It was announced earlier this week that Jimmie Johnson and Maury Gallagher’s Legacy Motor Club will be switching to Toyota at the start of next season. And while many are shocked that the former Chevy golden boy would defect to Toyota, many others are wondering what impact the change will have on both LMC, GMS and how they compete in their respective divisions, so let’s talk about what I think is going to happen.
With the acquisition of Johnson as a part-owner, many believed that the newly formed Legacy Motor Club would continue to build on their already incredible 2022 campaign, which saw their flagship driver Erik Jones drive the iconic #43 to victory lane. In fact, many early playoff predictions had Jones making the playoffs, either through a win or points.
However in the first 11 rounds of the season, LMC has yet to match fan expectations. With 11 rounds down in the 2023 season, Jones sits 24th in the standings, down 10 positions from his place this time last year. And it has been nothing but struggles for the #42 car, with Gragson outside the top 30 in points.
As well as sponsorship troubles, such as losing FocusFactor from the #43, their ‘23 season woes could arguably be placed down to where LMC sits in the Chevrolet hierarchy, having power teams such as Hendrick, Trackhouse and Childress sharing the brand is more likely to push LMC down the priority list.
According to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, TRD indicated that JGR, 23XI and Legacy would all receive the same information and equipment, which should place them all on equal footing with each other. Given that all Toyota cars are currently ahead of the LMC cars, this will be a net positive for the team, enabling them to elevate their performances back to a winning level.
While the deal is clear cut for the cup enterprise, part-owner Maury Gallagher’s truck team makes this a bit more complex. Because GMS and LMC are separate entities, there has been no announcement about what would happen on the truck side. However, with the recent addition of KBM and Rev Racing, as well as the newfound success of McAnally Hilgemann Racing, the Chevy stable has gotten crowded. A move to Toyota would allow GMS to get new resources and be a higher priority, allowing them to return to form in competing for championships. As for the fates of young guns like Rajah Caruth and Daniel Dye, it is unknown whether or not they would transition over to Toyota.
Overall, the move to Toyota will undoubtedly be a positive for the cup program of Legacy Motor Club, allowing them to move up the cup series ladder and continue to show the brilliance they displayed in their 2022 campaign. Drawing equal with championship teams like Gibbs is the best possible move, in my opinion, to jump the iconic #43 back into victory lane where it belongs.
Whereas for the truck side of things, the future of GMS is still up in the air, as well as the future of their current young talents.
Featured Image Credits: Patrick Vallely
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