Is Ty Gibbs the Reason Corey Heim Isn’t With JGR?
What’s Happening? It was an awkward weekend for the Toyota camp at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Saturday was the main story for…
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Monday morning, a circulating rumor stated that Corey Heim would replace John Hunter Nemechek in the Legacy MC No. 42 in 2025. This rumor sparked debate online. However, it appears that it is untrue. Here is everything you need to know.
The initial rumor originated with the nascarrumornostalgia Instagram account, which, to their credit, just mentioned that they had heard this and seemed unsure if it was true. Furthermore, this account has a solid track record this season with rumors, including Corey Lajoie heading to Rick Ware Racing.
The rumor was that John Hunter Nemechek, after one year into his Legacy tenure, would be removed from the No. 42 at season’s end. The account claimed that perhaps the driver of Tricon Garage’s No. 11, Corey Heim, would take his place.
When Reddit picked this rumor up, it exploded on X, with some fans believing it and some fans doubting it. Late Monday, BrakeHard dove into this rumor and discovered that it had no truth.
@brakehard RUMOR: JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK OUT OF LEGACY MOTOR CLUB? #nascar #racing #motorsport ♬ original sound – brakehard
While it’s not true, some fans ran with this rumor because of Legacy MC’s seemingly ever-changing status. Jimmie Johnson’s co-owned team has had a once-promising season turn difficult with a slew of on- and off-track incidents.
This year, Legacy, in a bid for growth, switched from ECR Chevrolet Engines to Toyota TRD. The team also had lots of hope as its veteran driver, Erik Jones, would be flanked by a reemerging John Hunter Nemechek.
Nemechek is coming off three straight years of championship contention in the Truck or Xfinity Series. This tenure with TRD saw his career reborn, with 16 wins in both series from 2021 to 2023. His talent, along with Toyota’s integration, showed signs of advancement for the former Richard Petty Motorsports.
However, this season has not been the best, with Nemechek racing toward the back for the majority of the season and Jones showing similar results. Off-track, the team has hired and fired several crew members and Crew Chiefs, which made fans wonder if there were more changes in store for the team.
Jones’s season has been hard not only statistically but also physically. At the GEICO 500 at Talladega, Jones found himself in the wall after being turned by Bubba Walce in a pack of Toyotas. This crash resulted in a two-week injury absence for the veteran.
In substitute, Legacy called up Toyota’s top prospect, Corey Heim. Since joining Tricon Garage in the Craftsman Truck Series last season, Heim has dominated. Despite this, he cannot get a ride at the next or even top level with Joe Gibbs Racing, seemingly due to a past rivalry with Ty Gibbs.
What’s Happening? It was an awkward weekend for the Toyota camp at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Saturday was the main story for…
In his two starts with Legacy, at Dover and Kansas, Heim didn’t blow the world away but put up rather good numbers compared to Legacy’s full-time talent. This earned Heim a start with 23XI Racing at Nashville.
Heim’s credibility and resume appear to have given this rumor the most traction, with the added benefit that Legacy has already signed Jones to an extension.
However, in his same report about JHN staying in the No. 42 next season, BrakeHard claimed that Heim will get another season in Trucks, seemingly squashing this rumor and any subsequent Heim-related rumors.
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