NASCAR insider shares his verdict on Erik Jones’ future in the Cup Series

Erik Jones’ future in the NASCAR Cup Series has been a topic of interest, as he doesn’t have a contract for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Recently, a NASCAR insider provided an overview of Jones’ contract situation and his potential future.

Jones drives the #43 Toyota car for Legacy Motor Club in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has been associated with the LMC since 2001, when they were known as Richard Petty Motorsports and Petty GMS Motorsports before rebranding the team to Legacy Motor Club last year.

According to NASCAR insider and renowned journalist Bob Pockrass, Jones is likely to remain with Legacy Motor Club for the next NASCAR season. On X (formerly Twitter), Pockrass wrote:

“I think Erik Jones remains at Legacy for next year,” Pockrass wrote. “When JGR [Joe Gibbs Racing] had the 19 opening, it seemed like that was a possibility but with [Chase] Briscoe there, think Jones stays.”

As Pockrass mentioned, there were possibilities of Erik Jones moving to his former team, Joe Gibbs Racing, especially with the #19 entry being available with the retiring Martin Truex Jr.

However, JGR signed Chase Briscoe for the #19 car. Jones competed for JGR from 2018 to 2020 behind the wheel of the #20 Toyota.

Legacy Motor Club fields two full-time entries: the #42 Toyota for John Hunter Nemechek, who is under contract, and the #43 Toyota for Erik Jones, who has yet to resign with LMC. The organization also fields #84 part-time entry for co-owner Jimmi Johnson.

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Erik Jones has yet to prove himself in NASCAR

The 28-year-old Michigan driver has been competing full-time in NASCAR Cup Series since 2017, but still he has yet to prove himself. Jones has bagged only three wins in 267 Cup starts and has been winless since the Darlington fall race in 2022. It seems like staying with LMC is the only option for him.

Last year, Jones finished career-worst 27th in the points table, but nothing has changed for him this season; he currently sits 27th in the points table, 11 spots behind the playoff’s elimination line.

Coming to his performance this season, Jones has scored only one top-10 finish, which came in the season-opener Daytona 500. Since then, he has struggled to score good finishes and also missed the Dover and Kansa races after suffering a spinal fracture at Talladega Superspeedway.

Catch Erik Jones in action at Richmond Raceway on Sunday, August 11, when the NASCAR schedule resumes after a two-week break.