LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:
SOUTHERN 500 PRE-RACE ADVANCE
EVENT: Cook Out Southern 500
DATE: September 6, 2026
Race: NASCAR Cup Series 27 of 36
TRACK: Darlington (S.C.) Raceway | 1.366-Mile Oval
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JHN AT DARLINGTON: John Hunter Nemechek has eight starts at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series. He earned his highest finish of fourth in last year’s Southern 500. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he has six starts at Darlington, earning three top-five finishes and two poles, earned in May 2023 and September 2023. He also earned his highest finish of third in the May 2023 race. Nemechek also has three starts at Darlington in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, where he won in May 2022, earned two poles in May 2021 and 2022, and never finished lower than eighth, including two top-two finishes. This weekend will also mark Nemechek’s 100th NASCAR Cup Series start in a Toyota Camry XSE.
TRUCK SERIES WINNER AT DARLINGTON: In May 2022, Nemechek took home the checkered flag in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race after starting on the pole. He led 69 out of 147 laps and won with a .552 margin of victory over Carson Hocevar. Nemechek was running a fulltime season in the Truck Series in 2022, and Darlington marked his first of two wins that season.
DEPUTY NEMECHEK: Prior to last year’s Southern 500, Nemechek visited the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office to meet with local first responders and gain insight into their service to the community. The following evening, Deputy Devan Mason was killed in the line of duty while responding to a call in Darlington. His sacrifice serves as a powerful reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face each day to protect and serve their communities.
As Nemechek continues to build his relationship with the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, the department will recognize him as an honorary Sheriff’s Deputy for Darlington County on Sunday, September 6. Nemechek will be recognized during a small ceremony in Victory Lane, where he will receive his honorary badge and be formally welcomed as a member of the department.
T-MACK AT DARLINGTON: Sunday evening’s race will be crew chief Travis Mack’s 12th NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington. His first outing at the 1.366-mile oval came in May 2021 with Daniel Suárez, and the duo competed for six total races between 2021 and 2023. Mack’s highest finish of fourth came with John Hunter Nemechek in the pair’s second Darlington race together in August 2025. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Mack made four starts at Darlington with Michael Annett between 2018 and 2020, earning two top-10 finishes and a best result of eighth in September 2020.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“This race was a really good one for us at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB last year. I always enjoy Darlington, especially with managing tire wear and adapting to the shift in track temperature as the sun goes down. Being able to go race at Darlington is super special, especially in a crown jewel race like the Southern 500.”
TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“Darlington has been good to us. Missed it a little bit in the spring with the new package, but I feel better going back there a second time. We got a good baseline there in March and learned a lot that we can apply to Sunday evening.”
ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
THAT JONES BOY AT DARLINGTON: Sunday evening’s Cook Out Southern 500 will mark Erik Jones’ 18th NASCAR Cup Series start at historic Darlington (S.C.) Raceway. Jones made a name for himself at the 1.366-mile oval where he owns two Southern 500 victories, six top-fives, and 10 top-10s. He has led 132 laps in his career at Darlington, the second-most of any track in his career behind his 293 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Between his first start in the 2017 Southern 500 and the 2020 Southern 500, Jones never finished worse than eighth in the Cup Series. He has an additional two starts at Darlington in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series where he never started worse than sixth. In his first start there in September 2016, Jones started 10th and finished an impressive sixth. He followed that up in September 2017 when he started 11th and earned a fourth-place result.
TWO-TIME SOUTHERN 500 WINNER: Jones is not only a winner at Darlington, but a two-time Southern 500 winner. The crown jewel race has been kind to the Byron, Michigan native in his career. His first Southern 500 victory came in September 2019. Jones started 15th and led 79 laps en route to a 4.058 second victory over Kyle Larson. After a couple of top 10s, Jones found victory lane at Darlington once again in the September 2022 Southern 500. He once again started 15th and led a total of 23 laps to find victory lane with a .252-second margin of victory over Denny Hamlin.
ALEXANDER AT DARLINGTON: Sunday’s Southern 500 at Darlington will mark Justin Alexander’s 15th race on top of the box in the NASCAR Cup Series at the 1.366-mile track. In his prior 14 starts, he earned two top-fives and four top-10s at the track. His best finish of second came in the 2020 Southern 500 with Austin Dillon, where the duo finished just .434 seconds behind race winner Kevin Harvick.
ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“I think we’re all looking forward to Darlington. It’s historically been a great track for myself and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB the past couple of years. Both cars had a strong run in the Southern 500 last year and we were able to contend up front and contend for the win. We’re all hoping for a great run and to get some momentum rolling. Things just haven’t quite gone our way. We’ve gotten caught up in a lot of other people’s messes – things out of our control. Hopefully, we can get our momentum rolling and get back on track to have a great run at Darlington and hopefully challenge for another Southern 500 win.”
JUSTIN ALEXANDER QUOTE:
“Can’t wait to get to Darlington this weekend. The Southern 500 is a race we look forward to every year with Erik behind the wheel. It’s a tough race that starts in the day and ends at night, and the track changes so much throughout the race. You have to stay on top of the balance, and with the high tire falloff, the driver has to manage the tires all night. Erik knows how to get to victory lane in this race, and we plan on being there Sunday night when the checkered flag waves.”
CLUB NOTES:
JJ – TWO-TIME SOUTHERN 500 CHAMP: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson has 24 Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway. In his career, Johnson is a two-time Southern 500 champion and a three-time winner at Darlington. He has earned nine top-fives and 13 top-10s at the track nicknamed “The Lady in Black” as well as led 563 laps. His first win at Darlington came in March 2004 when Johnson started 11th and led 69 laps en route to a .132-second margin of victory over Bobby Labonte. He followed that up in the November 2004 Southern 500 when he started fourth, led 124 laps, and bested Mark Martin by .959 seconds. His final win at Darlington came in the 2012 Southern 500 when he started second, led 134 laps, and beat Denny Hamlin by .781 seconds.
KENSETH WINS AT DARLINGTON: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB competition advisor and 2003 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Matt Kenseth owns 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway. He earned one win, three top-fives, and 13 top-10s in these starts and led 193 laps. Kenseth is also a Southern 500 winner. A year after Johnson’s win in 2012, Kenseth started seventh and led 17 laps en route to a 3.155-second margin of victory over Denny Hamlin.
THE KING AT DARLINGTON: Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB ambassador Richard Petty owns 65 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Darlington Raceway and is also a Southern 500 champion. In total, he accumulated three wins, 25 top-fives, and 34 top-10s at Darlington. He also led 2,391 laps at the 1.366-mile oval. His first victory came in April 1966 where Petty started on the pole and led 281 of 291 laps to find victory lane. He found victory lane again in May 1967 when he started second behind David Pearson and led 266 laps to win his second race at the track. His final win came in the September 1967 Southern 500 where Petty once again started on the pole and led a total of 345 laps to best David Pearson once again.
LAST YEAR’S SOUTHERN 500: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB had a strong outing last September at Darlington Raceway that the team is hoping to build off of this time around. Jones and Nemechek finish third and fourth respectively in the 2025 Southern 500. Jones start the Southern 500 in 19th and earned stage points with a third-place finish in Stage 2. In the final stage, he ran solidly inside the top-10 to earn his best finish of the 2025 season. Nemechek start 30th but made moves early in the race. The No. 42 team used strategy to earn stage points in both of the opening stages and bring home a fourth-place finish.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB: On Thursday, September 3, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB announced Riley Herbst as the driver of the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE for 2027 and beyond in a multi-year deal. 2027 will mark Herbst’s third fulltime season in the NASCAR Cup Series. In addition, Herbst is bringing along his longtime partner Monster Energy to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB to serve as his primary for a majority of the year.
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT:
Hear directly from Riley Herbst and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB owner Jimmie Johnson on the new partnership, the road ahead, and what fans can expect from the No. 84 team.
CLUB APPEARANCES:
John Hunter Nemechek will visit the trackside merchandise hauler in the fan zone on Saturday, September 5 at 2 p.m. local time for an autograph session.
TUNE IN:
Fans can tune in to watch the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, September 6 at 5 p.m. EDT on USA Sports, HBO 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.
