Interview
NASCAR O'Reilly
John Hunter Nemechek "blessed" by decision to join GMS Racing
Given his success last season, it was no secret John Hunter Nemechek hoped to return to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2019 but that’s not how it worked out.
Jim Utter
Edited: Jan 25, 2019, 12:43 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
In the end, Nemechek’s move to GMS Racing to compete fulltime in the Xfinity Series this season may have been one of the most important of his young NASCAR career.
Through 18 Xfinity starts with Ganassi last year, Nemechek won his first series race (Kansas in the fall) and his first series pole (Phoenix in the fall). He racked up six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.
At the end of the year, however, it was Ross Chastain who was offered the fulltime ride with Ganassi’s No. 42 Xfinity team and Nemechek was left looking for other options.
Reaching Victory Lane with Ganassi
“Towards the end of the year last year it was stressful for myself. I didn’t know what opportunities were going to present themselves,” Nemechek told Motorsport.com. “We had a really good year in Chip Ganassi’s No. 42 and ended up getting our first win and ended up a contender for the owner’s championship.
“The funding I could bring to the table wasn’t enough to stay and run fulltime but I’m really blessed and thankful for the opportunity from GMS Racing and (owner) Maury Gallagher and Chevrolet – everyone involved in bringing myself over to GMS.”
Earlier this month Chip Ganassi Racing announced it was shutting down its No. 42 team due to a lack of sponsorship funding.
The No. 42 Xfinity team was scheduled to be sponsored in large part by DC Solar. In late December, there were multiple reports that the FBI conducted twin raids on the home of DC Solar CEO Jeff Carpoff in Martinez, Calif., and the company's headquarters in Benicia, Calif.
"Blessed" to be with GMS
The shutdown decision move meant Chastain lost his promising ride for the upcoming season, a ride that at one point Nemechek was hoping would be his.
“I’ve always been told everything happens for a reason. God is good and works in mysterious ways,” Nemechek said. “Like, I said, I’m blessed with the opportunity at GMS Racing.
“When I first heard the news about the Chip Ganassi Racing deal – you never want to see that happen to another driver because you could be in that position. I look back and say, ‘What if I would have stayed there? Where would I be?’
“I hate it for Ross. For Chip Ganassi Racing I hate it, their Xfinity program was one of the best in the business. For all the guys that were employed under the Xfinity program, I grew really close relationship with them. You hate to see them lose their jobs.”
New driver development program
Nemechek’s move to GMS Racing is coming with another unexpected plus as well. He was one of six drivers named Thursday to the new Drivers Edge Development program, created by an alliance among GMS, JR Motorsports and Chevrolet.
The program, which includes efforts to encourage on-track and off-track professional growth, was designed to help groom a next generation of drivers, giving them the opportunity to progress through NASCAR’s ranks while remaining aligned with Chevrolet.
“For Chevy to put their name on this, as well as JR Motorsports and GMS Racing, it’s a really big deal. No one really has a program like the one they are developing here,” Nemechek said.
“I’m looking forward to it, not just to build my brand off the race track, but also building myself as a person, getting people to know me maybe as John Hunter instead of Joe Nemechek’s kid.
“We’re a single car team at GMS but we have guys that I can go to and talk to and pick their brains. With building a brand, what better guy to pick the brain of than Dale Earnhardt Jr.?”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article JRM, GMS Racing launch Chevy driver development program
Next article JR Motorsports shuffles car numbers, reveals more drivers
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jim Utter
Erik Jones agrees to multi-year contract extension with Legacy Motor Club
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Erik Jones agrees to multi-year contract extension with Legacy Motor Club
Goodyear's option tires at Richmond "were like Mario Kart with a star"
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
Goodyear's option tires at Richmond "were like Mario Kart with a star"
NASCAR: Austin Dillon move was "really close to crossing the line"
NASCAR Cup
NASCAR Cup
Richmond II
NASCAR: Austin Dillon move was "really close to crossing the line"
Latest news
McLaren held fresh talks after Singapore GP clash as Lando Norris promises to "make better decisions"
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
14 min
McLaren held fresh talks after Singapore GP clash as Lando Norris promises to "make better decisions"
2026 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Indonesian GP
2 h
2026 MotoGP Australian Grand Prix – How to watch, session times & more
Zane Smith fined $50,000 by NASCAR for ramming Carson Hocevar after Phoenix Cup race
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Phoenix II
9 h
Zane Smith fined $50,000 by NASCAR for ramming Carson Hocevar after Phoenix Cup race
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
14 h
FIA expects F1 races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to continue as planned
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe