EVENT: All-Star Race
DATE: May 18, 2025
TRACK: North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway | 0.625-mile short track oval
CLUB MINUTES:
JJ IN THE ALL-STAR RACE: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner Jimmie Johnson has a record four wins in the NASCAR All-Star Race, making him the most successful driver in the history of the event. His All-Star Race wins came in 2003, 2006, 2012, and 2013 -all on the 1.5-mile oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
KENSETH IN THE ALL-STAR RACE: LEGACY MC competition advisor Matt Kenseth won the NASCAR All-Star Race in 2004 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He made a race-winning pass on Ryan Newman’s car in the closing laps.
THE KING AT NORTH WILKESBORO: “The King” Richard Petty had a significant and successful history at North Wilkesboro Speedway, winning 15 Cup Series races, a record for the track. The track was a favorite of his, and he considered it almost like a home track. He also recently participated in the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, serving as Co-Grand Marshal.
“LED BY LEGACY” NUMBERS REVEALED: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB today revealed via social media a bold update to its car number aesthetics moving forward, blending modern design with timeless legacy. Beginning at the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, the CLUB’s iconic car numbers will now carry individualized, heritage-inspired color treatments, and shadowing to honor the LEGACY of those who made the numbers famous. Starting this weekend, the No. 42 will honor Lee Petty and the Petty family with a red drop shadow; the No. 43 returns to its legendary “Parts Blue” drop shadow made famous by Richard Petty, and the No. 84 channels its origins through the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 “Neon Yellow” drop shadow which shared tremendous success with Johnson at the helm. The full suite of updated car designs will debut in-person during the All-Star event for the Nos. 42 and 43, and Johnson will race his No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE for this 700th start at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25.
WHAT’S IN A NUMBER ‘COLOR’?: The new stylized number color treatments will be integrated into the LEGACY MC car liveries, team merchandise, and digital branding, while retaining the modern, shaded number font introduced last season, which is a blend of traditional Petty numbers and Johnson’s historic number fonts. The move is designed to reflect the evolution of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB — merging its deep-rooted history with a sharp, forward-looking identity. Branding elements of the CLUB’s cars and digital branding include a 14-degree slant, paying homage to the combination of Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson’s seven championships (7 + 7 = 14).
GOAT RIDE: As announced this morning via the NTT INDYCAR Series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tom Brady, the winningest quarterback in NFL history with seven Super Bowl championships and the lead FOX NFL analyst, will ride in the Fastest Seat in Sports at the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 25, live on FOX. In fitting fashion, the Fastest Seat will be driven by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Jimmie Johnson.
“I love the Indy 500. There is an energy and excitement around the ‘500’ that is unlike anything I have experienced before,” Johnson said. “Certainly, pre-race ceremonies are the ultimate racing experience that I’ve had outside of the car. I’m thrilled to be a part of the program and to see the stands full one more time. I’m extremely honored to come back and do it and to be able to also share this experience with another seven-time champion.”
Coverage of the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge begins at 10 a.m. ET on FOX.
RED ON 42: The No. 42 returns to its earliest roots, donning the deep red that Lee Petty, NASCAR’s first three-time champion and team founder, made iconic in the sport’s earliest decades. Petty was nicknamed “Squirrel” and won 53 of his 54 wins in the No. 42 starting in 1949. Grandson Kyle Petty raced the No. 42 in 286 starts and won six times with that number on the side. Nemechek’s father Joe even piloted the No. 42 for 90 races from 1997-1999 and had his first career win in that number.
PRETTY IN PARTS BLUE: There is no color more synonymous with NASCAR than Petty Blue. Petty wanted his darker blue number to be the drop shadow, a color he refers to as “Parts Blue”. The No. 43 will proudly wear its traditional hue in 2025, now complemented by the updated shaded styling. The No. 43 car has started more races than any other number. Mostly by drivers with the last name Petty but others, including Jones, Bubba Wallace, and John Andretti. The number has started in 2,240 races and has 200 wins, 122 poles, 580 top five, and 854 top 10 finishes.
NEON YELLOW ON 84: Johnson’s legendary career with the No. 48 and its unmistakable neon glow now lives on through the 84. This modern evolution reflects Johnson’s legacy as a seven-time champion — now continuing in a leadership role with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. Winning 83 times, with seven championships and 686 starts with that number, Johnson will honor his past as he makes his 700th career start.
QUOTING JIMMIE JOHNSON: “I see the No. 84 as the bridge between where I’ve been and where we’re going as LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. That neon yellow of the No. 48 is a tribute to all the people who helped me get to where I am today.”
CARVANA RELEASES JJ’s 700th START SCHEME: On Wednesday, longtime partner Carvana an industry pioneer for buying and selling used cars online, today unveiled a special paint scheme for NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 Toyota, commemorating his historic 700th career start at the upcoming Coca-Cola 600, at the very track where he made his first NASCAR Cup Series start in 2001. After a strong third-place finish at the 2025 Daytona 500, Johnson returns to Charlotte Motor Speedway, a venue where he has earned eight Cup Series victories, including four in the prestigious Coca-Cola 600. The design honors Johnson’s storied career with Hendrick Motorsports and now as co-owner and driver with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. This milestone start is commemorated with a dynamic throwback design featuring Johnson’s signature neon yellow numbers, a nod to his championship-winning No. 48, alongside Carvana’s distinctive branding and American flag-inspired stripes for a modern, patriotic look. See HERE for the design. (link to website)
NEVER SETTLE: Join ESPN’s Marty Smith and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner Johnson for their weekly podcast, “Never Settle”. The podcast airs live on SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday and can be downloaded wherever fans source their podcasts. This week’s guest is Tony Kanaan, 2004 INDYCAR Champion, 2013 Indianapolis 500 Champion, 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona overall winner, and current team principal for Arrow McLaren.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 FAMILY DOLLAR TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
TOP-10s: Following last weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway, the No. 42 team and John Hunter Nemechek notched back-to-back top-10 finishes, marking Nemechek’s fourth top-10 of the season. It also marked the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career that he’s earned consecutive top 10 finishes at intermediate tracks.
POINTS: After the 10th race of the 2025 NCS season, Nemechek had dropped to 26th in the driver standings. However, thanks to back-to-back top 10 finishes at Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, he has climbed back up to 19th, now just 24 points shy of the playoff cut line.
NEMECHEK AT NWS: Nemechek cut his teeth at the North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway, where he got some of his first racing experience in an Allison Legacy Racing Series Car. Last year, he returned to the 0.625-mile oval for the first time since those early days of racing. This weekend will mark his third attempt at a NASCAR All-Star Open event to qualify for Sunday’s main event.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:
“I really enjoy the Series returning to our roots—North Wilkesboro is such a unique and historic track. Having grown up racing there in the Allison Legacy Cars, it’s always special to come back to a place where it all started for me.
Our LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team has built up a lot of momentum over the past few weeks, and I’d love nothing more than to deliver a strong qualifying effort in our Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE and earn a spot in the main event on Sunday night.”
TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:
“We have been struggling with our short track package, but it’s a good opportunity to take something to the race track and try to learn something. Obviously, we want to make the All-Star race, but we’re taking two cars and just learning from each other and building for our short track program.
Coming from a short track background, North Wilkesboro is like going home. There are a lot of great cars that we need to beat to make the main race but we’re up for the challenge.”
ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
JONES AT NORTH WILKESBORO: Sunday’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway will mark the series’ third time at the track for the non-points paying at the 0.625-mile oval. When the NASCAR Cup Series first returned to the track in May 2023, Jones was already locked into the main event by virtue of his Southern 500 victory in Sept. 2022. He started the race 21st but finished an impressive eighth in the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE. The following year, Jones had to race his way into the main event via the All-Star Open. Jones qualified 11th for the 100-lap race but fell back to finish 18th. He did not advance to the 2024 All-Star Race.
JONES ON ZIGAZOO: As part of his ongoing initiatives with the Erik jones Foundation, Erik Jones has entered a partnership with Zigazoo, a popular social media app for children, to help spread awareness during the month of Math for Social Media Wellness Month and to further his reach of the #READwithErik program. This month, Zigazoo will be releasing videos on their app with videos from Jones and other celebrities challenging kids to start conversations about healthy online habits. Jones will also release an exclusive #READwithErik on the app this month as part of his partnership. For more information, visit Zigazoo.com.
JONES IN THE OPEN: The Byron, Michigan-native will once again have to race his way into the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. He joins his teammate John Hunter Nemechek and all but 20 full-time NASCAR Cup Series drivers who locked in their spots in this year’s All-Star Open. Since his rookie season in 2017, Jones has qualified for the All-Star Race four times – two of those coming from racing his way into the race via the All-Star Open.
BESHORE AT NORTH WILKESBORO: Beshore only has one race at North Wilkesboro on top of the pit box with the May 2024 NASCAR All-Star Open with John Hunter Nemechek. The team started ninth and finished 14th, not advancing to the All-Star Race.
ERIK JONES QUOTE:
“I think North Wilkesboro has changed so much over the last couple of years that we’ve held the All-Star Race there. Obviously with the repave, that changes the approach, for sure. It’s a tough place with the repave as it changes year by year. It’s super hard to qualify your way in through the Open now. There are obviously a lot of good cars in the Open field every year to challenge you for the win. I hope we can do it though. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve had the chance to run in the All-Star Race, so I’m looking forward to getting up there again just for not just the nostalgic show it puts on but also to have a shot to make it into the big race.”
BEN BESHORE QUOTE:
“For us, the All-Star Open is a shorter race, and we don’t have a ton of time to drive our way through the field. A lot of our emphasis will be on Friday’s qualifying session and getting a good starting position in order to protect that and race our way into the All-Star Race. It’s a unique style of track with the repave and it being a short track. It’s also an opportunity for us to learn about our short track program in a non-points race. We can be a bit more experimental with our cars to hopefully learn more about our short track program for future races.”
CLUB APPEARANCES:
On race day, Nemechek will visit the NASCAR Classics merchandise hauler and connect with fans and sign some autographs. The appearance on Sunday will start at 3:30 p.m.
TUNE IN:
Practice and qualifying for the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway will take place on Friday, May 16 beginning at 4 p.m. ET with coverage on Fox Sports 2, MRN Radio and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Ch. 90. Coverage for the main All-Star events will take place on Fox Sports 1, MRN Radio and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Ch. 90 on Sunday, May 18th starting at 5 pm ET. The two heat races are 75 laps each. The All-Star Open is scheduled for 100 laps, 62.5 miles; the main All-Star Race will follow and will be 250-laps, 156.25-miles.
ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-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 Gazoo 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. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 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.
