Petty GMS rebranded as Legacy Motor Club; Johnson car number revealed

A lot has changed at what was until today known as Petty GMS Motorsports following Johnson's arrival as a co-owner of the team. On Tuesday, Motorsport.com reported on a shakeup within the leadership team, but the changes don’t stop there. 

Wednesday morning, Johnson revealed on the 'TODAY' show that the organization will be rebranded as the Legacy Motor Club (Legacy M.C.). As previously announced, Noah Gragson will be behind the wheel of the No. 42 Chevrolet and Erik Jones returns as the driver of the No. 43 Chevrolet.

Johnson, who joined the organization as a co-owner late last year, will pilot a third entry in a partial schedule. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will drive the No. 84 Chevrolet Camaro. The number is an invert of the No. 48 he made famous while driving for Hendrick Motorsports, and also the number of victories he has earned at NASCAR's national level (83 Cup, 1 Xfinity).

The first race on Johnson's 2023 schedule will be the Daytona 500. He won the crown jewel event in both 2006 and 2013, but he'll have to fight his way into the 40-car field next month before even thinking about a third visit to Victory Lane. Carvana, which backed him in his time as an IndyCar driver, will serve as the primary sponsor at Daytona.

“Just over a year ago, I had the opportunity to acquire Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series,” said team co-owner Maury Gallagher. “We made great strides throughout the 2022 season - winning the Southern 500 with Erik at Darlington and bringing Noah into the team for 2023. With the addition of Jimmie in an ownership role, we knew change was inevitable with his experience and knowledge. Our goal is to win races, win championships and to represent our partners by performing at the highest level. The new image of Legacy M.C. is something that will allow us to stand out and foster a team environment that breeds success.”

Johnson hasn’t started a Cup race since the 2020 Cup Series finale at Phoenix, but should he make the field for 65th running of Daytona 500, it will be his 687th start at the Cup level. The rest of the races on his 2023 schedule will be revealed at a later date.

Why the name change?

“After brainstorming about the new name of our team, Maury and I recognized the opportunity to do something special and different. We felt it was important to have a name that honored the past and acknowledged the future (Legacy). The term ‘Motor Club’ is a nod to car clubs of the past. Legacy M.C. will be an inclusive club for the automobile racing enthusiast. I am excited to be a part of a story so rich in heritage and look forward to creating a new legacy in this sport outside of the racecar.” said Johnson, explaining the thought process behind the new name.

The King Richard Petty, Jimmie Johnson, Petty GMS Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro

Photo by: Jasen Vinlove / NKP / Motorsport Images

NASCAR icon Richard 'The King' Petty remarked on the changes as well, saying: "As we were all talking about creating a new name for the team, we looked at Jimmie, myself, and Dale Inman - that's 22 championships - so there couldn't be a better name to fit our race team than Legacy. The “Motor Club” is a perfect fit because we want our fans to pull for the whole team. When I see the No. 42 & 43 cars, no matter who the driver was, is currently, or could be in the future, I want our fans to remember the Petty history that comes with them, and that history will continue to be made with Legacy M.C."