In August 2020, Erik Jones was “blindsided” when he found out that Joe Gibbs Racing — the race team he’d called home for seven years — would not retain him for a fourth NASCAR Cup Series season.
After three seasons and two wins while driving the No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing felt the need to move on from Jones (only 24 years old at the time) to the next “can’t miss” driver in Toyota’s seemingly endless pipeline of “can’t miss” talent, Christopher Bell.
Two months later, Jones called some of his friends to update them on his plans: He’d be the next driver to pilot the iconic No. 43 for Richard Petty.
The reception Jones got …. wasn’t exactly what you’d want to hear.
“You’re not supposed to tell everybody what you’re doing, but my close friends, I called them and said, ‘Hey, this is what I’m doing; I’ve signed this deal with the 43 car,’” Jones said. “You can tell in your close friends’ voices (what they really think) when they’re like, ‘Oh, yeah, that’s good, man, I’m happy for you.’ I’m sitting there on the phone, like ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
Can you blame their awkward reception?
Jones was leaving JGR, a team that today has five Cup championships since 2000 and 198 race wins, to drive a car that, until Sunday’s (Sept. 4) Southern 500, had only four Cup wins since Richard Petty retired from racing after 1992.
Two years later, Jones said he “was not in desperation mode” when he made the decision to join Petty.
“Obviously, I was a little in a bad spot towards the end of 2020 trying to find a new home, and the 43 car became that and took me in,” Jones said. “I knew at the start there was — it was a long-term outlook for me at least. I was like, ‘All right, we’ve got to settle in and build and figure it out.’”
Jones’ first year in the No. 43 wasn’t stellar. He ended the campaign with no top fives, a career-low six top 10s, nine laps led and 24th in points, his worst by five spots.
“There’s some nerves in there at times,” Jones said. “I think the big thing for me, I never doubted myself, man. I never found myself in a bad place. Sure, I was disappointed at times, last year, absolutely. But I never … I cannot say there was one time where I thought, ‘Man, I just can’t do this.’”
Still feels like a dream. So proud of this No. 43 team and all we’ve been able to accomplish. We did it. 😎 pic.twitter.com/alDsQymRai
— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) September…
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