It’s hard to see Legacy Motor Club down in the slump, especially considering Jimmie Johnson co-owns and drives for the team. The 7-time Cup Series champion’s team has not made it into the top 5 all season, let alone win a race. That was until Erick Jones managed to come 5th at Talladega. However, after the No. 43 car’s best finish, the team’s crew chief parted ways with Jimmie Johnson and the rest of the team.

After a tough season for a team, even a top 5 is worth celebrating, especially if it comes after changing their manufacturer. Legacy Motor Club ran three cars this year and surprisingly, it took till the 31st race for the team to finish in the top 5. But instead of keeping the crew chief that made this happen, the team revealed news stating that Dave Elenz would be leaving the team.

David Elenz and Jimmie Johnson’s team call it quits

Having been the crew chief for Erik Jones and Corey Heim in the No. 43 car, Dave Elenz’s exit from the team came as a shock. During his time in the team, Jones and Elenz bagged their first win at Richmond in 2022. However, in the following years, the team fell on hard times, especially in getting good results. It was a big change in conditions for Dave Elenz, especially since his stints with William Byron and Tyler Reddick. He won back-to-back titles with the drivers.

When it came to announcing the news of Elenz leaving, the team put out an official statement from the X account CEO of Legacy Motor Club, Cal Wells III. The statement read, “LEGACY M.C. and Dave Elenz have parted ways, and the organization would like to thank Dave for his stewardship of the No. 43 over the past three seasons.” The exit caused several moves within the team. Ben Beshore will take over as crew chief for the team. However, it leaves the No. 42 Legacy’s Cup Series car without a chief. Taking over for Nemechek will be Brian Campe, Legacy’s technical director, as the interim chief.

Dave Elenz had a more successful run in the Xfinity Series, where he managed to win 15 races during his time in the lower-tier series. However, he couldn’t help the team deliver, and it’s not sure who is to blame—the crew chief or the switch-in manufacturer. While his driver, Erik Jones, was 30th in the standings, other members of the team have been having a similar time. Jimmie Johnson hasn’t had a finish above 28th place since his return, and John Hunter Nemechek sits 34th.

Based on these reasons, there was a massive uproar on Reddit, many fans had a few things to say about the change in crew chief, and here is what they stormed to the comments section for.

Fans’ take on Dave Elenz leaving the team

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fan reactions to Dave Elenz leaving Legacy Motor Club are all over the place, and, they’re a mix of sarcasm, frustration, and curiosity. One fan didn’t hold back, throwing out a classic “Dave Elenz, you are the weakest link! Goodbye.” Ouch! Clearly, someone wasn’t too heartbroken over his departure.

Then there’s the disappointed optimist:

“I had such high hopes when he took over. Definitely time for a change.” It seems like some fans were really rooting for him at the start, but after a season of struggles, even they agreed it was time to move on. After all, a driver who managed to bring back-to-back titles with two different drivers has a lot riding on their shoulders.

Of course, there’s always that person who cuts to the chase: “So was he fired or did he choose to leave?” It’s a fair question because the whole situation feels like it came out of nowhere, especially considering that it was announced after their best results all year. Erik Jones finished in 5th place and the news of his crew chief surfaced leaving fans in a confused state, wondering whether it was Elenz who called it quits or Legacy Motor Club who asked him to leave.

And then, the humor kicks in. One fan joked, “He got his Top 5 and said ‘I’m quitting while I’m ahead’ (comparatively speaking).” If you’re gonna bow out, why not do it after a rare highlight? Although it may come as a surprise to fans, it will be a move that they remember.

But frustration is real for others. One fan vented, “Really want to know why they waited so long, he’s made dumb call after dumb call all year.” Clearly, the season’s been a tough one for Legacy fans, and Elenz’s decisions didn’t win everyone over. What fans may celebrate is Campe’s promotion as crew chief for Nemeke. Although he has only four races of experience as a crew chief, he worked with William Byron and may have picked up a thing or two from the Hendrick driver.

Judging from the way the team performed so far, do you think it was the right move for both parties? Share your thoughts in the comments below.