Legacy Motor Club and Rick Ware Racing have reached a settlement in their dispute over the sale of a charter. This ends a long legal battle that was likely headed toward a trial, but the terms of the agreement remain unclear, with neither team revealing many details.
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Jimmie Johnson’s team, LMC, had been pursuing a third charter to expand its operation, and a deal with Ware collapsed earlier this year, prompting them to sue for breach of contract. Ware countered, arguing that the sale applied to the 2027 season rather than 2026. RWR holds two charters, one fielding Cody Ware’s No. 51 entry and another leased to RFK Racing.
The disagreement quickly escalated into dueling lawsuits over which charter was actually on the table. The charter in question is widely speculated to go to Corey Heim, who made his Cup debut with Legacy last season as Erik Jones’s substitute. Although LMC struggled after a manufacturer switch last year, the team has shown stronger pace in 2025. Still, unless it takes a major step forward or Heim remains with Toyota without finding another ride, a long-term pairing seems uncertain.
When Bob Pockrass reported the settlement on X, noting that Legacy would obtain a charter but had limited time to become a three-car team in 2026, fans immediately connected the dots.
One replied, “Heim Time?” while another speculated the same, writing, “Heim time to Cup hopefully.”
Heim time to Cup hopefully
— Jillian (@jillian_days) September 19, 2025
“Heim time just got his full-time ride next year,” declared a fan, while another tied the situation to 23XI Racing’s pending legal matters, writing, “Time for 23XI to settle.”
Rick Ware confirmed the deal in a statement: “I met with both Jimmie [Johnson] and Cal Wells recently, and we agreed to sell and transfer a charter from RWR to Legacy Motor Club. I believe we landed in a mutually beneficial place for both teams, and the result will be a clear path forward for us all. I look forward to putting all of our focus on finishing the 2025 season strong.”
Johnson echoed that sentiment. “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.”
Legacy Motor Club and Rick Ware Racing have settled their charter lawsuit. pic.twitter.com/pWd6qip7M3
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) September 19, 2025
Under NASCAR’s rules, a charter can only be leased once for a single year within a charter cycle, which currently runs from 2025 to 2031. The sticking point in this case was which of Ware’s charters had been promised to Legacy and the timing of its sale, given the existing multi-year deal with RFK Racing. Brad Keselowski’s team has not yet weighed in on the resolution.
