By Neha Dwivedi,The SportsRush

Copyright yardbarker

Jimmie Johnson and Rick Ware’s long-standing legal saga has finally come to an end. The two sides have settled their dispute over a NASCAR Cup Series ownership charter that had put Legacy Motor Club and Rick Ware Racing at odds. With the matter resolved, Johnson has now outlined his plans for the team’s next step forward.

The clash stemmed from LMC’s push to secure a third charter to expand its operation, a deal with Ware that collapsed earlier this year. Legacy responded with a breach of contract suit, while Ware countered, insisting the agreement applied to 2027 rather than 2026.

RWR controls two charters: one fields Cody Ware’s No. 51 entry, and the other is leased to RFK Racing. The conflict quickly escalated into dueling lawsuits, centering on which charter was actually part of the deal. Matters came to a head in court on April 30, with Legacy arguing the agreement covered Charter 27, currently leased to RFK for this season, while RWR maintained it was Charter 36, tied to the No. 51 entry and earmarked for RFK in 2026.

The case had been set for trial in January 2026, but the two sides reached common ground before it ever reached that stage. Johnson expressed relief at the outcome, saying,

“Reaching a positive outcome was important for everyone involved. I truly respect the effort put forth by Robby Benton and Rick Ware to reach a settlement so we may all focus on our business operations and future goals. I’m glad this is behind us and we can all move forward in unison.”