Eric Jones Finds It Difficult to Balance Between His Future and Playoffs Spot

Eric Jones, the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the year is having a hard time this season. He drives the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing team. However, the 24 years old racer will not be driving for the Joe Gibbs Racing team in 2021. The team has parted ways with the driver.

NBC reports, “We appreciate all Erik has done for Joe Gibbs Racing over the past several years,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing.

“He joined us as a teenager and has accomplished so much in his time here. We remain focused on the remainder of this season and earning him a spot in the playoffs.”

Eric Jones is busy talking to teams to secure a seat for the next season. NBC reports, “I’ve been burning up the phone more in the last two or three weeks since I found out I wasn’t going to be back at JGR,” He says.

“Just trying to work on opportunities and find out what is out there for next year because I didn’t have really an inkling that I was going to be in that spot.”

Read More: Joey Logano Came Out to Help Erik Jones After His Joe Gibbs Racing Exit

“I want to be focused on racing 100%”- Eric Jones

Eric is 50 points below the cutoff line for playoffs, he is currently behind Jimmie Johnson in the race for the playoffs spot. In addition, Johnson is only 4 points behind William Byron, who is in 16th place. One final race of the Regular-Season remains in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series. The Finale will be the 2020 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona International Speedway.

“I guess that’s probably more of what I’ve been focused on right now, which is unfortunate because I want to be focused on racing 100 percent and be able to do what I need to do there and go and be competitive each and every week. I’ve been putting in the time on that as well. It definitely seems it has been split more to the side of me trying to work on opportunities for next year.”

Eric Jones has 2 NASCAR wins. However, one of them came at this venue in 2018. Although, Daytona Speedway is quite infamous for the unpredictability it brings.

There will be some major challenges for the young driver as he is not having any prominent sponsor backing him.

“I don’t have sponsors with me to move around and any kind of money to bring,” he says. “That’s been part of the challenge.”