Legacy Motor Club filed a lawsuit against Rick Ware Racing in Mecklenburg County Superior Court on Tuesday, claiming that the team backed out of a charter purchase agreement.
According to heavily redacted documents filed Tuesday, Legacy Motor Club said that it began working in October 2024 to purchase a third charter to expand its driver and car lineup for the 2026 season.
MORE: Redacted lawsuit PDF
"Legacy learned that a Charter owned by Rick Ware Racing, LLC ('RWR') led by its owner and former driver Rick Ware was on the market for purchase," the documents stated. "Strapped for cash, and unable to compete at a Cup Series level by its own admission, RWR needed to sell one of its two Charters.
"So, on the morning of January 6, 2025, Legacy's CEO Calvin 'Cal' Wells III met with RWR's representatives Rick Ware, and his broker T.J. Puchyr to strike a deal. They did. On March 3, 2025, Legacy and RWR executed a Charter Purchase Agreement."
The documents continued and said that RWR "wants to back out" of the deal and that the team told Legacy MC that it will not, "under any circumstances," close the transaction.
According to The Athletic's Jordan Bianchi, who first reported the lawsuit, the timing of the charter transfer is an issue. RWR was under the impression that the transfer would take place for the 2027 season and that Legacy MC "changed the year to 2026" in the documents.
Legacy MC said in the documents that it "tried to talk sense" into RWR before running out of patience. This led to the lawsuit filed on Tuesday, as well as a preliminary injunction request. Legacy MC has asked the Court to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that will maintain the status quo until litigation is decided.
Rick Ware Racing has two charters. The team uses one to field the No. 51 that Cody Ware drives in every Cup Series race. RFK Racing currently leases the second charter so that Ryan Preece and the No. 60 team have guaranteed entry to every race on the schedule.