Jimmie Johnson’s star driver John Hunter Nemechek eager to use experience from past results at Las Vegas to push for a win

John Hunter Nemechek is heading into Las Vegas Motor Speedway with confidence. The Legacy Motor Club driver wants to use his past success at the track to chase a win in Sunday’s Las Vegas 400. Team owner Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion, knows the track well, and his experience adds to the team’s belief.

Nemechek has made five Cup Series starts at Las Vegas. His best result came in the 2024 fall race when he finished ninth, which was also the best finish for LMC at the track. Earlier that year, he earned the team’s best starting spot at Las Vegas, beginning in 20th.

The 27-year-old has been strong at Las Vegas in every NASCAR series he has raced. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, John Hunter Nemechek has seven starts, including a big win in March 2024.

He led 99 laps that day and beat Cole Custer by more than four seconds. In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he has made 10 starts, including two pole positions and a win in March 2021, after leading 94 of 134 laps. Nemechek said he feels ready for the weekend.

“We’ve been seeing progress in our mile-and-a-half program all year, so I’m excited to see what we can do in Las Vegas. I’ve had success at this track in other series in the past, so I’m feeling confident heading into the weekend,” he said.

Jimmie Johnson’s record at Las Vegas gives the team another boost. He has four Cup Series wins at the track, three of them in a row from 2005 to 2007. Matt Kenseth, now a competition advisor for LEGACY MC, also has three wins there. Their experiences will grant Nemechek and the team a strong foundation.

Before the race weekend, John Hunter Nemechek and teammate Erik Jones visited the UFC Apex near the Las Vegas Strip. They trained with UFC's Forrest Griffin and are set to lead the hauler parade at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as grand marshals on Friday.

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John Hunter Nemechek reflects after Kansas crash and focuses on Las Vegas

Before the Las Vegas race, John Hunter Nemechek had a tough outing at Kansas Speedway. During the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet on September 28, the Legacy Motor Club driver was involved in a crash late in the race.

The wreck happened on lap 267 of 273. Nemechek, driving the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE, made contact with Zane Smith in the #38 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Smith’s car hit the outside wall and flipped twice before stopping. Nemechek’s car then hit Ty Gibbs and Josh Berry before crashing into the wall. Both drivers were done for the day.

After the race, John Hunter Nemechek spoke to NASCAR analyst Bob Pockrass, taking full responsibility for what happened.

“Just made a mistake on my part. I owned up to it,” he said. “The entry speed that (Zane) had, I thought he was going to run the very top. So I was going to go try run three-wide middle and ultimately just didn’t have enough room between Zane’s left rear quarter panel and my right front getting into the corner there. I got tight and then kind of got sucked into his left rear quarter and then we’re along for the ride after that. Just a mistake on my part. It’s unacceptable and definitely have to learn from and not let that happen again.”

Both Zane Smith and John Hunter Nemechek finished with DNFs. Smith placed 31st, and Nemechek finished 32nd. Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott won the race.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar