RACE PREVIEW
EVENT: Ambetter Health 400
DATE: February 23, 2025
RACE: NASCAR Cup Series / Race 2 of 36
TRACK: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga. / 1.54-mile quad-oval intermediate speedway
CLUB MINUTES
BEST LEGACY RESULT: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB had a standout performance this past weekend in the DAYTONA 500 with all three entries— Jones (12th), Nemechek (fifth), and co-owner Jimmie Johnson (third) —finishing 12th or better. Johnson’s third-place finish tied the CLUB’s best result, previously set by Jones at Kansas in fall 2023, and marked the first time multiple CLUB entries finished in the top five in the same race.
2024 ATLANTA RECAP: In 2024, Atlanta Motor Speedway was the second race of the season. On Lap 2 of the race, the No. 42 of John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 43 of Erik Jones, along with several others, were collected in ‘The Big One’ that resulted in damage to both of the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries. Both drivers managed to continue after the accident but fell out of contention early. Nemechek finished in 21st and 25th for Jones.
During the fall Atlanta race in 2024, Nemechek started 35th and was collected in a late-race incident on Lap 176, causing heavy front-end damage and resulting in a 33rd-place finish. Despite battling a tight-handling car and steering issues early on, the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE of Jones steadily moved through the field, reaching the top 10 during Stage 2. In the final stage, a pit road collision resulted in hood damage, ultimately leading to a 26th-place finish.
DOLLAR TREE VENDOR SPOTLIGHT: Dollar Tree will serve as the primary partner on the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE, for Nemechek at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The bold green and white Dollar Tree scheme will hit the track with support from vendor partners Dixie, Jack Link’s, and Energizer, showcasing a strong collaboration for the race weekend.
JJ AT THE ATL: Johnson has five wins at Atlanta Motor Speedway throughout his 29 starts. He’s led 586 laps around the Hampton, Ga., track with 14 top-fives and an impressive 17 top-10 finishes. Johnson had Atlanta mastered as he had an average finish of 11.9 throughout the course of his full-time driving career.
RICHARD’S LAST RIDE: Richard Petty’s final NASCAR race took place at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the 1992 Hooters 500, marking the end of his legendary career. Despite being involved in a mid-race crash, Petty’s team repaired the car, allowing him to take a final lap and cross the finish line in 35th place, closing out his iconic tenure in the sport.
NO. 42 NOTES AND QUOTES
NEMECHEK AT ATLANTA: Nemechek holds the distinction of winning on both configurations of Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 2016, he seized an opportunity during a late-race restart, leading the final eight laps to claim his second career NASCAR Truck Series victory on the track’s previous configuration. In 2023, he delivered a dramatic pass with just three laps remaining, securing his fifth NASCAR Xfinity Series win on the reconfigured high-banked layout.
FIRST CAREER TOP-5: At the DAYTONA 500 last weekend, Nemechek improved his career-best finish from sixth to an impressive fifth place. In his 78 NASCAR Cup Series starts, this marks the 27-year-old’s first top-five finish.
(Photo Credit: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB)
BETTERING THE FAMILY LEGACY: As a second-generation driver, Nemechek follows in the footsteps of his father, Joe, who competed in 18 DAYTONA 500s during his career. Joe earned two top-10 finishes, with a best result of sixth place. This past weekend, John Hunter elevated the family legacy by securing a fifth-place finish in The Great American Race.
T-MACK AT ATLANTA: No. 42 crew chief Travis Mack has had his fair share of close calls at Atlanta Motor Speedway during his NASCAR Cup Series career. As the crew chief for Daniel Suárez, he has called the shots for eight starts, earning three top-10s and two top-fives. In 2023, Mack came up just short of securing a victory with Suarez behind the wheel in the rain-shortened race. They would come home in second place.
QUOTING JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK:
“Atlanta Motor Speedway is unlike any other superspeedway we race on in the NASCAR Cup Series. The track races like a hybrid between a traditional superspeedway and an intermediate track, with tight, fast-paced pack racing. You have to be aggressive to put yourself in the right position to go forward. Also, handling plays a much bigger role compared to Daytona or Talladega. At Atlanta, the runs are more pronounced, which feels different than a place like Daytona or Talladega. I am excited to get back to Atlanta and continue the momentum that we have as an organization and showcase all the hard work that has gone into LEGACY MC during the off-season.”
QUOTING TRAVIS MACK:
“I’ve always loved speedway racing, but combine that with Atlanta [Motor Speedway], where there’s a little more grip, strategy, and handling involved, all of that has really allowed me to enjoy Atlanta. [Atlanta] creates a big opportunity for us, with the top five at Daytona, I feel Atlanta will play into our wheelhouse a little better, as the car is a little more draggy but has a little more downforce, so I feel our car should run even better at Atlanta.”
NO. 43 NOTES AND QUOTES
JONES AT ATLANTA: The Byron, Mich., native has an average NASCAR Cup series finish of 16.3 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 12 starts, Jones has scored one top-five, three top-10s, and three top-15s at the Hampton, Ga., track.
FAST CAR: Jones’ most notable Atlanta race comes from the spring of 2023, where Jones passed nine cars in a single lap. To watch the in-car camera from this race, click HERE.
BESHORE AT ATLANTA: No. 43 crew chief Ben Beshore has three top-five finishes at Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2021. He scored a fifth-place finish in the spring of 2021 with driver Kyle Busch and a second-place finish in the fall Atlanta race of the same year, finishing runner-up to Kyle’s brother, Kurt Busch. In the summer of 2022, the duo of Beshore and Busch earned a fourth-place finish in the event. Beshore and Nemechek pulled off a thrilling victory at Atlanta, claiming their third win of the season after Nemechek received a push him behind to the lead in “NASCAR Overtime” to drive to Victory Lane.
ICYMI: During the DAYTONA 500, FOX aired a special feature on Jones and his charitable efforts through the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF). The segment highlighted Jones’ dedication to giving back to the community and the impactful work his foundation does beyond the track. In case you missed it, the feature can be seen HERE.
QUOTING ERIK JONES
ON THE UNIQUENESS OF THE TRACK: “Atlanta has become a very unique track, it’s definitely one of a kind as far as the layout and rules package racing there. It’s really challenging, it’s a lot of handling and also a lot of speed in the car. You have to balance both and also find your way to the front. It reminds me of the older speedway racing, what we used to do with the old car, the kind of way you can get some really big runs, make some big moves. It’s exciting and fun but definitely a challenge.”
QUOTING BEN BESHORE
ON THE CAR SETUP AND STRATEGY: “Although Atlanta is similar in length to many intermediate tracks, it’s actually closer to Daytona due to the rules. NASCAR views it as a superspeedway event, so the engines are more restricted than intermediate tracks. We run a restricted engine so it’s a blend of handling and trying to reduce drag as much as possible. The track was repaved several years ago, so it is gradually losing a little grip each event, so we have to keep tweaking the setups to keep up.”
HOW TO WATCH
QUALIFYING: On Saturday, Feb. 22, the NASCAR Cup Series will take to Atlanta Motor Speedway for qualifying to set the grid. Qualifying will begin at 11:30 a.m. ET
RACE: On Sunday, Feb. 23, coverage of Ambetter Health 400 will be broadcast on FOX, MAX, Performance Racing Network (PRN), and SIRIUS XM NASCAR Ch. 90 at 3:00 p.m. ET
NASCAR DRIVER CAM: This year, streaming service MAX will offer the “NASCAR Driver Cam” experience, offering fans the ultimate all-access pass to every driver for every race throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
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. 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.
