Eric Jones lays out NASCAR’s future plans: details

Petty GMS Motorsports took care of some important work ahead of the Cup Series qualifiers. The team has reached a contract extension with Eric Jones that will keep him in the #43 Chevrolet Camaro.

According to a press releaseThis is not a minor extension as occurred during the 2021 season. This new deal covers several years, which will provide Jones some stability as he continues to embrace the era of the next generation of the Cup series. This extension will also keep Jones and crew chief Dave Ellens together after they both competed for strong finishes in 2022.

“I’m really excited to get this deal done and finally get to talk about it,” Jones said in a press release. “I really like the kit I have at Petty GMS and working with Dave [Elenz]. Every week I feel like we’re getting better and better and putting ourselves in a competition to win.

“Knowing where I’m going will allow us to really focus on building the team and improving our cars. I’m looking forward to finishing this season strong, hopefully winning, and continuing to build on what we started this year with Petty GMS.”

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Jones continues his quest for a watershed

GTEric Jones climbs into his car at Richmond Raceway.

The #43 driver hasn’t made it to Victory Lane since the 2019 season when he raced Joe Gibbs. However, he came close to that during his time in the #43 Petit GMS Sports Chevrolet.

Jones scored six top ten spots during his inaugural season with the organization (2021), placing seventh at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Fast forward to 2022, and Jones now has seven top ten spots and two top five finishes over his first 21 races.

Jones finished third on the Auto Club Speedway in the second race of the season. He then finished fourth on the July trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway while avoiding the wreckage of the last lap that collected Cory Lagoy. He dropped 35 points after NASCAR issued L1-Level penalties for both entries #42 and #43, but he’s still within reach of a place with a win.

“We’ve had an amazing relationship with Eric since he joined RPM and now Petty GMS,” Richard Petty said in a statement. “Eric has done a great job representing the #43 and all the fans who would love to see that car on the right track. It is good to have Eric locked up in the coming years and continue to build on the legacy of the 43rd place holder as he continues his career in the Cup.”

Questions remain about Jones’ teammate

GTTy Dillon will not be returning to Petty GMS Motorsports.

The deal with Jones is an important part of Petty GMS Motorsports as the team continues to delve deeper into the next generation era. However, there is another question that must have an answer in the coming months.

Petty GMS Motorsports is a two-car team, but there is only one driver locked into the 2023 season. Jones will return to the No. 43, but Ty Dillon will not return in the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro.

Dillon and Petty GMS Motorsports announced before the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that they would “mutually” agree to go their separate ways after the end of the season at Phoenix Raceway. Although the interviews put a different tone on the conversation.

With Jones locked into the future, Petty GMS Motorsports has to take care of the other seat. The team needs to find the driver that will replace Dillon for 42nd and work with Jones for the 2023 Cup Series season.

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