The storied legacy of Richard Petty is well documented.
His 200 victories, along with seven championships, at NASCAR’s highest level helped transcend the sport.
Though it’s been 30 years since “The King” strapped into a Cup Series car, he may have found a rightful driver to carry on the famed No. 43 car’s legacy. Erik Jones, or as legendary broadcaster Ken Squier calls him, “That Jones Boy,” joined then-Richard Petty Motorsports in 2021 following a three-year stint with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Jones was at a crossroads in his career.
The two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner was only 24 years old, but he was searching for a new job opportunity.
“I knew it was going to be a big change, obviously,” Jones said. “I’d never been really on the free market in NASCAR and trying to find a ride. So that was going to be kind of my biggest focus going forward at that point.
“Overall, it was also kind of an exciting time. Trying to find a new ride and going forward, figuring out what I was going to do. So it was kind of a mixed emotion bag of excitement and nervousness,” Jones added. “But, overall, I was kind of looking forward to seeing what was out there, and what was possible, and really what else I could do.”
Jones was swept up by Richard Petty Motorsports to pilot the famed No. 43 Chevrolet.
Despite a new situation for the Michigan native, he adapted quickly and brought valuable insight to a team that hadn’t won since Aric Almirola’s 2014 triumph at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
“I think for me, obviously, being able to win some races and be there, and learn what a top-tier team could do, I kind of brought that over with me,” Jones said. “Just took that knowledge and what I learned and brought it over to Petty GMS. I knew at the start it was going to be a challenge. Obviously, last year for us was a challenge at RPM. But I think for this year, just built and continued to get better.
“I think some of that is what I brought over and my knowledge, and what I learned through my years at JGR. Obviously, bringing over Dave (Elenz, crew chief) and others. But overall, just kind of learned what it was like to work with that top-tier team, and what they did to be successful and win races and be up front. I did kind of learn that stuff, what it took, but overall, I just tried to bag that knowledge and take it with me.”
It was a struggle for Jones and the No. 43 team in 2021, with only six top-10 finishes in 36 races.
However, between the introduction of NASCAR’s Next Gen race car and new ownership at Petty GMS Racing this season, things looked brighter than ever for Jones.
“I think it’s just continued to get better and better,” Jones said. “I think overall, Maury (Gallagher, co-owner) coming in, in the offseason has been good for our group. But it’s just really positive. I really like racing for Petty GMS, and what they do over there, just seeing the guys day-to-day.”
With the size difference between Joe Gibbs Racing and Petty GMS, Jones feels he’s able to better connect with team members.
“For me, it’s just cool to be a part of that. Just cool to see the growth, see the excitement around it, see what everybody’s putting in day-to-day for it,” Jones said. “I have fun with that. It’s cool just to have a smaller group and know everybody’s got a hand in your race car and what they do there. So that’s fun for me. I obviously came from a really big organization where it was hard to even know everybody who had a piece in what you were doing. So now to know everybody that’s got a hand in your car, it’s been pretty fun to see that.”
With a new regime and a fresh race car to work with, Jones and Petty GMS made major strides this season.
Through 26 races, the No. 43 car had notched 10 top-10 finishes, already four more than the previous year.
The success for Jones and the team has been a combination of pieces coming together at the right time.
“I think the Next Gen car has been part of it. Dave Elenz coming on has been a big part of it. But really just the 43 group is a solid group,” Jones said. “I started to work with those guys last year. It’s a really similar group from what we had last year, there’s only one or two new guys from what I started with over there a year ago. So it’s just been a good group of guys that have been able to go to the track and continue to get better and better.
“I believe in those guys as much as anybody,” Jones told SPEED SPORT in late August. “I think they’ve got a lot of capability and a lot of talent. What we’ve done this year is something I’m really proud of. Really, something I think that’s going to continue to get better and better. So it’s been fun. Just running up front again. The races where we’ve contended for wins have been pretty cool, and obviously, want to continue to get better and better. Hopefully, get that win here soon.”
That victory came a few weeks later in the Southern 500 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway.
After trouble spelled doom for two of his former JGR teammates, Jones rose to the occasion, leading the final 20 laps en route to giving Petty GMS its first victory in eight years.
A few days after the triumph, Petty gifted Jones one of his signature feathered cowboy hats.
With Petty in his corner, Jones soaks up every opportunity to learn from The King of stock car racing.
“That’s been fun. I knew Richard casually before I went over to RPM last year and now Petty GMS. But I never really got the chance to sit down and talk with him,” Jones said. “So, when I went over to Petty GMS, just having the chance to sit down and talk with him, kind of hear his stories and what he’s done around racing, what he still thinks about racing, it’s been pretty cool. He’s still at a lot of races, still comes to a lot of tracks, hangs out around the garage. That’s been a fun part for me.
“Obviously, Richard’s a legend for sure. I think every time I just get to sit down and talk with him for 20 minutes, I think, ‘Man, there’s so many people that would give their right arm to sit down and talk with him for 20 minutes,’ and I get to do that at least on a weekly basis,” Jones added. “So that’s really cool and I never forget that. Just spending time, getting to know him better has been something that’s really been fun for me.”
The fun will continue for Jones and the Petty GMS group, after agreeing on a multi-year deal in August to keep “That Jones Boy” in the No. 43 car for years to come.
“I mean for me, you were kind of bouncing around year-to-year, it can be tough at times. To sign something on paper that gives you a home for a few years going forward feels good,” Jones said. “It gives you an opportunity just to work to build something better. That’s the ultimate goal there, is to continue to build that into a top-tier team.
“We want to be one of those guys that are winning multiple races a year between both our cars in the future,” Jones added. “So that’s the goal, and obviously, it’s going to take some time to get there, but I think through a few years going forward for me, I think that’s an opportunity to continue to build to get better and better.”