CLUB NOTES
A new look: The No. 43 entry for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB will be wrapped in a patriotic scheme to celebrate Memorial Day. This weekend, the Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE will feature the traditional Family Dollar red along with navy blue and white stars to mimic the nation’s flag this weekend, a nod to those who serve and made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
EJF at CMS: This weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Erik Jones Foundation will work with team sponsors Dollar Tree and Family Dollar and their supplier, Edgewell Personal Care, to distribute over 4,000 sun safety bags. The EJF will hand out Banana Boat sunscreen samples and sun safety materials to fans enjoying the Memorial Day race weekend, encouraging them to keep their skin safe throughout the weekend.
JJ’s House: Throughout Jimmie Johnson’s career, he practically resided in victory lane at Charlotte (then Lowe’s) Motor Speedway. Johnson has won on the speedway oval a record eight times across a span of 38 starts. Johnson won four races in a row at the 1.5-mile speedway, including two Memorial Day Coca-Cola 600’s during the 2004 and 2005 race seasons. In the 2004 600-mile event, Johnson dominated the field by leading a whopping 334 out of 400 total laps. In addition to the eight wins, Johnson has 16-top five, and 22 top-10 finishes while leading 1,936 laps around the circuit
A double of his own: Johnson never lets the grass grow under his feet for too long. He signed a deal with NBC Sports to do a ‘double’ of his own on Sunday, May 26. Johnson will practice and qualify the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE at Charlotte and then hop on a plane to Indianapolis, Ind. Bright and early, Johnson will have production meetings and rehearsal, and the broadcast will start at 9 a.m. ET. Johnson joins NBC veteran analysts Mike Tirico, Danica Patrick, Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe to cover storylines of the Indianapolis 500. Johnson will head back to Charlotte at a pre-determined time in order to make the driver’s meeting and introductions, before strapping in to drive 600 miles in the Coca-Cola 600. He will most likely beat NASCAR points leader Kyle Larson to the track as Larson has a chance to win two races on Sunday as Larson takes on 1,100 miles in the true driving double.
Street cred in the booth: Johnson is no stranger to the Indy 500. He competed in the 2022 event, starting 12th before crashing with six laps to go in the event. He was crowned the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. The Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year is awarded annually by vote to the racing driver deemed to have been the best-performing rookie in the Indianapolis 500. Criteria include drivers’ performance during practice, qualifying, and the race, their relationship with fans and the media, their sportsmanship, and having a positive impact on the race.
Do-over from Kansas: Johnson is hopeful this weekend goes according to plan, as he had a fast Toyota Camry in the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway earlier this month before his day ended early in a crash. He and the No. 84 team were making gains throughout the race and showed top-10 potential before the day ended early.
Boys and Girls Club: Team partner Family Dollar will host the Boys & Girls Club of America this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Family Dollar works with the Boys & Girls Club of America to outfit youth with the proper tools and resources to support their communities. The program with Family Dollar is focused on helping children think, learn, and create change. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries will support this program by hosting a group from the Boys & Girls Club of America at the track, along with a decal near the roof numbers on No. 42 and No. 43 entries. To learn more about this program, click here.
Operation Homefront: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and team partner Dollar Tree will host guests from “Operation Homefront” at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. Operation Homefront is a nonprofit organization that aids military families in their growth and development with resources such as housing and financial assistance. In 2023, the organization helped over 1,400 military families who applied for critical financial assistance, with over $4 million in support. Operation Homefront will be represented on the roof of Nos. 42 and 43 throughout the weekend.
EJ in the Booth: Jones will join Fox for the annual “Drivers Only” broadcast team to call this weekend’s Xfinity race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jones will be in the booth as an analyst along with Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric. Fellow competitors Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Carson Hocevar, and Josh Berry will round out this year’s broadcast as studio hosts, pit reporters, and play-by-play commentary.
Xfinity Success: Jones has earned nine wins, 15 pole positions, 37 top-five, and 50 top-10 finishes across 79 attempts in the Xfinity Series. Jones competed in the Xfinity Series between 2014 and 2021, only running one full-time season in 2016. He earned four of his nine wins during the 2016 season.
Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma: Last week, two-time Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year and multi-platinum award-winning star Luke Combs released a new music video to accompany his new single, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma”. The video features tornado storm chasers and is the theme song for the summer blockbuster movie release of “Twister”. The music video starred Combs and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s Nemechek through the partnership with OLIPOP. To see the full video visit, www.lukecombs.com or on Nemechek and LEGACY M.C.’s social media channels.
That Jones Baby: Jones and his wife Holly announced late last week that the family will be expanding with a new addition to the Jones family. The two shared through their social media accounts that the family is expecting their first child in November of this year, just in time for the off-season.
NBC and JJ: In addition to this weekend’s Indianapolis 500, Johnson will also serve as an analyst on NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage of the events at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 24 and Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 6, one of three Cup Series Playoff races in the Round of 12. Johnson will also contribute to NBC Sports’ coverage for select NASCAR races in which he is competing this year, including the NASCAR Cup Series Championship from Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 10.
Better Half Dash: On Wednesday evening, May 29, the “better halves” of the NASCAR industry will be competing for great causes in the Better Half Dash event hosted by Motor Racing Outreach (MRO). The go-karting event will take place at Trackhouse Motorplex in Mooresville, N.C. This year, John Hunter’s wife, Taylor Nemechek, will be competing for the second time, while raising money for a special cause that is near to her heart, the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. To support Taylor in finding a cure for this terrible disease, visit, www.go2mro.com/bhd-drivers/taylor-nemechek
Keeping fans safe: Jones will make several public service announcements throughout the weekend that will play on the big screen at Charlotte Motor Speedway reminding fans to stay sun safe. May is “Melanoma Awareness Month”, and the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF) has been working hard to raise awareness for the most common type of cancer found in adults. This is a cause close to the Jones family, as Erik’s father, Dave Jones, passed away from melanoma in 2016.
JHN and the Longest Race of the Year: Nemechek’s first and only attempt at the longest race of the year came back in 2020. At the end of the 405-lap affair, Nemechek finished in the 16th position. Nemechek is no stranger to Charlotte Motor Speedway with multiple starts across the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series where he won in 2021.
Thinking of DC8: All LEGACY M.C. entries will run decals through the Charlotte Motor Speedway race in support of the Dollar Tree Distribution Center 8 (DC8) in Marietta, Okla. DC8 was impacted by the devastating tornadoes that hit the Oklahoma region last weekend. Although the distribution center was severely damaged, fortunately, none of the 456 associates employed by the distribution center were injured by the disaster.
Pit Crew: The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the most unique races of the year for not only the drivers but also the over-the-wall crew. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB pit crew members are expected to make 10-12 pit stops throughout the race, which will prove to be a marathon of precision and efficiency. All three CLUB entries will have plenty of opportunities to showcase their true athleticism and teamwork during the 600-mile marathon.
Going for G.O.L.D.: Partners Dollar Tree and Family Dollar will honor store #5424 this weekend as a part of the company’s “Go for G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar primaries will highlight these stores on the deck lid of all three LEGACY M.C. entries throughout the race season. Store #5424 is located in Charlotte, N.C.
CLUB members who served: Carl Garcia, the interior mechanic on the No. 43 for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, served in the military from 1997-2000. Garcia was a member of the 82nd Airborne Infantry Regiment and worked as an E-4 during his service at Fort Bragg, N.C. Earl Barban, Jimmie Johnson’s longtime spotter served from 1983-1988 in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and is a Navy Achievement Medal recipient. No. 42 mechanic Zach Casada served in the U.S. Army from June 2008 to April 2016.
CLUB QUOTES
John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:
“This is your second Coke 600, what do you like about Charlotte and how important is it to stay on top of your Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE throughout the race?
“This is my second 600, and I ran well in the first one. I like Charlotte a lot, it has a lot of characteristics and bumps while trying to get your car to work. They’re spraying resin in the top groove this year so that’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out. It’s a long day to night race so the track is going to change a lot, so relying on Ben for notes and past experience during the 600 to kind of figure out what we need balance wise just so I myself as a driver can understand what I feel like I need. Not knowing how much it changes and kind of the balance that you’re looking for I think that’s the hardest part about the 600. You see a lot of guys that are really good early in the race, and you see a lot of guys that are good at the end of the race, and part of that is because the track changes so much, trying to keep up with adjustments during that is very hard. Charlotte hometown!”
During the Coke 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and everyone at NASCAR does a great job of honoring the men and women that serve this country, what does it mean to represent the fallen soldier [Spc. Dustin J. Feldhaus] and all the families that will be there at the track as well as all of the men and women that will be watching from afar?
“It means a lot to be able to represent a fallen soldier and without them fighting for our country and for our freedom we wouldn’t be able to do the things that we love to do and that’s race every Sunday during the year and be able to have the freedom that we do, so I think that being able to honor and remember them on Memorial Day weekend for the Coke 600 it’s such a big celebration and remembrance of not only the soldier that’s going to be on our card but every single one that has fallen and given their life to our country and fighting for freedom
Ben Beshore, Crew chief of the No. 42 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:
What are the keys to a strong run at the Coke 600?
“This track is a mix of handling and aerodynamics. It’s a fast track but the bumps get a little bit worse every year. So, blending a setup that has good aero platform but gets through the bumps well is a big part of making a fast car at Charlotte.”
With the Coke 600 being the longest of the year and it going from day to night, how important is it to stay on top of the changing conditions and adjustments for the car?
“It’s very important. The track will go through a couple transitions, so we’ll have to have a plan in place ahead of time to be able to adapt and try to be ahead of the adjustments we need as the sun sets and the track cools off.”
Each team will have a fallen soldier’s name riding along with them on the car, what does it mean to be able to represent the name that is on the car, the surviving families and all the men and women that serve our country?
“Seeing the Gold Star Flags this time of year is always a reality check. We are very privileged to be able to do the things we do because of all the brave soldiers who made great sacrifices for this country. It means a lot to the team to have one of those soldiers riding with us during the race to be able to tell their story of that sacrifice.
Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:
What makes the 600 such an important race for the sport and how does the length of the race change your strategy as a driver?
“The 600 is one of my favorite races of the year, and it’s obviously our longest; that challenge is unique to Charlotte. The sport does a really great job of giving us the opportunity to honor those who served on Memorial Day, and it is always neat to see those names ride along with us. I always get excited for this weekend; it is obviously a unique race in the way that it starts in the day and goes into the night; the track changes so much, and you see so many guys come and go in the last few years with this car that race has seemed to get pretty wild as the day goes on. Charlotte has been a good race for me, and for us at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, we showed some pretty good speed but ran into some unfortunate circumstances last year. So, hopefully, we can get our 1.5-mile stuff rolling and get the result that we want.”
Dave Elenz, Crew chief of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:
How does the 600 miles of racing change your strategy and where can you find success?
“I think Charlotte is always a fun race, 600 miles gives you the opportunity to really get into a rhythm during the race, and it really brings out the most prepared drivers, and you’ll see those teams rise to the top. It is pretty fun to see how the stages are broken up, it’s four 100-lap stages that make things easier to get into a rhythm for each one of those and set up for the runs that entail from those. We look forward to it. We had a lot of speed there last year, so hopefully, we can bring a great car again.”
Jimmie Johnson, Driver of the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE:
“I’m ready to get back on track after Kansas. It was the best I felt in these cars and I really hate we couldn’t finish that race. We have 600 miles to sort it out on Sunday night and I’m here for it. The opportunity with NBC to call the pre-race and participate in the broadcast for the Indianapolis 500 is just so cool. The first time I did the broadcast I got the itch to run the 500 (laughs) and we made that happen in 2022. It will be a long day on Sunday as we hit the airwaves bright and early, but I really can’t wait. It’s one of the greatest days in auto racing. Also, the 600 is so special with the Gold Star family of SSG James “Jimmy” Patton joining us. It’s an honor for his family to be with us for this event and we want to do well for Jimmy.”
Jason Burdett, Crew chief of the No. 84 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE:
“The good thing about Charlotte is that Jimmie ran last year’s 600 in this NextGen car, so he already has a starting point of where he needs to be and what he will want out of the AdventHealth Toyota. It’s only been two races since he has been out of the car so the momentum we had in Kansas should carry into Charlotte. The format of stages is like four races in one race for us. So we plan to take it stage by stage – it’s a long night but a great racetrack for us.”
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