“Wrong place, wrong time”: LMC on Jimmie Johnson’s driver getting rammed by Justin Haley

NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson (L) and Justin Haley (R) [Source: (L)Imagn, (R)Getty]
NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson (L) and Justin Haley (R) [Source: (L)Imagn, (R)Getty]

John Hunter Nemechek, who drives the No. 42 Toyota for Jimmie Johnson's Cup Series team, got caught up in a fellow driver's issue at Kansas Speedway on Sunday. Nemechek and Justin Haley were running deep in traffic when Haley's No. 7 machine drifted to the left, shoving Nemechek on the backstretch.

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The incident happened towards the end of Stage 2; on lap 149. The collision between Haley and Nemechek brought out the sixth caution of the day. According to Legacy Motor Club, John Nemechek, son of former Xfinity Series champion, Joe Nemechek, was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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Jimmie Johnson's driver qualified 31st for the 267-lap race but finished 30th, whereas Haley had to settle for a disappointing P33 finish. Both are non-playoff drivers and are still to deliver their first wins of the season.

Haley is currently serving as the replacement for Corey LaJoie behind the wheel of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevy. According to an earlier announcement by Spire Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing, LaJoie would be wheeling the No. 51 RWR car, starting from the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

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Although LaJoie's ride is yet to be confirmed, Haley will remain in the No. 7 next year. Rodney Childers, the former championship-winning crew chief for Stewart-Haas Racing, will join the team's roster.


Legacy Motor Club makes an unexpected addition to Jimmie Johnson's crew

Jimmie Johnson, who retired from full-time racing in 2020, returned to the track this year as the driver of the No. 84 machine. He is currently on a part-time schedule with the team and is expected to run his next race on October 20 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile, tri-oval intermediate speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. After that, he will compete in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway on November 10.

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In August, the No. 84 team parted ways with Jason Burdett, the former crew chief for Johnson's car. In six races together, the duo managed to deliver a pair of P28 finishes at Daytona International Speedway and Dover Motor Speedway. Gene Wachtel would replace Burdett, the team announced recently.

Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway was Johnson's first race this season with Wachtel as his crew chief.

"It's been a few weeks since I have been behind the wheel of a NASCAR vehicle so I'm ready to get back to work," Johnson said after Wachtel joined the team (as per Speedway Digest). "Having Gene on board as crew chief will be great for our team, as he has great experience on the engineering side."
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Wachtel was elated at the opportunity. In a statement reported by Newsweek, the said:

"I'm excited to work with Jimmie and the 84 crew this weekend in Kansas. I had a very small role as Jimmie's data engineer during his first championship season and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to come full circle..."

Wachtel was the Performance Director for Legacy Motor Club before he got instated in his new role. He will serve both roles in the days to come.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua
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