Nemechek to run Homestead Cup race with LMC

LMC recently made the exciting announcement that it has hired John Hunter Nemechek to compete full-time in its No. 42 Cup car starting in the 2024 season.

Currently, Nemechek, who is 26 years old, is competing for the 2023 Xfinity Series championship with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Although JGR and LMC will both be Toyota teams next year, LMC is currently a Chevrolet organization. The timing of Nemechek joining his new team this season seemed problematic, but that changed on Monday.

LMC shared a video on its social media channels featuring team co-owner Jimmie Johnson explaining the change:

“Hi fans, I want to let you know about a quick change for Homestead. Thanks to our long-term partners at Chevy and our future partners at Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing, we have an opportunity to run one race with our future driver John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 car,” he said.

“It will just be one race. Carson (Hocevar) is going to step aside. He’s going to come hang out at the race and watch, but we’ll put Carson back in to close out the season at Phoenix.”

Nemechek hasn’t competed full-time in the Cup Series since 2020 when he drove for Front Row Motorsports. After finishing 27th in points and losing his ride at FRM, he then climbed up the NASCAR ladder system.

In 2021, he drove Trucks for Kyle Busch Motorsports, winning five races and finishing third in the final standings. In 2022, he added two more wins to his name and ended the year fifth in points.

This year, as he races in the Xfinity Series for JGR in the No. 20 Toyota, he has an impressive seven victories, leading the series. He is in an excellent position to advance to the Championship 4 at Phoenix and compete for the series title.

His most recent Cup start was last year’s race at Homestead, where he drove the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing. He started fourth but unfortunately finished 27th after being involved in an accident in the opening stage of the race.