Jimmie Johnson makes feelings clear about LMC’s lawsuit settlement with Rick Ware Racing

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson recently shared his thoughts on settling with Rick Ware Racing. After the final hearing, the teams issued a joint statement and settled amicably.

Following that, Rick Ware Racing agreed to provide Legacy Motor Club a charter for the next season. However, getting a third charter for the team was not that easy for Johnson. His team, LMC, filed a lawsuit against RWR after the team refused to sell the charter for the upcoming 2026 Cup Series season.

Both teams have now reached a settlement, and the terms of the same were kept confidential. During an interview with NBC Sports, Johnson claimed he was happy about a positive outcome from the lawsuit and said:

“Reaching a positive outcome was important for everyone involved. I truly respect the effort put forth by Robby Benton and Rick Ware to reach a settlement so we may all focus on our business operations and future goals. I’m glad this is behind us and we can all move forward in unison.”

The 50-year-old's team currently features two full-time rides in the Cup Series. The #42 Toyota Camry XSE features John Hunter Nemechek, and Erik Jones is in the #43 Camry. Acquiring the third charter from Rick Ware Racing made Johnson's plan to expand LMC into a reality.

However, Jimmie Johnson and his team, LMC, have not made any official statement about their third driver. Furthermore, LMC could lease the charter to generate a steady cash flow without the headache of managing a whole new team.

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"I would like to see some changes": Jimmie Johnson on the NextGen cars

In August 2025, former Hendrick Motorsports driver Jimmie Johnson sat down with the 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick on his Happy Hour podcast. During the podcast, Johnson criticized the seventh-generation cars and pointed out that the car manufacturers need to make some changes.

The Gen-7 cars were introduced in stock car racing back in 2022 during the Daytona 500. Since then, the NextGen cars have been surrounded by debates. The modern-era car features a five-speed sequential transmission with one reverse gear. The vehicles are equipped with a massive 5.86-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, which helps the car weigh around 3,400 lbs, including fuel and the driver.

However, this was not enough to impress the former Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. He pointed out that Gen-7 cars have a major flaw in the design and cannot generate side force. Following that, he explained:

"I would like to see some changes. You know, I think a car that gains side force and yaw is a better car, one that drives better, more interesting, puts on a better show. This car does not do that. But to make those changes in the way you'll have to, all three OEMs have to submit wind tunnel time, all the expenses that go with it. I know it's a slow-moving machine." [25:00 onwards]

Jimmie Johnson has driven the NextGen cars himself. He drove for his team, Legacy Motor Club, as a part-time driver and has completed 14 races. This season he secured only a third-place finish at the Daytona 500.

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Edited by Tushhita Barua