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The strongest title contender of the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, John Hunter Nemechek is set to make his first start of the 2023 Cup Series season with future team Legacy Motor Club at this weekend’s Round of 8 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Last month, Johnson's co-owned Legacy Motor Club announced that they have signed Nemechek as a full-time driver to get behind the wheel of the #42 car starting in the 2024 Cup season. The Mooresville, North Carolina-native is currently competing for his maiden Xfinity title with Joe Gibbs Racing.
On Monday, LMC announced the news though a video on social media, where co-owner Jimmie Johnson said:
“Hi fans, I want to let you know about a quick change for Homestead. Thanks to our long-term partners at Chevy and our future partners of Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing, we have an opportunity to run one race with our future driver John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 car,”
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Johnson continued:
“It will just be one race. Carson (Hocevar) is going to step aside. He’s going to come hang out at the race and watch, but we’ll put Carson back in to close out the season (at Phoenix).”
The change came as a surprise because LMC had previously announced that Truck driver Carson Hocevar will drive the #42 Chevy for the remainder of the season. He will return in the final two races of the season at Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
Several drivers have been used behind the wheel of #42 LMC this season, including Noah Gragson, Grant Enfinger, Josh Berry, Mike Rockenfeller and Hocevar.
John Hunter Nemechek is set for NASCAR Cup Series return
The 26-year-old has not competed full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series since 2020 when he drove for Front Row Motorsports.
The second Round of 8 race will mark John Hunter Nemechek’s first start in the series since last year’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he gets behind the wheel of #45 Toyota for 23XI Racing, starting fourth and finishing 27th.
In a three-year-long NASCAR Cup career, Nemechek has made 40 starts and earned three top-five finishes. John Hunter Nemechek will look to score his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday (Oct. 22).
