Jimmie Johnson reveals what’s next for LMC- and the two rising NASCAR stars in the pipeline

Jimmie Johnson shared an update on Legacy Motor Club's expansion and named Toyota drivers Connor Zilisch and Jesse Love as potential prospects for the third seat. He also took notice of 'young talent' in the Cup Series but admitted that it's 'tough' to finalize on a candidate.

After shifting OEMs from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2024, Johnson became the majority owner of LMC in 2025. The team currently fields two cars, with John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones in the No. 42 and No. 43 Toyotas, while Johnson himself makes part-time starts in the No. 84 entry.

Xfinity Series rookies Jesse Love and Connor Zilisch have quickly found their footing to place among the top 5 in the standings. Both drivers have made their Cup starts this year and are looking to land a full-time ride. Notably, Zilisch had his best finish yet in the recently concluded Quaker State 400 at 11th.

With LMC looking to expand it's operations, Zilisch and Love may contend for the third seat according to Jimmie Johnson.

"When you look through the Xfinity Series, Connor Zilisch, Jesse Love. I think you also look through the garage area in the Cup series, and there's some young talent that took early steps to get into vehicles. So there are just questions in my mind, especially wearing my team owner's hat. We're looking to expand to a third car and hope to announce some stuff here in the near future around that. But where to look, it's tough," he said via X/Never Settle podcast.

Compared to 2024, LMC drivers are better placed in the standings so far this season. Erik Jones secured a fifth place finish in the 260-lap affair at Echopark Speedway, while Nemechek logged the fastest lap of the event, further underscoring the pace held by the team.

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Jimmie Johnson reveals plan for future Cup starts

Jimmie Johnson last competed in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he finished dead last after crashing out from a spin on lap 112. The incident triggered a multi-car wreck that collected Connor Zilisch as well. The event marked his 700th Cup Series start.

During a recent interview with Paul Tracy on the Racers Unchained podcast, Johnson shared his plans for future Cup starts this year.

"The team owner side and our focus and commitment to building a proper NASCAR program is taking all my time and effort. You know I'll drive the car one more time this year at least, maybe another one later in the year, but it really has to help serve our greater cause as an organization," he said. [44:58 onwards]

Ahead of the Coke 600, Jimmie Johnson mentioned a possible outing in 2026 as well, noting how he's eager to make more than 700 starts.