Johnson crashes early, however LMC nonetheless earns two top-tens in Daytona 500

Whereas staff co-owner and Corridor of Fame inductee Jimmie Johnson’s race didn’t go in addition to he hoped, LMC’s two full-time drivers – John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones – each left Monday’s rain-delayed Daytona 500 with a powerful begin to the 2024 season.

When a last-lap warning froze the sphere, Nemechek was credited with a seventh-place end whereas Jones was eighth. That’s a marked enchancment from final 12 months when LMC’s three entries all completed twenty fourth or worse.

Johnson, who solely made the sphere for the five hundred in a 3rd LMC automobile with a determined late move for place in his qualifying race, received into bother early Monday and completed twenty eighth.

“It was so good to get two top-10s for the No. 42 and No. 43. I hoped to race slightly longer earlier than we received in a wreck, but it surely’s only a matter of time earlier than you get caught up in one thing right here,” Johnson stated.

“It was fairly disappointing. We had some optimism to start with, hopeful we may straighten out the suspension after which no less than run within the draft. Then, as time went on, we realized the severity of the harm and we simply had an excessive amount of harm.”

The brand new Toyota Camry XSE confirmed loads of velocity in racing situations at Daytona, even when it could have sacrificed one thing in single automobile qualifying.

Each Nemechek (who began tenth) and Jones (who began eleventh) had been capable of make their option to the entrance of the sphere at occasions and put themselves into rivalry.

“Stable Daytona 500, strong begin to our 12 months,” Nemecheck stated. “Ran up entrance for slightly bit, rode round for some time and stayed out of the carnage. General, actually happy with everybody at Legacy Motor Membership.

“It felt good within the draft. I felt like I may push, I may trip, I might be pushed. General, a strong day. I be ok with the place we’re at. Respectable begin to the 12 months.”

Jones stated he had an analogous expertise however was hampered by some points on pit street through the race and received collected in a single multi-car accident.

“It’s a very good begin to the season. I’ve not had good luck firstly of the season at Daytona, so we are going to take a top-10. I want it was extra,” he stated. “I feel we had a automobile able to extra – I simply struggled to make a lot occur all through the day, getting in line and attending to the entrance.

“Simply didn’t play out in any respect all through the evening like we would have liked. We lastly had one thing rolling there within the center and it received choked up and we received caught up in that wreck, however we are going to take it. We’ll go to Atlanta and take a look at once more.”