Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club welcomes Justin Alexander into his new crew chief role for Erik Jones. The No. 43 driver shared that he’s ‘excited’ to collaborate with Justin and expressed his gratitude to his outgoing crew chief, Ben Beshore, who is transitioning to Director of Race Engineering.
Alexander has nabbed five Cup Series wins as crew chief for Austin Dillon’s No.3 team in Richard Childress Racing. Notably, they’d reached victory lane during the 2018 Daytona 500, in addition to their maiden win at the 2017 Coca-Cola 600.
This past year, Jones saw a mild uptick in his performance. He saw a four-place jump in his the final standings compared to 2024, coming in at 24th with four top-5 results and an average finish of 20. His best finish comes from a third-place result at Darlington.
On Monday, January 5, LMC shared an X post announcing their latest addition, writing:
“NEWS: Justin Alexander named Crew Chief of No. 43, Ben Beshore to transition to Director of Race Engineering.”
Jones reacted to the news with the following caption:
“Excited to start working with Justin and get him back on the box full time. Big thanks to Ben and excited for what he’s going to do in his new role. Feeling good about the direction @LEGACYMotorClub is heading and setting ourselves up for a successful year.”
Jimmie Johnson, in his part, expressed strong optimism about the situation.
“Justin is a tremendous addition to our crew chief lineup. His experience, communication style, and leadership align perfectly with the direction we’re headed. We appreciate Ben’s hard work and look forward to his continued contributions as he transitions into his new role,” he said via NASCAR’s official website
Jimmie Johnson’s last Cup Series race was a terrible misfire. He competed in the 2025 Coke 600 and marked his 700th Cup start, but wrecked out to a 40th-place finish.
Jimmie Johnson seals deal for 2026 Daytona 500
Jimmie Johnson is slated for yet another bid in the Great American Race. He returns to the 2026 Daytona 500 in the No.84 Carvana Toyota.
The race marks Johnson’s fifth year with Carvana as his sponsor. Reflecting upon the same, he said,
“Carvana has been an incredible partner, and every season we’ve found new ways to celebrate what makes racing so special. This year’s scheme is sharp, it’s fresh, and I can’t wait for fans to see it on the track in Daytona.”
Jimmi Johnson has also expressed interest in competing at San Diego’s inaugural race at Naval Base Coronado. The venue is NASCAR‘s first appearance near Johnson’s hometown, El Cajon, California.
The last time Johnson competed in the Daytona 500, he finished among the frontrunners in third. As he looks forward to similar results, there’s a possibility that the seven-time champion may run more races this year. Since LMC added another charter to their roster, Johnson has hinted at more races if sponsorship is secured. Johnson retired from full-time racing in 2020, but has been competing part-time for the last three seasons.
Notably, the third charter was purchased after a highly contentious dispute with Rick Ware Racing, as the team had leased the entry to Spire Motorsports as well. Following a lawsuit that poked the issue, RWR gave in and sold the charter to Legacy Motor Club.
However, LMC is expected to run the charter after RFK Racing’s lease on it ends in 2026. Looking at potential prospects for the third seat, Jimmie Johnson has expressed interest in up-and-coming talent like the 2025 Xfinity Series champion Jesse Love. The young driver is contracted with Richard Childress Racing, but is currently without a Cup Series seat for 2026.
