Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL | RACE RECAP
CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 13, 2024) –The NASCAR Cup Series made its stop at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday for the Bank of America ROVAL 400. Erik Jones in the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE qualified in 37th while John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE lined up 35th. Shane Van Gisbergen led the field to the green for the fifth to last race on the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. It was Kyle Larson who won his sixth event of the season.
Below is a look at how each LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries fared during the Bank of America ROVAL 400.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK | NO. 42 Mobil 1 TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
START: 35TH | FINISH: 34TH | POINTS: 34TH
John Hunter Nemechek and the NASCAR Cup Series returned home to N.C., and Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Bank of America ROVAL 400. Starting deep in the field, the goal for the day was to minimize mistakes, stay on track and move forward.
During the opening stage, Nemechek radioed to his crew that he needed rear grip. The pit crew got an opportunity to go to work on their Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE on Lap 18; just seven laps shy of the end of the first stage. Nemechek closed out the stage on the lead lap, in 36th, but cycled out to 25th after the rest of the field pitted during the break.
It was an eventful Stage 2 for both the No. 42 Mobil 1 team and the rest of the field. With this being the final race of round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, it was evident that patience was running thin, as cars started to take more chances in various areas on the 17-turn road course.
On Lap 32, Nemechek was caught up in a chain-reaction of cars slowing down, causing damage to the hood of the No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE causing it to bow up. Just a couple laps later, on Lap 36, the field was coming around turn 7, and multiple cars got turned around. As Nemechek was on the outside, he was able to avoid and continue on, but the yellow was once again displayed.
On Lap 42, the 27-year-old driver reported that he thought he had a flat tire. Nemechek would continue on, but it was later discovered that the tire was flat-spotted. The team made their second pit stop of the day with four laps remaining in the stage and Nemechek and the No. 42 Mobil 1 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB team closed out the stage in 34th, cycling forward to 24th after pit stops.
Just a few laps after the final stage got underway, on Lap 55, as the field was coming around turns 16 and 17, the No. 1 got turned around and was facing the wrong way. As the field scattered to avoid the car, both the No. 42 and No. 43 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries got tangled together. As a result, the No. 42 Mobil 1 Toyota Camry XSE suffered a broken rear axle, retiring early from the race. He was credited with a 34th-place finish. Nemechek visited the infield care center where he was evaluated and released.
ERIK JONES | NO. 43 Family Dollar TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
START: 37TH | FINISH: 33RD | POINTS: 32ND
The Bank of America ROVAL 400 kicked off under the heat of a mid-October day. The No. 43 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB crew had a lot of ground to make up throughout the 109 lap race. With its new configuration, the road course proved tricky for the driver of the Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE, as the team received a penalty on Lap 4 for shortening the turn on the chicane.
Jones radioed to the crew that he felt like something was broken in the right rear and a few laps later noted a vibration. Spotter Rick Carelli replied stating that there may be a "flat spot" on the tires due to a previous lock-up, which may be causing the vibration. Despite the questions about the car, the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE team decided to stay out on track to finish the stage and not pit before the green and white checkered. Due to pit rotations throughout the field, the red and orange branded LEGACY M.C. crew completed Stage 1 in the 30th position.
At the stage break, the No. 43 team pitted for four tires, fuel, and made adjustments.
The Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE rolled off Stage 2 in the 33rd position. Jones quickly assumed he had nose damage to the front of the car, but second spotter Will Rodgers noted he didn’t see anything. A caution on Lap 36 allowed the team to discuss that there had been minimal damage to the hood of the car. Crew chief Ben Beshore relayed that if they were competing for position during the upcoming pit stop, then they would not assess the damage, but if the No. 43 crew was one of the only teams on pit road, then they would try to work out the damage since they had more time.
With majority of the field pitting, it was a quick, usual pit stop for four tires, fuel, and adjustments. The Family Dollar team restarted 29th after the break for caution. Jones relayed that he felt more damage and that the car wasn’t driving great. Beshore called that the team would look at it under yellow during the next stage break. The No. 43 and No. 15 raced each other aggressively during the second stage, with Jones not trying to give up any easy spots for others to take. The LEGACY MOTOR CLUB crew finished the stage in the 18th position.
Under the stage break, the No. 43 team pitted for four tires and fuel and also allowed the road crew to jump over the wall to tape and assess damage to the hood. The crew also discovered that the car’s snorkel (a part that allows for air to get to the engine) had been crushed, resulting in a lack of power.
On Lap 55, the No. 1 car spun, resulting in a pile-up with the No. 42 and No. 43 cars. As a result of this collision, the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE was done for the day and the driver visited the infield care center, where he was evaluated and released.
The No. 43 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entry completed the race in the 33rd position.
NEXT UP: The NASCAR Cup Series heads west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the South Point 400. The race takes place on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2:30 p.m. ET live on NBC, PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90).
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ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice "Maury" J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty "The King" serves as Club Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.
