027 season, while Johnson will make his final NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2027 DAYTONA 500 in the No. 48 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.
