There were several wonderful things that came out of Erik Jones‘ victory at Darlington Raceway this past weekend. Jones won his third career NASCAR Cup Series race, crew chief Dave Elenz won his first career Cup Series event and Petty GMS Motorsports won its first race as an organization.
The organization was formed prior to the 2022 season as a two-car operation, taking the two charters from Richard Petty Motorsports. There weren’t many expectations for the team but after Jones’ victory and young polarizing Noah Gragson driving the second car in 2023, those expectations may change heading into next year.
But how much? That is the question. Will Petty GMS be a champion contender in the near future? Amy Henderson and Vito Pugliese debate just how good the organization will be in the coming years.
Who’s Down with STP – Yeah You Know Me!
2022 has been a transition year for many reasons in the NASCAR Cup Series. A completely new car in the Next Gen platform, new venues and calendar shakeups, and a changing of the guard is underway with new teams and drivers becoming perennial contenders.
Some familiar images have returned as well in recent weeks, most recently with the No. 3 in victory lane at Daytona International Speedway, and in last weekend’s Southern 500, the No. 43 notched win No. 200 with Jones bringing the most storied number in NASCAR back to prominence. While the No. 43 has shown flashes of brilliance over the last 25 years, it has been far removed from its heyday in the early-mid 1970s, when Petty Enterprises was the target everyone was aiming for.
Is its latest iteration in the form of Petty GMS Motorsports a fleeting moment of glory or is it about to become the latest team to become a threat to win each week?
I believe it’s the real deal.
This isn’t simply a euphoric feel-good comment on the heels of a signature victory – we’re not going to start counting down 10 consecutive wins like it’s 1967, with the 11th win to be the first of seven Daytona 500s in February next year.
The emergence of this group started back at the LA Coliseum with a fourth-place finish in the Busch Clash and carried over through to the Daytona 500. If you’ve tracked the No. 43 this year, this is a team that has been punching well above its weight, and in no way resembles the one that was in place when Jones first joined the team – or when Bubba Wallace departed. Consistently hovering around the low teens and top 10, the No. 43 has never had…
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