Legacy sues T.J. Puchyr for "underhanded attempt" to buy RWR

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There are at least five different lawsuits going on at the moment in relation to charter disputes in NASCAR, and three of them involve Legacy Motor Club as either the plaintiff or defendant.

After suing Rick Ware Racing for allegedly backtracking on a signed contract to sell a charter to Legacy for 2026, RWR has since countersued Legacy. While Legacy claims they have a signed Charter Purchase Agreement for a 2026 charter, RWR claims they are trying to take a charter other than the one originally agreed upon.

And while this is unfolding, a report from the Associated Press has emerged, saying that T.J. Puchyr had entered into an agreement to purchase all of Rick Ware Racing.

In this latest suit, they claim Puchyr is wrongfully interfering with Legacy’s attempt to purchase a charter from RWR. This comes after Judge Daniel A. Kuehnert warned RWR that they could face “serious ramifications” if they tried to sell, despite previously indicating in court that they had no such plans.

Puchyr was working with Legacy?

John Hunter Nemechek, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota

Photo by: Chris Graythen – Getty Images

Legacy revealed in a filing this week that Puchyr was actually working with the team as an “Independent Contractor Agreement” through his consulting firm, Rucus. They also say he had direct knowledge of their purchase agreement with RWR as he helped to broker it before making his own offer to buy the race team in the midst of this charter dispute.

In the suit, Legacy claims, “As part of that agreement, Mr. Puchyr was given access to confidential and sensitive business information so that he could promote Legacy and its principals in order to help Legacy secure (a) sponsorship deal. Legacy trusted Mr. Puchyr. By engaging Mr. Puchyr, Legacy expected him to act with integrity and to refrain from actions that would undermine Legacy’s operations, reputation, or competitive standing. It further expected Mr. Puchyr to avoid any conflicts of interest, disclose any circumstances that might compromise his impartiality, and comply with ethical standards that reinforce Legacy’s trust in his services.”

They go on to say that he has betrayed their trust and is now interfering in their ongoing legal battle with RWR as he aims to buy the entire organization. They make serious accusations against Puchyr, saying he has “worked behind the scenes to upend Legacy’s deal with RWR,” adding: “He has openly and proudly boasted about his malfeasance, criticizing Legacy and its principals, while touting his underhanded attempt to strip Legacy of its bargained-for right to Charter from RWR.”

Legacy also claims Puchyr made “personal attacks” against Legacy’s co-owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson. Per the filing, Puchyr said he didn’t think Johnson “‘has all the facts, doesn’t understand the deal we had’ and ‘tried to humiliate Rick publicly.'”