John Hunter Nemechek finished the Cup Series race at Las Vegas in 20th place earlier this month. What was a lot more impressive than his result was the Backstreet Boys paint scheme that his No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE featured. The collaboration was presented by Live Nation and Vibee to advertise the renowned music band’s residency at Sphere Las Vegas in July 2025.
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In an interview with Frontstretch at Vegas, Nemechek was asked which musician or band he’d like to be featured on his car next. He said, “I think Avenged Sevenfold would be really cool. MGK. Can’t go wrong with Kels. Uh, Dustin Lynch. Snoop Dog! I mean, Snoop would be an awesome one to have.” That’s quite an impressive list that he put together on the spot.
Multiple bands and musicians have made it onto Cup Series cars in the past. Brooks and Dunn, for instance, were all the heat in the late 90s and early 00s. They appeared on the No. 40 Chevrolet driven by Sterling Marlin in 1999. Interestingly, rumor has it that they were also set to appear on Dale Earnhardt’s No. 3 Chevrolet in 1998, but licensing issues prevented that tie-up.
Others who have seen NASCAR speed include KISS, Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Sugar Ray, and Nickelback. Nemechek’s desire to have Snoop Dog’s face on his car doesn’t seem so far out of reach now, does it?
The residency of the Backstreet Boys has been named Into The Millennium, and it begins on July 11. Their gamble to be represented by Legacy Motor Club is bound to yield great results.
What’s the goal for Nemechek in 2025?
The 27-year-old driver finished his maiden full-time season with the team (2024) in 34th place on the points table. He had secured four top-10 finishes. In 2025, things began splendidly for him.
He finished fifth in the Daytona 500 and followed it up with a 10th-place finish at Atlanta. Talking about what has clicked for the No. 42 team this year, he noted how there has been a complete turnaround in personnel.
Just one mechanic from his crew in 2024 remains beside him now. All the others have been replaced. He said, “Everyone’s clicking. A lot of internal processes/procedures changed. A lot of new hires. A lot of new people and a lot of new roles. We want to continue to develop that and push this team and this club really to be at the point where Jimmy [Johnson] wants it to be.”
He hasn’t broken into the top 10 since Atlanta. Hopefully, he will do so at the Martinsville Speedway this weekend.
