Legacy Motor Club has filed a lawsuit against TJ Puchyr, alleging that he willfully interfered with the team's Charter Purchase Agreement with Rick Ware Racing.
The heavily redacted lawsuit, which Legacy MC filed before the trip to Dover Motor Speedway, said that the former Spire Motorsports co-owner had "intentionally induced RWR to breach its contract with Legacy." Puchyr had previously publicly stated that he would purchase RWR and its two charters.
According to Legacy MC's lawsuit, Puchyr was actually the person who had arranged the meeting between RWR and Legacy so they could discuss a potential business transaction. This meeting led to a Charter Purchase Agreement between the two teams. Although the two teams have since filed lawsuits against each other as part of a dispute over which charter was the subject of the purchase agreement.
MORE: Full document outlining the lawsuit against Puchyr
"Not only has Mr. Puchyr apparently worked behind the scenes to upend Legacy's deal with RWR, 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 a Charter from RWR," the lawsuit stated.
"Mr. Puchyr's conduct is particularly reprehensible given his personal involvement in Legacy's transaction with RWR."
Additionally, Legacy MC said that Puchyr had made public attacks against Jimmie Johnson by saying that the seven-time champion "doesn't understand the deal we had." The lawsuit added that the businessman had "taunted" Johnson with a comment about wanting "to sit down and talk about it like men."
The lawsuit continued and stated that Puchyr and his firm Rucus had helped broker a sponsorship deal for Legacy MC. The team said that he then called that sponsor after announcing his purchase of RWR and "disparaged Legacy's ability to enforce its contract with RWR and expand its fleet of Charters."
"Rather than advocate for Legacy and its reputation, Mr. Puchyr publicly maligned his client and exploited his position of trust and his knowledge of the parties' contract to apparently strike a backroom deal with the goal of depriving Legacy of the bargain that he helped put together," Legacy said.
The team noted that it has terminated its Independent Contractor Agreement with Puchyr.
Legacy Motor Club said in the lawsuit that Puchyr and Rucus Racing LLC had violated the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The team noted it is entitled to punitive damages for Puchyr's "willful and malicious conduct." The team also requested relief in the form of legal fees, actual damages, and treble damages.