Petty GMS Racing Rebrands to Legacy Motor Club; Jimmie Johnson to Drive 84 Car

Petty GMS Racing has a new look. On the Jan. 11 edition of NBC’s ‘Today Show’, Jimmie Johnson appeared to announce that Petty GMS Racing would be rebranding to Legacy Motor Club starting with the upcoming 2023 Cup Series season. Johnson also announced that he would drive the No. 84 in select races this season – a reverse of his iconic 48 car that he piloted to 7 NASCAR Cup Series titles; that car now driven by Alex Bowman.

“As we sat and tried to put together the team name – Maury Gallagher founded it, Richard Petty’s involved, myself – we just couldn’t find the right acronym to put all the names together. And as we thought about it – the legacy Richard has created, the legacy Mr. Gallagher has created in racing and business, mine…just seemed like a great name and great foundational point,” Johnson said in his Today Show interview announcing the rebrand.

“And at that same point in time to have that nod to the past but also look forward to our young drivers – Noah Gragson and Erik Jones – and the legacy they want to create. Now I’m also a team owner and I clearly have ambitions and I want to create a new legacy as a team owner as well,” added Johnson.

Johnson joined the Petty GMS group late last season and admitted that being a team owner is an entirely different skillset for him. “We really see an opportunity to build and grow this team,” Johnson remarked in his Today Show interview. “It’s all not possible without great partners.”

Johnson is set to have his IndyCar sponsor – Carvana – on his No. 84 Chevrolet for the Daytona 500 on Feb. 19. The rest of his schedule outside the 500 is currently to be determined, while Gragson and Jones are set to compete the full 2023 Cup Series season for the rebranded Legacy Motor Club.

Michael Nebbia