The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series silly season had produced little movement, with Jesse Love replacing Josh Berry at Wood Brothers Racing next season standing as the only major change. That situation has now shifted at Legacy Motor Club.
According to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, Legacy Motor Club is reportedly preparing to terminate John Hunter Nemechek’s contract and move on from the driver after the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
“Team leadership informed Nemechek of the news Monday, with the team opting to go a different direction even though the sides had recently agreed to a contract extension to keep Nemechek driving the No. 42 Toyota for the 2027 season.”
Legacy Motor Club, which is owned by Jimmie Johnson, was already expected to have a full-time Cup Series seat available next season. The team is leasing a charter from Rick Ware Racing, giving LMC a three-car Cup Series operation in 2027.
That additional seat is widely expected to go to Riley Herbst. The young driver became available after 23XI Racing announced that Corey Heim would become its third full-time driver next season. Although Herbst’s next team has not been officially confirmed, his improvement on the track, family connections to sponsors and significant financial backing have made him a strong fit for Legacy Motor Club.
Nemechek, 29, has competed in 139 career Cup Series races without reaching Victory Lane. He ended the regular season 27th in the standings, recording two top-10 finishes along with a 22.3 average starting position and a 22.1 average finishing position.
Who Will Drive Legacy Motor Club’s No. 42 Car in 2027?
Given that Nemechek entered last weekend under contract with Legacy Motor Club through the 2027 season, the team’s sudden decision suggests that it already has a replacement in mind.
Bianchi reported that Josh Berry is the “leading candidate” to drive the No. 42 car next season. The veteran’s future had remained uncertain throughout the summer after Wood Brothers Racing announced that Jesse Love would take over the No. 21 car next year.
At one point, Berry appeared likely to move down to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. After Richard Childress Racing announced that Austin Hill would drive the No. 33 car next season, no other full-time Cup Series seats appeared to be available.
With his NASCAR future in question, Berry produced one of the strongest stretches of his career. Following a ninth-place finish at Daytona in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Berry has recorded five consecutive top-10 finishes and scored 180 points, or 36 points per race, during that span.
According to DriverAverages.com, Berry has the seventh-best average finishing position in the Cup Series at 11.2 and ranks seventh in laps led with 76 over that stretch. By comparison, Nemechek has led 75 laps in his last 30 races and recorded only two top-10 finishes during that period, while Berry has posted five top-10 results in his last six weeks.
Based on his recent performance and reputation among fellow drivers, Nemechek could be nearing the end of his career as a full-time Cup Series competitor. Entering his age-30 season next year, he may have to return to the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, where he has 11 wins, or the Truck Series, where he has 13 victories.
