Legacy Motor Club announced on Thirsday that 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne has joined the NASCAR CUP SERIES team as Driver Optimization Leader.

Speaking about the news, Bayne said:

I’m super humbled that Jimmie (Johnson), Joey (Cohen), Matt (Kenseth) and our drivers are trusting me with their preparation process this year. Preparation is one of the biggest keys in motorsports, and with so much data that is available to the drivers, it’s my job to translate the most important parts to them and work with them to make sure they are ready to go in all aspects come race weekend. Jimmie, Matt and I built a great relationship through road biking and training together over the years. We all share a common mentality that drivers can all become even better at their craft if they are willing to put in the work -whether that be in fitness, studying, or leading their teams. Relying on raw ability at this level isn’t enough. It’s funny, because when I was a driver everything felt like it was being built around me, so as I make this transition, I’m looking forward to building up others and helping them make the most of their careers. Very few teams have in house programs like this so I’m excited to build this from a blank slate alongside our leaders and drivers.”

Working closely alongside LEGACY M.C.’s competition advisor, Matt Kenseth, Bayne’s role will focus primarily on the race preparation of drivers John Hunter Nemechek, Erik Jones, and Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson.

Additionally, as announced via social media this week, Truck Series standout Corey Heim will serve as a “reserve driver” for both 23XI Racing and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB throughout the 2024 season. In addition to competing for a Truck Series championship with TRICON Garage this year along with several starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Sam Hunt Racing, five-time Truck Series winner and nine-time ARCA Series winner Heim will work closely with LEGACY M.C.’s crew chiefs and Toyota Racing Development as a simulation driver. In 2023, Heim clinched the Truck Series regular season championship and ultimately finished third in Truck Series points.

Corey Heim said:

This is a big opportunity, and I can’t thank everyone at LEGACY M.C. and Toyota for believing in me. The access to information and the extra sim time as I continue to grow in my career is extremely valuable. I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible from the drivers and Club members at the track.

Vice President of Racing Operations Joey Cohen commented saying:

With the parity of the race vehicles, NASCAR NextGen competition has placed a huge emphasis on the driver and their abilities to extract performance. Corey and Trevor are critical components to ensure our drivers have the best data and tools to execute and deliver results at the racetrack for LEGACY M.C. Toyota Racing also provides excellent resources to support this program and we are excited to see the results it can produce this season

Share This