Erik Jones will return to Petty GMS Racing in 2023 with multi-year deal

 

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

    Erik Jones will return to pilot the famous No. 43 in the NASCAR Cup Series in the next few years, as Petty GMS Racing announced that they had signed a new multi-year deal with the young driver.

“I’m really excited to have this deal done and finally be able to talk about it,” said Jones. “I really like the group I have at Petty GMS and working with Dave (Elenz). Each week I feel like we get better and better and put ourselves in contention to win. Knowing where I’ll be driving allows us to really focus on building the team and making our cars better. I’m looking forward to finishing this season strong, hopefully with a win, and continuing to build on what we started this year with Petty GMS.”

Jones joined Richard Petty Motorsports in 2021 and continued in the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro when GMS Racing and Petty merged at the start of the 2022 season.

“Erik (Jones) has been a great addition to Petty GMS this year and we’re thrilled to have him signed for the coming years,” said Petty GMS Owner Maury Gallagher. “We’re excited to continue building our Cup program with Erik, Dave (Elenz) and the No. 43 team. They’ve shown great growth and potential this season and we know it will only continue.”

Jones is currently in his seventh season in the NASCAR Cup Series. With 204 starts in the series, Jones has two wins, 35 top-five finishes and 75 top-10 finishes. During the 2022 season, his first season with Petty GMS and crew chief Dave Elenz, Jones has 21 starts with two top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes with 72 laps led.

“We’ve had a great relationship with Erik (Jones) since he joined RPM and now Petty GMS,” said Petty GMS Chairman Richard Petty. “Erik’s done an outstanding job representing the No. 43 and all of the fans who love to see that car on track. It’s nice to have Erik locked in for the years to come and continue building on the legacy of the No. 43 as he continues his Cup career.

As the older generation of NASCAR Cup Series drivers such as Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and Denny Hamlin will be likely phased out of the series in the next couple of years, a young driver like Erik Jones has the capability to become a top driver with a decent amount of seat-time at this level.

 

 THIS STORY WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: