What’s Happening?

A rumor sweeping the NASCAR fandom claims that Legacy Motor Club is looking into “buying or merging“ with the Haas Factory Team. This shocking move would only add to LMC’s already interesting season off the track.

The rumor, coming from the nascarrumornostalgia Instagram account, a well-known rumor mill account in the NASCAR community, suggests that this move could be the next step in LMC’s pursuit of three-car expansion. 

By the wording of this post, and if these conversations are actually happening between the two teams, they look to be in the very early stages. That being said, Legacy Motor Club has had a rather wild 2025 season off track.

While their performance on track has improved over past seasons, off track, LMC is currently locked in a legal battle involving three separate lawsuits against fellow NASCAR Cup Series team Rick Ware Racing. Following a charter sale gone awry, LMC filed the first lawsuit on Apr. 1, and RWR counter-sued LMC on Jun. 18.

Following that countersuit, T.J. Puchyr, the former co-founder of Spire Motorsports, agreed to purchase RWR in its entirety, including both of its charters. Then, LMC sued Puchyr for tortious interference on Jul. 16.

Currently, the sale to Puchyr is on hold, and it is unclear whether LMC will have a third charter for the 2026 season.

As with any rumor, it is vital to approach this one with caution. Rumors are just that: rumors. This does not mean that there is any evidence backing them up just yet; however, these rumors can sometimes come true.

So, let’s examine the implications of this rumor and consider how realistic it could be.

What Are the Implications of This Rumor?

The Haas Factory Team formed from the ashes of what was once Stewart-Haas Racing, the team owned by NASCAR Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas. 

Following a tumultuous end to the 2023 season and Kevin Harvick’s retirement, the team regrouped for 2024 but quickly decided to cease operations at the end of the season. Following this decision, a fire sale of three of the team’s four charters ensued.  

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, currently involved in a legal battle of their own with NASCAR, initially purchased one charter each, but the status of those charters and their ownership is currently in the air. Trackhouse Racing also purchased a charter for its then-new No. 88 entry, now driven by Shane Van Gisbergen.

However, the final charter would not be sold, as Gene Haas would regroup and create the Haas Factory Team. Maintaining ownership of the charter for the No. 41 car. The team is far from what it once was, but they still own the original SHR race shop, built for four cars and two Xfinity Series entries, and the ultra-valuable charter. 

LMC is in the opposite direction of the team formerly known as SHR.

LMC’s road to better competition has been a long one. It formed from the ashes of Richard Petty Motorsports/Petty GMS Racing. Rebranded to LMC after Jimmie Johnson purchased a share of the team in 2023, Johnson became the majority owner on Jan. 27. That same day, the team announced it received an investment from Knighthead Capital Management.

This season, after missing out on the SHR charter sale, they have been open and honest about their pursuit of buying a third charter. This has been at the center of Silly Season discussions for several months now, with Johnson speaking candidly about their pursuit during a recent media availability. 

If the two were to merge, or if LMC were to buy HFT, it would, of course, give LMC the charter they’ve long sought after. Furthermore, it would give the team a new top-of-the-line shop to operate out of, something that could only further help them increase their competitiveness on track.

Does This Rumor Have Any Traction? 

While litigation is still ongoing between LMC and RWR, one thing is absolutely clear: LMC will do anything to get a third charter. 

Not only do they have the drive, support from Toyota, and a big-name owner, but they also have a major investment from Knighthead, something that could push such a dramatic deal across the finish line.

Of course, it is unknown how much HFT could sell for if it were on the market. Even though it no longer has multiple charters, its lone charter and other assets, such as its Xfinity Series equipment and top-tier race shop, could fetch a hefty penny. 

According to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic on the Apr. 8 episode of the Dale Jr Download, LMC has already opened its wallet quite a bit in an attempt to get this third charter, agreeing to pay RWR a record-breaking $45 million to have a charter for 2026.

To put that into further perspective, according to recent reports, T.J. Puchyr’s purchase of RWR was a $150 million agreement. Though this includes RWR’s two charters and other assets, this is a monstrous price for a team considered the lowest end of the chartered Cup Series programs.

But even if money is no option, Gene Haas, who has been in the sport for over two decades, made the bold choice last season to remain despite Stewart’s departure, loss of Tier One support from Ford, and loss of sponsors. This drive to stay in NASCAR, despite the then-impending drop in performance, could suggest that Haas is here to stay, and this deal is, in fact, just a soon-to-be-forgotten rumor.

NASCAR Cup Series Silly Season has been rather quiet, if LMC does somehow get their third charter, be that in the courtroom or the boardroom, it could spark a wildfire of silly season moves.

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