Richard Petty Voices Displeasure With Team Changes Since Jimmie Johnson’s Arrival

Petty GMS rebranded as Legacy Motor Club ahead of the 2023 campaign.

Back in November, it was announced that Jimmie Johnson would return to NASCAR as a part-time driver and co-owner, joining what was then known as Petty GMS. The outfit was rebranded as Legacy Motor Club, and now, Petty is its ambassador, saying Saturday he has little say in the crew’s direction since the fellow seven-time Cup Series champion joined the ownership group. Richard Petty’s role in the NASCAR community—and his old team—has shifted in recent months. 

Back in November, it was announced that Jimmie Johnson would return to NASCAR as a part-time driver and co-owner, joining what was then known as Petty GMS. The outfit was rebranded as Legacy Motor Club, and now, Petty is its ambassador, saying Saturday he has little say in the crew’s direction since the fellow seven-time Cup Series champion joined the ownership group. 

When asked if he was bothered by it, Petty said, “Yes, it does. Because I’ve done things my way, which hasn’t been too good lately, but as time progresses, things change in the world. Then it probably was time for a change.

“Jimmie’s looking not necessarily at what’s going to happen this year, but he’s trying to lay a foundation for four or five years where he’s still young enough that he’s going to be around for a long, long time.”

The Petty family has been a major name in NASCAR since 1949 up until this season. His father created Petty Enterprises, and it was later turned into Richard Petty Motorsports in 2009. When the race team merged with GMS Racing, it pivoted to Petty GMS in 2021 with Maury Gallagher being the majority owner last season. 

“When we got with GMS, we had to blend with them. When Jimmie comes in, his crowd doesn’t take over the racing part, they take over the front office with sponsorships, appearances, and all that stuff. Jimmie’s crowd is controlling that,” Petty said. “That’s something I’ve never had to put up with, I guess. I still do my own thing. But then I do a lot for our new team.”

Though the two are the only living seven-time Cup Series champions, Petty, 85, and Johnson, 47, are fairly different. Petty said, “His way of running things and my way of running things are probably a little bit different. We probably agree on about 50% of what it really comes down to.”

The 85-year-old’s thoughts and feelings, though, seem to be a surprise for Johnson, who told the Associated Press’s Dan Gelston, “He’s not expressed them to me, for starters. Honestly, there are a lot of moving pieces to this. There are business decisions that are taking place between Mr. Gallagher and the Petty family before I ever arrived. Those are details that are just not my place to say.

“But a lot of what Richard is speaking to is based on business decisions that he and his family have made and they aren’t relative to my involvement.”