Noah Gragson and Legacy Motor Club have formally parted ways.
In a joint statement, the NASCAR Cup Series rookie says he requested his release following his suspension from both the team and sanctioning body over ‘liking’ a meme on Instagram that made light of George Floyd’s murder.
“I have asked Legacy Motor Club to release me from my contract so that I can take time to work through the NASCAR reinstatement process,” Gragson said. “I love racing, and I am looking forward to a second chance to compete for wins at the highest level of NASCAR – and most importantly, make my family, my team and the fans proud of me once again.”
Related: Legacy Motor Club cut ties with Noah Gragson for multiple reasons
Legacy Motor Club CEO Cal Wells III issued a statement that the request was granted.
“Noah has a ton of talent and has a great personality,” Wells said. “This is a difficult situation, but we are proud that Noah has taken ownership of his actions and are confident he will work through this process with NASCAR and come back stronger.”
Gragson was already in the midst of a challenging rookie season in which he had yet to record a single top-five or top-10 with an average finish of 28.2. He had signed a three-year agreement with the organization last summer but that was before it underwent a series of changes, starting with the arrival of Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson as a co-owner, the impending switch from Chevrolet to Toyota and a new CEO in Wells.
Gragson has been heavily rumored to be on the hot seat with Toyota keen to promote John Hunter Nemechek to the Cup Series. Martin Truex Jr. signing a one-year extension with Joe Gibbs Racing had left Toyota without room at the highest level for the second-generation driver.
In liking the meme, Legacy Motor Club says Gragson acted in a way that “does not represent the values of our team.” At a minimum, the terms of reinstatement will include sensitivity training.
Related: NASCAR standings
Sports Car ace Mike Rockenfeller will pilot the car over the next two weekends at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen International. Xfinity Series driver Josh Berry drove the car over the weekend at Michigan International Speedway.
The team has not revealed who will drive the No. 42 for the remainder of the season.
