Trackhouse Racing picks up additional sponsorship from Kubota
After that, the celebration continued Eric JonesSouthern 500 victory last September The executives of what is now Legacy MC were already looking forward.
(September) and October, decisions we make about people It will affect how the next race (February), March and AprilMike Beam, the team president, told NBC Sports that night.
Noah Gragson His second driver for the team for 2023 was announced less than a month before Jones’ victory.
But the bigger news was to come.
The team announced on November 4 that Jimmie Johnson would become a co-ownerand hoisted a picture of the team with Richard Petty’s No. 43 on Jones’ cars.
As February approaches and racing resumes, the question this season is how far the Legacy MC can climb. Can this team emulate Trackhouse Racing’s breakout season last year?
“I think everybody’s looking for Trackhouse for … maybe the way to do things is a little bit different,” Jones told NBC Sports. “Obviously, starting with the name. We went in the same direction with the Legacy MC and then down from there, kind of how the software can be built and up and running in a short amount of time.
“There is some growth on the back end that we still have to do to get it quite there, but our goal is definitely to be on the same trajectory that Trackhouse has been on for the last couple of seasons.”
Trackhouse Racing debuted in 2021 with Daniel Suarez. He finished 25th in points. added the organization Ross Chastain and several team members from Chip Ganassi Racing to make up the two-car team last year. Chastain won two races and finished second in points, while Suarez won once and finished tenth in the standings.
Legacy MC co-owner Maury Gallagher purchased a majority stake in Richard Petty Motorsports in December 2021 The two teams are merged. Jones won one race and finished 18th in points last year. Ty Dillon He was winless, finishing 29th in points and was replaced by Gragson after the season.
“Legal-wise, we were a very fresh team last year,” said Jones. “There were a few Richard Petty Motorsports guys who showed up, but for the most part, it was a completely new team.
“I think what we built in one year and accomplished is like a trackhouse in their first year. I think we were maybe a step ahead of what they were in their first year.”
Legacy MC is looking for more with Jones, Gragson and Johnson, who will be running a limited schedule this year. Johnson will strive to field the Daytona 500.
Jones said Johnson gave the team energy. Gragson tried to suck as much of Johnson as he could.
Having Johnson as a member of the team “would be a great opportunity for a guy like me, a first year in the Cup Series, a rookie, to be able to count on a seven-time champion,” Gragson told NBC Sports.
“An incredible person, friend, mentor that Jimmy has become for me. He’ll probably be pretty much over me by the time we get to the Daytona 500 because I keep exhausting him with questions and trying to… pick his brain.”
2. Kyle BushEffect
Car owner Richard Childress says Kyle Busch has already made an impact at RCR.
Busch joins the organization after spending the last 15 seasons driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet RCR this year.
He competed in the World Racing League Endurance Race at the Circuit of the Americas in December with Austin Dillon And Sheldon Creed. The trio won one of those races.
“I was there for it, just watching how he (Bush) gets in there and works with everyone,” Childress said. “He’s a racer. He wants to win. That’s what I love about him.”
Childress sees the impact Busch could have on an organization that has won six Cup titles—but nothing since Dale Earnhardt’s last podium in 1994—and 113 series races.
“He brings a lot of experience and knowledge,” Childress said of Bush. “I think it will help Austin a lot in his career. I think it can help our entire organization from the point of view of what we need…to get to work faster.“
Dillon told NBC Sports that the team has changed some of the things it does in its meetings based on Bush’s comments. Dillon also said that he and Bush have similar leadership styles—more similar than Dillon had with his former colleagues.
“I think as he gets through the year and drives our race cars, he’s going to have some new ideas to come up with,” Dillon said of Busch. “I think we’re really giving him some new ideas as well.”
3. A new role for Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick, who is entering his final Cup season, has joined the Drivers’ Advisory Board, a move Joey Logano He said important to the group.
“Kevin is essential to the sport, and even a post-driving career,” Logano told NBC Sports. “It is essential to the success of our sport. Kevin sees it and does something about it.
“He was always vocal, wasn’t he? He was always so brash and, like, blast in your face. That’s what people love about Kevin Harvick. Something I also love about him is that you know where you stand. You know where the weak points are.”
“He’ll push until something happens. That’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with that. Having him on the Drivers’ Advisory Board now, his experience, as well as his willingness to push, is important.”
Jeff Burton will again lead the group as Director of the Board. The Board of Directors is: Harvick, Logano, Kyle Petty, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Corey LajoieAnd Kurt Busch and Tom Boyce.
Lugano, Petit, Dillon, Suarez, Lajoy and Bosch all return. Buis, a board member of Growth Energy who was previously CEO of the company, joins the group of drivers and provides business background.
4. Finding one’s own voice
Chase Briscoe contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing Means he could be the tallest driver in the near future.
The 28-year-old Briscoe is entering his third Cup season in SHR, but the landscape is changing. This would be Kevin Harvick’s final season in the Cup. Ryan Preece He is in his first season leading in the cup for the team. Eric Almirola He was supposed to retire last year but he came back. How long remains to be determined.
Those changes could soon leave Briscoe as the team’s first driver.
“It’s a crazy role, honestly, to think about because that could be me in the next year or two, because I wouldn’t say that leading man, but being a leader as far as drivers go in an organization,” said Briscoe.
“Truthfully, I feel like that’s something I want to be. I’ve always enjoyed that kind of leader, team building kind of thing. So yeah, if that role comes naturally to me, that’s the role I’d love to have and try to do the best I can.” I can. I feel like this is a role you don’t choose, it’s kind of your choice.”
Briscoe, who won the spring Phoenix race and ran the playoffs last year, said he’s become more comfortable speaking at team meetings.
“Looking back,” he said, “especially in my junior year, we would go to the competition meeting on Tuesdays, and honestly, I wouldn’t really talk much.” “I would kind of say what we thought for the weekend, but outside of that I was just kind of sitting there and listening.
“In the last year I’ve definitely talked a lot, and I’ve been talking about ideas and sort of things that I wanted to get rid of, where I wouldn’t have done in the past. I feel as if I’ve become more confident in myself and my situation, it’s gotten to the point where I’m talking about I’m a little bit more opinionated, and I think I’m going to be a little bit more of a leader.”
5. Bush Clash Square
NASCAR released the preliminary entry list for the Busch Clash Feb. 5. Not surprisingly, the entry list includes only 36 charter teams. These teams are required to enter.
With 27 cars in the feature – which has been expanded by four cars from last year’s race – there’s no guarantee a non-leased car can make it to the field. That’s a lot of money to go cross country and stand a chance of missing the main event.
The Daytona 500 field contains four spaces for non-rental cars. With this race’s winnings significantly increased, you’ll attract no less than five cars to those spots: Jimmie Johnson (Legacy MC), Zane Smith (front row motor sports), Chandler Smith college racing, Austin Hill (Beard Motorsports) and Travis Pastrana (23XI Racing). Helio Castroneves confirmed Thursday that he will not enter the 500. He was in talks with the team owned by boxer Floyd Mayweather.
#NASCAR Busch Clash entry list… 36 entries. All hired teams. pic.twitter.com/35uwMECbZu
– Dustin Long January 26, 2023