“We weren't sure if he'd be available": Jimmie Johnson explains how Legacy Motor Club signed Noah Gragson’s replacement for 2024

Jimmie Johnson's co-owned Legacy Motor Club team announced John Hunter Nemechek as the replacement for Noah Gragson for the 2024 season. The NASCAR Xfinity driver has earned his promotion and will be behind the wheel of the #42 Toyota full-time next season.

The announcement didn't come as a major surprise as the sequence of events in the past month made Nemechek the favorite to replace Gragson. The Xfinity driver was rumored to join Legacy Motor Club soon after its announcement to join Toyota for 2024 which followed Gragson's suspension in early August.

Although John Hunter Nemechek seems to be an easy pick among the Toyota Racing Development drivers, Jimmie Johnson revealed that his availability was in doubt with the situation at Joe Gibbs Racing.

"It really was a kind of a reach for us. We weren't sure if he'd be available, due to his relationship with JGR and they were developing and changing if there would be a cup ride opportunity for him or not," Johnson said on NASCAR SiriusXM radio.

He continued:

"So things kind of evolved here in the last four to six weeks, the opportunity really came about and we just truly feel like John Hunter is [in his] prime and ready to Cup racing."

John Hunter Nemechek gained full-time Cup Series experience when he drove the #38 Ford for Front-Row Motorsports in 2020. The following season he took a step down to the Truck Series for two years and is currently driving the #20 JGR Toyota in the Xfinity series and is a leading contender for the title with five wins.

Jimmie Johnson reflected on Nemechek's journey in NASCAR, as he believes the 26-year-old is ready for the Cup Series.

"He's not been in a next-gen car but the journey he's been on, his growth as a driver, his growth as a man. Everything that he's been going through really has him primed and ready for the Cup Series," he added.

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Jimmie Johnson confirms NASCAR Cup Series entry with Toyota in 2024

The seven-time Cup Series champion, who has driven for Chevrolet in his entire NASCAR career, will be driving for Toyota next year. Jimmie Johnson confirmed that he won't be making any starts this season due to personal reasons and will be back in the car next year with Toyota.

“I’ll be back in the car next year. With some personal matters being taking place this year. It just doesn’t seem right to jump back in the car.”

“But we’re planning next season and I’m very excited to run, run more races for sure. I hope that we can announce my schedule and our partners that will be on board here before too long, but definitely expect to see me in the racecar again next year.”

Johnson had an ominous season this year on a personal front, with his team underperforming so far this season.