Legacy Motor Club may be taking a step into the unknown with its manufacturer swap from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2024, but for the team’s NASCAR Cup Series drivers, it’s a trip into familiar territory.
Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 entry, spent seven years racing with Toyota throughout his career in all three NASCAR divisions — Truck, Xfinity and Cup.
Noah Gragson, who currently wheels the No. 42 Chevrolet, also made his fair share of memories with Toyota during his time at the Kyle Busch Motorsports truck stable and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series operation. While the Cup Series rookie has yet to be involved with the manufacturer while racing at NASCAR’s premier level, Gragson views the move as a comfortable change.
But for both drivers, Legacy M.C.’s announcement has a major impact that particularly resonates with their personal goals in the sport — it illustrates progress.
When Jones joined Legacy M.C., then known as Petty GMS, three years ago, the objective was to elevate the operation to a more competitive level. The first priority was winning.
In his second season with the team, Jones pulled off an upset victory during the Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Sept. 4, 2022. It was the No. 43’s first win since 2014 and has stood as the team’s only triumph in the last decade.
Though the trip to victory lane was chalked up as growth for Petty GMS, there was still a significant amount of work to do in an attempt to win more consistently.
“That was a very different organization than what we’re looking at these days,” Jones noted.
As for Gragson, his contract with Legacy M.C. began with a similar intent.
When he talked with co-team owner Maury Gallagher and team president Mike Beam last season about the opportunity to make the jump to the Cup Series with them, Gallagher had a convincing pitch.
“Maury told me, ‘We want to do this, we want to do it right and we want to do it quick,’” Gragson recalled. “You hear that from time to time, but these guys are involved and they’re making moves and making stuff happen.”
During his short time with the team, Gragson has already witnessed a handful of transformations.
The operation rebranded from Petty GMS to Legacy M.C., seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson joined as co-owner and now, the team’s commitment has led to a manufacturer swap.
“It’s a step on the performance side, to try to get to winning,” Gragson said. “It’s exciting to see the steps being put in place.”
Though the two drivers are at different stages in their Cup Series careers — Jones being a seven-year veteran, Gragson being a rookie — both are concerned with establishing their own legacies in the sport.
Thus, the pair has embraced Legacy M.C.’s change of direction, believing the team’s relationship with Toyota will only increase their chances to reach victory lane in the future.
Jones added, “The history of the No. 43 is obviously important, but I think the future is shining pretty bright for it as well.”