The part-time return to the NASCAR Cup Series for Jimmie Johnson will make its second stop in Austin, Texas, as the seven-time champion will compete in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
Despite his illustrious experience in the NASCAR Cup Series, Johnson will be making his first start at Circuit of The Americas, seeing as the facility was added to the schedule the season after Johnson departed to compete in the NTT IndyCar Series.
“COTA has been on my racing ‘bucket list’ for a very long time,” said Johnson. “But my timing was off by a year or so. I was hoping it was going to be on the INDYCAR schedule – and it wasn’t – and then they added it to the NASCAR schedule after I left. I’m excited to finally be able to check this one off the list and thankful to Club Wyndham for making it happen. From everything I’ve heard, NASCAR drivers have had a lot of fun racing at COTA, so to say I’m looking forward to it is an understatement.”
Johnson will return to the driver's seat of the No. 84 Club Wyndham Chevrolet Camaro for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, an unchartered third entry for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, the organization in which he became a co-owner over the off-season.
“Club Wyndham owners and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB fans know what it means to be a part of a club. It means finding a place to make memories with friends and family around shared passions,” said Tom Shelburne, Chief Marketing Officer for Club Wyndham. “We are excited about this new partnership with the LEGACY M.C. team, growing from our long relationship with Richard Petty. This new agreement will be great for our owners, race fans, and our business. We can’t wait to see Club Wyndham on Jimmie Johnson’s No. 84 Chevrolet.”
The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will then return to the series for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, once again competing with Club Wyndham as a primary marketing partner.
“NASCAR has always been a great place to identify and develop b2b relationships,” said LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s President of Business Operations, Bruce Mosley. “At LEGACY M.C., we are looking to accelerate results and create a model that surpasses anything ever done before in this space. The foundation we intend on creating will deliver a 1+1 = 3 platform for our partners and deliver a strong return on their objectives.”
Todd Gordon will return to his post atop the pit box for the El Cajon, California native, as was the case in the 65th annual Daytona 500, where Johnson made his first of select NASCAR Cup Series starts in 2023.
At Daytona, Johnson was able to get himself up to speed in the NextGen car fairly quick, and was competitive throughout the duration of Speedweeks, before getting caught up in a late-race accident in the Daytona 500, relegating him to a finish of 31st.
Johnson, who will compete in a handful of events this season, will also compete in the inaugural Chicago Street Course event, with Carvana on the hood of his No. 84 Chevrolet Camaro. Additional races will be announced in the near future.
LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has struggled throughout the early portions of the year, with drivers Erik Jones and Noah Gragson combining for a pair of top-20 results, both by the pilot of the No. 43, with 19th-place results at Auto Club and Las Vegas.
Entering Atlanta, Jones and Gragson currently sit 28th and 32nd in NASCAR Cup Series point standings, respectively.
