Johnson crashes early, but LMC still earns two top-tens in Daytona 500

While team co-owner and Hall of Fame inductee Jimmie Johnson’s race didn’t go as well as he hoped, LMC’s two full-time drivers – John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones – both left Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500 with a strong start to the 2024 season.

When a last-lap caution froze the field, Nemechek was credited with a seventh-place finish while Jones was eighth. That’s a marked improvement from last year when LMC’s three entries all finished 24th or worse.

Johnson, who only made the field for the 500 in a third LMC car with a desperate late pass for position in his qualifying race, got into trouble early Monday and finished 28th.

“It was so good to get two top-10s for the No. 42 and No. 43. I hoped to race a little longer before we got in a wreck, but it’s just a matter of time before you get caught up in something here,” Johnson said.

“It was pretty disappointing. We had some optimism in the beginning, hopeful we could straighten out the suspension and then at least run in the draft. Then, as time went on, we realized the severity of the damage and we just had too much damage.”

Jimmie Johnson, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Carvana Toyota Camry

Photo by: Ben Earp / NKP / Motorsport Images

The new Toyota Camry XSE showed plenty of speed in racing conditions at Daytona, even if it may have sacrificed something in single car qualifying.

Both Nemechek (who started 10th) and Jones (who started 11th) were able to make their way to the front of the field at times and put themselves into contention.

“Solid Daytona 500, solid start to our year,” Nemecheck said. “Ran up front for a little bit, rode around for a while and stayed out of the carnage. Overall, really proud of everyone at Legacy Motor Club.

“It felt good in the draft. I felt like I could push, I could ride, I could be pushed. Overall, a solid day. I feel good about where we are at. Decent start to the year.”

John Hunter Nemechek, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Dollar Tree Toyota Camry

Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images

Jones said he had a similar experience but was hampered by some issues on pit road during the race and got collected in one multi-car accident.

“It’s a good start to the season. I’ve not had good luck at the start of the season at Daytona, so we will take a top-10. I wish it was more,” he said. “I think we had a car capable of more – I just struggled to make much happen throughout the day, getting in line and getting to the front.

“Just didn’t play out at all throughout the night like we needed. We finally had something rolling there in the middle and it got choked up and we got caught up in that wreck, but we will take it. We will go to Atlanta and try again.”

Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, AdventHealth Toyota Camry, Austin Cindric, Team Penske, Discount Tire Ford Mustang, Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports, Chili’s Catch-a-Rita Chevrolet Camaro

Photo by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images