Legacy Motor Club announced Tuesday that Jason Burdett will join the organization for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series as the crew chief of the No. 84 Toyota for Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time series champion and the team co-owner.
Burdett, 46, moves to the LMC group after nine seasons with JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series. There, he netted 18 victories as a crew chief, working seven seasons with veteran Justin Allgaier and one each with Regan Smith and Brandon Jones.
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The shift to Legacy M.C. represents a reunion with Johnson, who joined Hendrick Motorsports in the same year as Burdett — 2001. Burdett replaces Todd Gordon, who served as crew chief for Johnson’s three races last season.
“I have a very long history of working with Jason at Hendrick Motorsports – we spent a lot of time together throughout the years,” Johnson said. “Jason is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in the sport. He’s solid and he’s created an amazing ‘legacy’ for himself. I’ve always had a great working relationship with him, and I’m just genuinely excited he has joined the Club.”
The team indicated that Johnson will continue to drive on a part-time basis in 2024 but that Burdett will be full-time in helping the team’s offseason transition from Chevrolet to Toyota. Legacy Motor Club also firmed up two key personnel appointments for the No. 84 Camry XSE, tapping Evan Bensch as lead engineer in a move from LMC’s No. 43 team and bringing back Robbie Fairweather as car chief.
Three of the races on Johnson’s Cup Series slate for 2024 have been announced so far, with AdventHealth joining the team as a primary sponsor for springtime events at Texas (April 14), Kansas (May 5) and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte (May 26).
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“Jason comes to Legacy M.C. at a great time,” said Joey Cohen, LMC’s vice president of race operations. “Not only is he a perfect fit to lead our 84 team with JJ and their past experiences, but he also will help tremendously in the operational transition to Toyota and greatly assist the crew chiefs on the Nos. 42 and 43 teams. We are excited for Jason to begin his ‘legacy’ and continue his winning ways with our Club. Additionally, Evan and Robbie bring consistency and experience to the Club and they will work great alongside Jason.”
Burdett got his start as a tire specialist with Robert Yates Racing in 1995 after starting his career in motorsports at short tracks in his native New York. He was later a key contributor to the success of Nos. 24 and 48 teams for Jeff Gordon and Johnson during his time at Hendrick Motorsports, celebrating a Cup Series title with Gordon in his first Cup Series season. Save for a crew-chief stint at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2007, Burdett was a fixture for the Hendrick crew before his departure to JRM in 2015.