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Erik Jones has agreed to extend his stint with Legacy Motor Club after signing a multi-year contract with the team earlier today. He is expected to continue through the 2026 Cup Series season.
Jones has been the pilot of the #43 car since the 2021 season, when he joined the team under the Richard Petty Motorsports tag. During his tenure thus far, he has secured a single victory at Darlington in 2022. While he's improved his consistency this year with more top-20 finishes, returning to victory lane has proven elusive.
In a statement, the 28-year-old expressed his hope to "grow" alongside LMC.
"I’m looking forward to what we can build at Legacy Motor Club," NASCAR quoted Jones as saying. "I’ve been with the No. 43 car for a handful of years and feel like I’m coming into some of the best years of my career. I am hoping to grow alongside Legacy MC in the seasons to come."
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Jones will be partnered by John Hunter Nemechek in the #42 Toyota. The latter has a contract through the 2025 season of the NASCAR Cup Series.
"He's a proven champion": Legacy MC CEO on signing Erik Jones
Cal Wells III, CEO of Legacy Motor Club, is enthusiastic about extending Jones' contract for multiple seasons. Calling him a "proven champion," Wells predicted future wins for Jones. He also noted that he has known Jones for over a decade.
"Erik Jones has been the consistent cornerstone of Legacy Motor Club’s driver lineup since Maury chose to enter NASCAR’s highly competitive Cup division," Cal Wells III said. "He’s a proven champion that, surrounded with the right team powered by Toyota, can and will compete for race wins against the very best on any given Sunday. Having personally known Erik for close to 14 years, I feel blessed he’s chosen to remain with the Club, and I’m looking forward to winning races with him at the helm of the iconic No. 43."
Jones currently sits 28th in the points table. He is 250 points behind 16th-place holder Bubba Wallace in the playoff standings. Although the target to qualify for the top 16 looks somewhat difficult for him right now, it is not impossible.
