LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has announced veteran road racer Mike Rockenfeller as the driver of the team's No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro for this weekend's NASCAR Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard and the upcoming event at Watkins Glen International.
Rockenfeller, 39, joined Jimmie Johnson and Jenson Button on the NASCAR Garage 56 driver roster at the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in June.
Johnson, who is a co-owner of the LMC team, also served as a teammate to Rockenfeller in the IMSA Weather Tech SportsCar Series for a couple of seasons with Action Express Racing. Johnson feels Rockenfeller brings a lot to the table for the team.
“Rocky and I were teammates and helped develop the G56 program,” said Johnson. “I couldn’t think of a better person to assist our Club in this tough situation. These back-to-back road course events will be great for Rocky from the technical side as they will bring out his expertise. Rocky is extremely knowledgeable and talented, and I know he will get us the best results possible.”
Rockenfeller is proud to get the call from his teammate and friend, Johnson, and says that he will do the best to maximize the result for LMC at Indianapolis and Watkins Glen.
“After racing with Jimmie in IMSA for two years and together in the Garage 56 program not only were we teammates, but we are now great friends,” said Rockenfeller. “To get to race for him in the NASCAR Cup Series for LEGACY M.C. with him as a co-owner is such a true honor. It’s going to be a huge challenge as I have never raced at Indy. I was dreaming about being in a Cup Series car again and I’m thankful for the opportunity. I will try my best in this short timeframe to come together with the team and have a great race in Indy.”
According to a press release from the team, Johnson called Rockenfeller to extend the opportunity following a fifth-place finish by the racer in this weekend's IMSA event at Road America.
The move of adding an established road racer like Rockenfeller to the No. 42 team was made possible due to an indefinite suspension of the team's full-time driver Noah Gragson for questionable actions on social media.
Josh Berry filled in for the No. 42 team this past weekend at Michigan International Speedway but was swept up in a crash on Lap 51 of the FireKeepers Casino 400. Berry would be credited with a 34th-place finish after the crash.
Rockenfeller will aim to snag the team's best finish of the 2023 season, which is currently a 12th-place effort by Gragson at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the spring.
Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images
