Denny Hamlin Questions Chevrolet’s Commitment to Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR Team After Toyota Announcement

When Jimmie Johnson announced his foray into NASCAR ownership with Legacy Motor Club, high expectations instantly came their way, especially after having a driver lineup of Erik Jones and Noah Gragson. However, Johnson’s team hasn’t come even remotely close to fulfilling those expectations. In fact, not even halfway through the season, Legacy announced they’d be changing their manufacturer from Chevrolet to Toyota from next year, something which Denny Hamlin recently expressed his concerns about.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that Hamlin’s concerns about Johnson’s team coming under the Toyota camp from next year aren’t all that cynical. What Hamlin wondered was that now that Johnson’s team is certainly going to Toyota, how will it change their equation with Chevrolet for the rest of the current season?

Hamlin wonders what’s in store for Legacy this year after Toyota announcement

Speaking in a recent episode of his podcast show, Actions Detrimental, Hamlin claimed Legacy MC has been “kicked in the b**s” this year, with everything that could’ve possibly gone wrong, going wrong. “When you got Noah Gragson, saying, ‘I’m counting down days to the off-season,’ and we’re not even halfway home … YIKES,” Hamlin reasoned.

“I think that team obviously making an announcement going to Toyota next year, who knows what information they’re getting, and whether that information is even reliable anymore from whoever they have an alliance with?”

Denny Hamlin defends Jimmie Johnson’s team

Hamlin tried to empathize with Johnson’s team as he claimed this has been “a tough year” for them. The #11 driver argued that Legacy’s problems aren’t all that simple to decode and understand. It’s not like, as Hamlin said, anybody in that organization would say, “‘We got a driver problem.'” 

“That team probably got the most upside when it comes to driver talent for results it’s getting right now. And I know it’s frustrating for them but obviously, there’s light at the end of the tunnel for that team, and I think they will get better,” he claimed.

Having said that, Hamlin once again emphasized his point about Chevrolet not sharing key information with Legacy this season, which, while it is a “tough situation”, is understandable.

“If you do have an alliance with someone, certainly, all these manufacturers and teams are so protective over what information they do have, that if they know you’re going away next year, I mean, it’s likely they’re not getting any information anymore,” Hamlin said.

But once again, the 23XI Racing co-owner claimed that it’s not intentional on Legacy’s part, that they’re not trying to be bad.