John Hunter Nemechek will join Haas Factory Team to drive the No. 41 Chevrolet for the 2027 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, the team announced Wednesday.
Nemechek is an 11-time winner in the O’Reilly Series and joins after completing his fourth full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series. He’ll partner with veteran crew chief Jason Trinchere, who was paired with Sam Mayer in the No. 41 the last two seasons.
MORE: 2027 O’Reilly schedule | More on JHN
With primary sponsorship from Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, Nemechek joins Dean Thompson on HFT’s 2027 roster. The team announced Aug. 8 that it will also expand from a two-car outfit to three cars in the new year. Plans for its third team have not yet been announced.
“I’m excited to join Haas Factory Team’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series program,” Nemechek said in a team press release. “They have championship-caliber cars and personnel, and I’m ready to get to work with this group and compete for wins in 2027.”
A second-generation racer, Nemechek has driven the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Toyota in the Cup Series since 2024, collecting three top fives and 14 top 10s in his 107 starts with Legacy ahead of Sunday’s Cup finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3 p.m. ET, NBC, HBO Max, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Nemechek has raced in parts of six O’Reilly Auto Parts Series campaigns, two of which were full-time efforts (2019, 2023). The 2023 campaign with Joe Gibbs Racing marked Nemechek’s best across NASCAR’s three national series, racking up seven victories, 17 top fives and 24 top 10s before finishing fourth in the championship battle. Nemechek last competed in the O’Reilly Series in 2024, racing 11 times and winning two races.
“John Hunter brings the experience and talent we’re looking for at Haas Factory Team,” Joe Custer, president of Haas Factory Team, said in a release. “We’re excited to have him join our organization and look forward to competing for wins and championships together.”
Nemechek is also a 13-time winner in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition, scoring five wins in 2021 as he embarked on a career rejuvenation. The Mooresville, North Carolina, native made his full-time Cup Series debut in 2020 with Front Row Motorsports but returned to the Truck Series the following year, seeking an opportunity to rebuild his career through race-winning performances. That plan worked, rising back to the Cup Series by the 2024 season.
However, Legacy Motor Club announced Sept. 2 that it would part ways with Nemechek following the 2026 season, later announcing Josh Berry would pilot the No. 42 Toyota in the 2027 Cup Series campaign.
Nemechek, the son of former O’Reilly champion Joe Nemechek and nephew of former racer John Nemechek, sits 29th in the Cup Series points standings ahead of Sunday’s finale.