Legacy Motor Club suing Puchyr over Ware involvement, Johnson comments

Legacy Motor Club is accusing T.J. Puchyr of tortious interference and unfair and deceptive trade acts in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.

Puchyr had been working as a consultant for both Legacy Motor Club and Rick Ware Racing, playing a role in the agreement the two sides made for a charter purchase. However, Puchyr then revealed to the Associated Press in late June that he's entered into an agreement to purchase the Ware race team. Puchyr also made remarks Legacy sees as disparaging against Jimmie Johnson, the owner of Legacy Motor Club, in the story.

“Mr. Puchyr has betrayed Legacy’s trust,” the suit claims. “Not only has Mr. Puchyr apparently worked behind the scenes to upend Legacy’s deal with RWR, he has openly and proudly boasted about his malfeasance, criticizing Legacy and its principals, while touting his underhanded attempts to strip Legacy of its bargained-for rights to a Charter from RWR.”

The first claim in the suit against Puchyr alleges tortious interference with contract. Puchyr, in his role as a consultant, had knowledge of the agreement between Legacy Motor Club and Rick Ware over the charter sale and intentionally induced Rick Ware Racing to breach its contract.

Legacy Motor Club is claiming the sale was for 2026 but Ware claims the terms were changed to 2026 from the understanding it was for 2027. Legacy filed a lawsuit against Ware in April.

The second claim is tortious interference with prospective economic advantage. It alleges that Legacy had an expectation of fielding a third car in 2026 and 2027, and Puchyr had knowledge of those business relationships (sponsors, etc.). It is stated that, “On that information and belief, Mr. Puchyr … purposely and without justification interfered with these relationships by announcing a prospective purchase of RWR and its Charters, publicly stating that due to his intended purchase Legacy would not have any opportunity to acquire a Charter from RWR in 2026 or 2027.

“Mr. Puchyr’s … interference prevents making contracts with and prospective sponsors by clouding the certainty that Legacy will be able (to) run a third card under the Charter it bought from RWR. It thus deprives Legacy’s prospective business relations with sponsors and others, causing Legacy substantial damages in an amount to be determined at trial.”

The final claim is violations of the North Carolina unfair and deceptive trade practices act by alleging, among a few different things, that Puchyr spent time putting together the finances to purchase the Ware team and its charters even though Legacy feels it is entitled to one, concealed his intentions to interfere with Legacy’s contractual rights, and exploited his knowledge of the agreement between Legacy and Ware to put together a proposal to best fit his and Ware’s interests while violating the rights of Legacy Motor Club.

It is surmised that, “Mr. Puchyr’s … intention to purchase RWR and its Charters under these circumstances offends public policy and is immoral, unethical, oppressive, unscrupulous, and substantially injurious to Legacy.”

Puchyr is one of the founders of Spire Motorsports but he sold his shares last year to Dan Towriss, the CEO of TWG Motorsports. In the Associated Press piece about entering an agreement with Ware about purchasing the team beginning next season, Puchyr said he is bullish on wanting to expand the operation and believes in the direction of NASCAR.

However, the move came while Legacy and Ware are in the middle of a lawsuit over the sale of a charter. It was in the AP story that Puchyr made comments about Johnson that are being used in the lawsuit.

“Mr. Puchyr’s public remarks did not stop there,” the suit reads. “He made personal attacks against Legacy owner and seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson, claiming that he ‘d[idn’t] think Jimmie has all the facts, doesn’t understand the deal we had,’ and ‘tried to humiliate Rick publicly.’ He further taunted that if Mr. Johnson ‘wants to sit down and talk about it like men, I’d entertain the conversation.’”

Legacy Motor Club fields two full-time entries for Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. A third charter will allow them to expand the operation.

Rick Ware owns two charters. The organization is running one for Cody Ware while the second is being leased to RFK Racing but will return at the end of the year. Ware intends to lease the other charter to RFK Racing in 2026.