3 Years After Putting Cup Career at Stake, Kyle Busch’s Former Driver Credits Massive Gamble for Jimmie Johnson’s Approval

Kyle Busch is one of the biggest superstars in the Cup Series. With immense talent in his arsenal and the right tools to back it up, Rowdy has been exemplary throughout his career. However, like every other person, Busch has also had some bumps along the road to making it big in the Cup Series, but the secret to stardom lies in overcoming them.

In recent news, a young driver from the shadows under his tutelage has been making his name as a future star in the Cup. The knowledge and expertise provided by Kyle Busch, in turn, will eventually turn out to be helpful for a rival of the past, Jimmie Johnson, who will be availing himself of the services of the upcoming talent.

Jimmie Johnson finds his replacement in a former Kyle Busch recruit

Earlier this year, the seven-time Cup champion had to go through a tough time with the situation of one of his drivers at Legacy Motor Club unfolding. Noah Gragson sparked a row of criticism and scrutiny by NASCAR and the fans alike after his insensitive actions on social media. The conclusion to these incidents hasn’t quite been favorable for Johnson, who was left searching for a new driver after being forced to part ways with Gragson.

Gragson’s replacement will be Xfinity’s breakout star of the season, John Hunter Nemechek. Nemechek has displayed some sublime racing in his rookie season in the second-tier competition and has drastically improved his driving after his time at Kyle Busch Motorsports.

In a personal interview with Dirty Mo Media, Nemechek expressed his happiness about returning to the Cup Series after a three-year hiatus. He stated, “I’m excited for the partnership and on opportunity from Legacy Motor Club and to be joining forces with Legacy Motor Club for 2024 and beyond.”

“Just excited to get back to the Cup Series. It’s been a journey, a couple of gambles on myself with Toyota TRD and some great partners but excited for the opportunity here to work with Jimmie, one of the legends of this sport and all the men and women here at Legacy Motor Club.”

With the winningest driver in Cup Series history on his side in Johnson, John Hunter Nemechek will turn a new page in his life as he gets his first real opportunity to shine on the big stage.

Nemechek thanks Kyle Busch for helping him grow as a driver

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The 26-year-old driver will provide his services to LMC as the driver of the #42 car, whose future lies in the hands of a different manufacturer. With Legacy Motor Club set to make the switch to Toyota, there is a slight change in proceedings for Nemechek. On being asked about what went behind the decision, the youngster revealed that coming into the Cup is also a big gamble for him.

“I was in Cup at one point. I ran in the Cup Series in 2020 and decided to leave the Cup Series, and go back to the Truck Series with Toyota in KBM and have an opportunity to go win races and try and win a couple of championships.” said the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

He explained the way Kyle Busch’s advice nurtured his growth in a suitable environment that helped him amplify his skills, as he added, “The goal was to go back and show that I can win to become more of a force to reckon with and prove to myself and everyone else that I can still win races. For me, it was a couple of years of not winning races that kind of takes you off the map a little bit and not being able to win races, put myself in those positions, and prove to myself and everyone else that I can do this.”

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Kyle Busch Motorsports, on the other hand, has only improved with time, and from the looks of it, John Hunter Nemechek has also caught up to the pattern of improvisation.

The latest news opens a new chest of opportunities for the young driver

“I feel like early on in my days it may have been that way,” said Nemechek on being asked if going from Joe Gibbs Racing to LMC feels like taking a step back to recuperate and think things out in a calmer manner.

John Hunter Nemechek has had a stellar 2023 season, which also lands him in the second spot on the points table after the regular season. Being touted as one of the contenders for the title in his rookie season implies that his potential in is destined to be seen in the Cup Series.

“In the last three or four years, it’s been a full-fledged focus on winning races, being in good equipment, being aligned with a manufacturer, who has been loyal to me and who has pushed me to be better with the opportunities that they’ve presented to me.” continued JHN. Learning his way around the Toyotas will be another great experience for the driver, considering his adaptability and versatility on the track.

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“Now this opportunity of being able to join Legacy MC with them swapping to Toyota next year and being a part of that whole transition is very exciting for me. I’m ready to take the building block on the shoulders and help build this program to where we all want it to get to.” 

It’s safe to say that it didn’t take Jimmie Johnson long to replace one talented driver rising from the Xfinity Series with another driver of a similar profile.