Travis Pastrana to Jimmie Johnson 'I'm Your Huckleberry" will fill in for the driver in the opening rounds of Extreme-E

We have new legends entering the Extreme-E paddock this year as Legacy Motor Club, with owner Jimmie Johnson and team ambassador Richard Petty. Legacy Motor Club has committed to running a team in the final season of the international electric off-road series.

The only problem is, the season takes off this weekend with the Desert X Prix in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Johnson has a date with Daytona.

The two-time Daytona 500 winner will be replaced by 16-time X Games gold medalist Travis Pastrana. After a knee replacement this winter, Pastrana is dedicated to car racing and will be off the bike for the foreseeable future. This means the multi-discipline racer will compete with Extreme-E, American Rally Association, and Nitrocross in 2024.

In an Instagram reel and TikTok put out jointly on Johnson’s and Pastrana’s social channels, the duo recreated the phone call of Johnson asking Pastrana to drive in his place for the first race of the Extreme-E season. Johnson can be seen in front of his Carvana No. 84 Toyota while Pastrana is still in the snow after finishing second this weekend in the Sno* Drift Rally. While the actual conversation might’ve been a second or two longer Pastrana stressed that the decision was made easily.

Pastrana will be joined by 19-year-old co-driver Gray Leadbetter in the LEGACY M.C. ODYSSEY 21 for the first two rounds of the Extrme-E season. In an Instagram comment underneath the reel, the young racer also recreated her conversation with Pastrana, where she just as spontaneously decides to join him despite limited practice time before Desert X Prix. With Lia Block not returning to the grid this year, Leadbetter will be the youngest driver in Extreme-E.

Pastrana’s 2023 Daytona 500

Last year Pastrana spent his Daytona 500 weekend racing in that prestigious event. Pastrana ran the Black Rifle No. 67 Toyota for Denny Hamlin’s 23XI racing.

In his first NASCAR Cup Series start, Pastrana was credited with an 11th-place finish after he got caught up in the second overtime “Big One'' crash caused when Aric Almirola spun in front of the field after a miscalculated bump draft. Pastrana was able to stay in contention for a top ten and on the lead lap throughout his historic first attempt. (link)

Johnson was involved in the first overtime crash and finished 31st in the 65th running of the Daytona 500.

Extreme-E replaces one seven-time champion with another

Legacy Motor Club's move into the Extreme-E filled a hole left vacant when Lewis Hamilton announced earlier this month that his X44 team would not be returning for the final season. X44 has been with the series since its inception in 2021 and won the championship in 2022.

One seven-time champion gets replaced by two as Legacy Motor Club co-owner Johnson and Club Ambassador Richard Petty both tout seven championship NASCAR Cup series titles.

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