John Hunter Nemechek’s full-circle journey to | Sports News

For as long as he can bear in mind, John Hunter Nemechek has rolled by the tunnels into the Daytona International Speedway infield this time of yr. 

For years, he by no means had any curiosity in what was occurring on observe, the place his dad was amongst these competing for the largest prize in stock car racing. 

“Not a lot of racing memories,” Nemechek admits. “Ultimately my memories as a kid were on the playground, in the motorhome lot, ripping scooters around, having our own races, playing basketball. Just being here at the facility.

“Pretty neat to grow up here.” 

As he bought older, round 10-12 years previous, issues modified. The on-track motion began to seize his consideration. He switched from motocross back to racing stock automobiles. 

“Favorite drivers were Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, my dad, Tony Stewart, back then,” he says, “There were a lot of greats.” 

The first identify that comes to thoughts is now his boss. He’s staff proprietor of Legacy Motor Club, the place Nemechek drives the No.42 car, and for this weekend, he’s additionally a teammate. 

What would that 10-year-old assume if he might have flashed ahead 18 years for a glimpse at the whole lot occurring now? 

“That was the ultimate goal as a child,” Nemechek says. “Just with the goals and ambitions of being in the Cup Series. I wanted to be able to win races at the top level and become a Cup champion one day.

“It’s pretty neat to be able to race against all the guys that I have in my career. To have him (Jimmie) as a team owner, life has definitely come full circle.

“He tells stories about remembering when I was a child and running around. He remembers us racing our scooters round and things like that, so it’s pretty cool to be able to race for him.”

He may now be 28 fairly than eight, however Nemechek remains to be discovering unconventional methods to entertain himself at Daytona.

This week, he grew to become, so far as he’s conscious, the primary particular person to ever surf on Lake Lloyd alongside motorsports icon Travis Pastrana earlier than they each competed in opposition to each other in Friday’s Truck race. 

“I saw Travis walking through the driver-owner lot and texted him like, ‘hey, you want to go surf with us?’,” Nemechek explains. “He skipped out on a couple of things, came over and went surfing with us.

“Really cool experience. Hopefully we get to do it again.”

The subsequent day, Nemechek was hovering across the observe from the skies in an Air Force Thunderbird. 

“It’s insane,” he says, with the identical child-like enthusiasm he had all these years in the past. “One of the most amazing experiences I’ve been able to be a part of.

“I didn’t get sick and I didn’t pass out, so we’ll check those things off.” 

He was additionally taken for a lap of the circuit and joked “that’s the fastest lap I’ll ever take around Daytona that is for sure!”. 

While he’s already accomplished his quickest lap of the week, Nemechek hopes he’ll be metaphorically flying across the well-known banking in at present’s Daytona 500.

He remains to be but to win his first Cup Series race, however feels he’s inching nearer to reaching that lifelong dream with no higher place to do it than within the 68th operating of ‘The Great American Race’.

“I definitely feel like we’re getting closer,” he says. “We’ve been able to prepare some really good Toyota Camrys toward the end of last season and had some really good speed.

“Came close a couple of times, and who knows? Might happen here at the 500. Feel really good about our Dollar Tree Toyota Camry down here this week.” 

Nemechek returns with the very same crew on his No.42 staff, led by crew chief Travis Mack, after a promising 2025 which marked a regular however vital step ahead from the earlier yr.

“I’m really excited,” he declares. “I have the same core group that I had last year, which is nice. 

“Not having to learn new communication, new bodies and things of that sort. Kind of trying to learn what the other person is talking about on the radio or how I’m describing the race car. Taking all those notes we’ve been able to compile and really add them up.

“I feel really good about the position we’re in. I feel really good about us continuing to take a step forward. I’m excited for the 2026 season.” 

After discovering himself in far an excessive amount of hassle in 2024, Nemechek made a concerted effort to attempt to keep his nostril clean final yr. This yr, he’ll head back out with seven-time champion Johnson’s advice nonetheless ringing in his ears. 

“I still don’t want to overstep what I’m given. Definitely want to put myself in the right places and choose the right decisions for what’s going on.

“Going to go out and, as Jimmie says, just be yourself and see how we can perform on the race track.”

At this stage, whereas he has not but been to Victory Lane, Nemechek has proved he belongs on the Cup Series degree. 

“I feel like over the past couple of years I’ve had points to prove, but at this point, I feel like I belong here.” 

While Nemechek is aware of he belongs, he’s additionally making ready to be caught up in a single of essentially the most frantic driver markets the Cup Series has seen in latest reminiscence, with over 20 drivers’ contract expiring and his own staff including a third constitution car. 

Despite the uncertainty dealing with most of the lineup, Nemechek insists he’s “not really worried about that”. 

“There’s a plan,” he says. “And we don’t know exactly what that may be, but we’ve just got to push forward every single week, focus on what we can do and go out and perform. For me it’s just focusing on the present in front of us. 

“I’ve been in the sport for quite a while and feel really good about the sport that I’m in. Just got to continue to build this club, Legacy Motor Club, and hopefully we can go and achieve some greatness.”