Information By: COLBY GORNIEWICZ / LEGACY MOTOR CLUB – STATESVILLE, NC
CLUB ENTRY LIST
- JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
- POINT STANDINGS: 34TH
- ERIK JONES
- POINT STANDINGS: 30TH
- JIMMIE JOHNSON
CLUB NOTES
EJ Stats: Erik Jones has sixteen NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, resulting in three top 10s and four top 15s. With an average finish of 19.875, his best finish was seventh in 2019. Jones has seven NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, and never finished outside of the top 10. Out of the three Truck Series starts, Jones won back-to-back events at Phoenix in 2013 and 2014.
JHN Stats: John Hunter Nemechek has 21 NASCAR starts at Phoenix Raceway across all three of NASCAR’s national series. Four of the starts have come in the Cup Series, but Nemechek has shined from a performance standpoint in the Xfinity Series as he has scored two runner-up finishes.
Four Wins: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB co-owner, Jimmie Johnson, has had a significant presence at Phoenix Raceway. He won at the track four times in his NASCAR Cup Series career. His victories there came in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Johnson’s next NASCAR Cup Series win would be his 84th.
Comcast Community of the Year Finalist: Last week, NASCAR Official Partner Comcast announced the finalists for the “2024 Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award”. Four remarkable individuals have demonstrated unwavering dedication and inspiring acts of service, creating ripples of positive change that extend far beyond the racetrack. From championing melanoma research to empowering colleagues and ensuring the health of their communities through life-saving blood drives, the 2024 finalists embody the spirit of giving back. LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s Erik Jones was named one of these finalists. Jones has made significant strides in giving back to his community. Established in August 2021, Erik launched the Erik Jones Foundation (EJF), designed to provide charitable donations to various foundations and organizations within his community. The emphasis on cancer care is deeply personal to Erik following the loss of his father to the disease in 2016. Alongside his efforts with melanoma research, the Erik Jones Foundation has supported various initiatives including fundraising events supporting literacy for children across Michigan, with a notable donation in June 2022 to the Genesee District Library, a public library system with 19 locations serving the residents of Genesee County, Mich.
Sun Bus: The Erik Jones Foundation has partnered with the Sun Bus this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. The Sun Bus offers free cancer screenings, preventative information and education, as well as research programs to prevent skin diseases and skin cancers. This will be the second year the EJF has partnered with the Sun Bus at Phoenix to deliver complimentary screenings and tools for cancer awareness and prevention.
Final Full-Time Race: Johnson’s last full-time NASCAR Cup Series race took place at Phoenix Raceway in 2020. To honor his LEGACY, the track named a street outside the venue “Jimmie Johnson Drive” He finished fifth in the race, ending a 10-race streak without a top 10 finish.
Fan Design Contest: Johnson and longtime partner, Carvana, recently engaged with fans through a design contest for the car that Johnson would drive at the Phoenix race. The winning design, inspired by the Arizona desert, features vibrant shades of orange, red, and purple. The grand prize included flights to Phoenix, VIP passes and a meet-and-greet with Johnson and other members of LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. The winning design was created by Ben Moore.
ASU Homecoming: Kellen Mills, jackman of the No. 43 Dollar Tree team, returns to his home track this week as a Mesa, Arizona native. Before joining the “over the wall” crew, Mills played defensive end for Arizona State University’s football team in the early 2000s and was an all-state fullback at Mesa Mountain View High School before joining the Sun Devils. After college Mills moved to North Carolina and has been a pit crew member for the last five years.
Appearances: John Hunter Nemechek has a host of appearances this weekend. On Saturday, he will be conducting a question-and-answer session at the Busch Light Lounge / The Barn at Phoenix Raceway from 1:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. On Sunday, Nemechek will make a visit to the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB merchandise rig located in the Fan Zone at 10:15 a.m. before he straps into his Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE for the final race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Superbird Supra: This week at SEMA in Las Vegas, Toyota Gazoo Racing unveiled its tribute to Richard Petty’s 75 years in racing with a Toyota Suprabird concept, which will also be available as an official Hot Wheels™ die-cast car. According to the press release via Toyota, “This collaboration brings the iconic design to a broader audience, allowing fans of all ages to own a piece of this historic tribute to Richard Petty’s legacy. The Hot Wheels Suprabird promises to capture the spirit and excitement of the original, making it a must-have addition to any collection. The Suprabird is more than a tribute; it’s a celebration of the past, present, and future of racing.”
Going for G.O.L.D.: Partners Dollar Tree Family Dollar has a “Go for G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. Each week throughout the season, the No. 42 and No. 43 will feature one of the local stores on the decklid of the Toyota Camry XSE.
CLUB QUOTES
John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE:
“I am looking forward to returning to Phoenix this weekend and hopefully closing out the 2024 season on a strong note. With having an extended practice, we should be able to fine tune on our No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE. Both Erik [Jones] and I had a good qualifying effort here in the spring; we are needing to put more emphasis on this part of the weekend — so we don’t get caught behind early in the race. Everyone at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has been working extremely hard and I hope we can put it all together this weekend in Phoenix and go into the off-season with a solid weekend.”
Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE:
“Phoenix, we ran really well in the spring, so that’s encouraging. It’s another place we got to test in the offseason and hopefully what we did in the spring is able to transfer over here, coming back. Phoenix is unique, I don’t know if there’s a lot of places like it. Gateway in St. Louis reminds me a little bit of Phoenix. We had some things there that weren’t quite correct, but I think our car was decent. Hopefully, the spring race there where we got some good speed and got caught up in a wreck, we can take some things there to apply when we go back.”
Jimmie Johnson, Driver of the No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE:
“This will be a special trip to Phoenix for me. In 2020 when I was there for the final race of my Cup Series career, it was as we were still taking so many precautions with Covid. So, all my photos from that race were photos of people wearing masks. This is a high-anxiety race for those in the championship and those not in the championship – as you don’t ever want to be a reason that someone loses a bid to win it. This years race should be very exciting. So, you have to drive with a lot of awareness that you don’t want to affect the outcome of what could be. With that said, I’m excited to see Tyler (Reddick), Joey (Logano), Ryan (Blaney) and William (Byron) dice it up.”
PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY
ABOUT PETTY 75th: The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office, and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians, and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. has celebrated the Petty family and shared countless memories with friends and fans at racetracks across the country.
Petty History in Phoenix: “The King” Richard Petty made five starts at Phoenix Raceway toward the tail end of his career from the inaugural race in 1988 to 1992. Kyle Petty made several starts at the 1.0-mile track, including a best finish of third in 1993. In 2008, Kyle made his 829th and final Cup Series start at the track. Adam Petty made one NASCAR Xfinity Series start here back in 1999, where he finished in 38th.
This Week in Petty History: On November 15th, 1992, Richard Petty drove in his last career race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The King’s Hat: One final commemorative Petty 75th King’s Hat will be unveiled this weekend at Phoenix Raceway. The King’s Hat will feature a design honoring Richard Petty’s seven NASCAR Championships. The King’s Hat will be located in the Fan Zone and available for photo opportunities.
75th Merchandise: As the season comes to a close, Phoenix race weekend will be the final opportunity to purchase Petty 75th merchandise from the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB merchandise hauler. Be sure to stop by and grab an item to commemorate the special milestone.