LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
TALLADEGA II PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: YellaWood 500
DATE: October 25, 2026
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series 34 of 36
TRACK: Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway | 2.66-Mile Oval
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT TALLADEGA: John Hunter Nemechek has seven NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega, where he has earned two top-10 finishes. He finished eighth in both races in 2020. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Nemechek has made four starts, including two top-10 finishes in April 2018 and April 2019. In his seven starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he earned one pole award in October 2022 and two top-10 finishes, including a best finish of fourth in October 2021.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“I’m excited for Talladega. We’ve shown speed at superspeedways in the past, so I’m hopeful that will translate into a solid run for us this weekend. We’ve only got a few races left, so I want to bring home a good finish as we begin to close out the season.”
ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES TALLADEGA STATS: Sunday’s YellaWood 500 will mark Erik Jones’ 20th NASCAR Cup Series start at the 2.66-mile, behemoth track of Talladega Superspeedway. In total, he’s earned three top-five and eight top-10 finishes at Talladega. He’s been especially consistent as of late, finishing in the top-10 in seven of his last 11 races while leading a total of 75 laps. He earned a best finish of second in October 2020, where he finished .086 seconds behind race winner Denny Hamlin. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Jones has three starts at Talladega, never qualifying outside the top-10 and securing a best finish of fifth in May 2017, where he led five laps after starting 10th. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the 2015 champion made two starts at Talladega, boasting an average starting position of 4.5 and an average finish of fifth. Jones earned a best finish of fourth in October 2015 and never finished outside of the top-10 in the Truck Series.
ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“I’m excited to get to Talladega. It’s a track where we’ve been really close, have been competitive, and had a shot to win a couple of races. Just haven’t had it work out yet. You have to put yourself in those positions at superspeedways time and time again to finally win a few along the way. I feel like we’ve done that, and hopefully, this is the one where it pays off and everything plays out so we can grab a win this Sunday.”
CLUB NOTES:
JJ AT TALLDEGA: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson has 38 career Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway. He earned two wins, seven top-fives, 13 top-10s, and led 474 laps. He scored back-to-back poles in his first two starts there in both of the 2002 races. His first victory came in May 2006 when Johnson started 16th and led the final lap of the race to beat Tony Stewart by .120 seconds. Johnson won his second race at Talladega in April 2011 after starting second and leading 14 laps. He bested Clint Bowyer by .002 seconds. Johnson has an additional two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Talladega with a best finish of 28th in April 2001.
KENSETH TALLADEGA STATS: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB competition advisor and 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth has run 38 Cup Series races at Talladega. He earned one win, six top-fives, 10 top-10s and led 524 laps at the 2.66-mile, behemoth oval. He won at Talladega in October 2012 after starting 15th and leading 33 laps, beating Jeff Gordon under caution. Kenseth has an additional six starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Talladega. He earned one top-five and three top-10s in his starts with a best finish of fourth in April 1999.
THE KING WINS AT TALLADEGA: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ambassador and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Richard Petty owns 46 Cup Series starts at Talladega. During his legendary career, the NASCAR Hall of Famer collected two wins, 11 top-fives, and 18 top-10s as well as led 273 laps. He scored his first victory in August 1974 when he started third, led 34 laps and bested David Pearson. He followed that up in May 1983 when he started 15th and led a total of 52 laps en route to a victory over Benny Parsons.
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT:
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB opened the doors of its Statesville, North Carolina shop to fans for Day with the CLUB, the team’s fan day, on Thursday, October 8, ahead of the Charlotte race weekend. Fans met and got autographs from Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Erik Jones, Richard Petty, and Dale Inman, shopped for merchandise, watched live pit stops and more. Some fans even camped out overnight to be first in line for autographs.
CLUB APPEARANCES:
John Hunter Nemechek will be at the trackside merchandise trailer for an autograph session on Sunday, October 25 at 8:30 a.m. local time.
TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m. EDT on NBC, MAX, MRN, 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.
