Eliason to assume crew chief responsibility for the remainder of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season and will lead No. 42 team in 2027 with Josh Berry at the wheel.
STATESVILLE, N.C. (September 17, 2026) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB announced today that Chais Eliason has been promoted to crew chief of the No. 42 NASCAR Cup Series team, beginning with the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 19. Eliason, who has served as strategy manager and senior performance engineer on the No. 42, will lead the team alongside John Hunter Nemechek for the final eight races of the 2026 season and continue as crew chief of the No. 42 team when Josh Berry joins LEGACY MOTOR CLUB in 2027.
Eliason brings more than a decade of race engineering and shock development experience to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. A Michigan Technological University graduate, Eliason grew up in a racing family in Duluth, Minn., and began building his technical foundation working on dirt-track cars before joining Hendrick Motorsports as an intern in 2012. During his time at Hendrick, Eliason contributed to Jimmie Johnson’s 2016 NASCAR Cup Series championship and Kyle Larson’s 2021 championship season before becoming lead engineer for the No. 48 team. He later held engineering roles with Trackhouse Racing. In 2025, Eliason served as interim crew chief for Shane van Gisbergen at Kansas Speedway, helping the team overcome an opening-lap penalty en route to van Gisbergen’s first Cup Series top-10 finish on an oval.
This promotion is the culmination of a goal Eliason has spent his career working toward and aligns with LEGACY’s ongoing commitment to developing talent from within and intentionally building for the organization’s future.
“Promoting from within and giving our people the opportunity to grow is central to how we’re building LEGACY,” said Jimmie Johnson, co-owner of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. “Chais has shown throughout this season that he’s ready for this. We’re looking forward to seeing what he and the No. 42 team can accomplish over these final eight races and into 2027.”
“Chais has done everything we’ve asked of him and more,” said Jacob Canter, SVP, Sporting Director of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. “He knows this team, he knows these people, and he knows what it takes to compete at this level. This is his moment and we’re confident he’s ready for it.”
“I’m grateful to LEGACY for the opportunity to take this next step in my career,” said Eliason. “I’ve learned a lot working with this group throughout the season, and I’m looking forward to putting that experience to work as we finish out 2026 with John Hunter and begin preparing for 2027. We have a strong group of people around this team, and I’m excited to lead them through the remainder of the season.”
Travis Mack will depart as crew chief of the No. 42 team. Mack has played an important role in building the people and culture of the No. 42 team during his time with LEGACY.
“We’re thankful to Travis for his many contributions to LEGACY and the No. 42 team,” said Johnson. “He has played a pivotal role in this organization and helping the CLUB during an important period of growth. We appreciate the foundation for excellence that he has helped build at LEGACY and wish him continued success in his next endeavor.”
As LEGACY MOTOR CLUB continues to build for the future, the organization is excited about the progress in building out the No. 84 team for its first full-season campaign in 2027. LEGACY will announce the complete 2027 lineup for the No. 84 team in the coming weeks.
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.
