Following Noah Gragson's indefinite suspension for "liking" a racist meme on Instagram, his team, Legacy Motor Club on Tuesday drafted in sports-car ace Mike Rockenfeller to run the next two NASCAR Cup Series races. "Rocky," as he's known, has a lot of familiarity with NASCAR as one of the drivers of its wildly successful Garage 56 effort at Le Mans. He'll run the #42 Chevy for Legacy at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course this weekend and at Watkins Glen on the 20th.
According to a press release from Legacy Motor Club, Rockenfeller got the call from Jimmie Johhnson, who drives the team's part-time #84 car, this past Sunday, following the IMSA race at Road America. Johnson also ran the Garage 56 car with Rockenfeller, making the German driver the obvious choice. In addition, Rockenfeller has two NASCAR Cup Series starts, running last year's Charlotte Roval and Watkins Glen races.
"After racing with Jimmie in IMSA for two years and together in the Garage 56 program not only were we teammates, but we are now great friends," Rockenfeller said in a statement. “"o get to race for him in the NASCAR Cup Series for LEGACY M.C. with him as a co-owner is such a true honor. It's going to be a huge challenge as I have never raced at Indy. I was dreaming about being in a Cup Series car again and I'm thankful for the opportunity. I will try my best in this short timeframe to come together with the team and have a great race in Indy."
Rockenfeller will be on the grid with his other Garage 56 alum, Jenson Button, at Indy. The race is turning into somewhat of an all-star affair with Rockenfeller, Button, and Cup Series full-timers joined by Toyota sports-car legend's Kamui Kobayashi, plus Australian Supercars stars Brodie Kostecki and Shane van Gisbergen, who stunningly won on debut at the Chicago street race.
Gragson was suspended both by NASCAR and Legacy Motor Club following his "liking" of an Instagram meme making light of the death of George Floyd. On Tuesday, The Athletic reported that Gragson and Legacy M.C. have parted ways permanently. The team hasn't announced who will drive the #42 following Rockenfeller's two appearances.
A car enthusiast since childhood, Chris Perkins is Road & Track's engineering nerd and Porsche apologist. He joined the staff in 2016 and no one has figured out a way to fire him since. He street-parks a Porsche Boxster in Brooklyn, New York, much to the horror of everyone who sees the car, not least the author himself. He also insists he's not a convertible person, despite owning three.
