Two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller will drive at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Watkins Glen for Legacy Motor Club, the team announced Tuesday.
Rockenfeller will drive the No. 42 Chevrolet in place of Noah Gragson, who was suspended by Legacy MC and NASCAR for liking a racially insensitive post on social media. Josh Berry drove the No. 42 at Michigan.
The Athletic reported Tuesday morning that Legacy MC and Gragson have parted ways.
Legacy MC stated to NBC Sports that the team has not released Gragson. He is suspended indefinitely by NASCAR, so the team will have to determine drivers to compete in the No. 42 in the interim. NASCAR will determine the timeline when Gragson can return, and Legacy MC is working with Gragson and his representation through this process.
Rockenfeller will make his first Cup Series start of the season at Indy. He made his debut with Spire Motorsports at Watkins Glen International last season and finished 30th. He returned to the team at the Charlotte Roval and finished 29th.
Rockenfeller, a veteran sports car driver, has ties to Legacy MC co-owner Jimmie Johnson. Both were drivers in NASCAR’s Garage 56 program that competed in this season’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Jenson Button was the third driver for that team.
Johnson and Rockenfeller also competed together in the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona. They joined Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez on the No. 48 team.
“Rocky and I were teammates and helped develop the G56 program,” Johnson said in a statement. “I couldn’t think of a better person to assist our Club in this tough situation.
“These back-to-back road course events will be great for Rocky from the technical side as they will bring out his expertise. Rocky is extremely knowledgeable and talented, and I know he will get us the best results possible.”
