Richard Petty’s NASCAR Successor Renews Jimmie Johnson’s Partnership, After Failed JGR Move

Ever since Erik Jones joined the Cup series, he has won 3 races, of which 2 were at Darlington. However, only one of those wins was since he joined Petty GMS Motorsport. NASCAR legend Jimmy Johnson invested in the team, changing its name from Petty GMS to Legacy Motor Club in 2023, and with that big change, many fans wanted to know if Erik Jones would continue in the No. 43 Toyota in 2025.

Jones will see his contract end this season, and for his fans, this might come as bad news. The 2018 Daytona winner has proved that he is a competitive driver, but ever since he joined Richard Petty Motorsports in 2021, his performance has been anything but a success. In the last few years, Jones has not been able to make it into the playoffs, and this leaves fans wondering if he will retain his seat next year.

Which team will Erik Jones drive for in 2025?

In the middle, there were rumors that Erik Jones might head back to his 2018 team with Joe Gibbs Racing; however, that does not seem to be the case anymore. Jones was in line to replace Martin Truex Jr. in 2025, according to rumors, but a recent development says otherwise. A recent post on X has surfaced where Jordan Bianchi announced that Erik Jones has made his decision as to where he will be driving next year.

Erik Jones has stated that he will be continuing in the No. 43 Toyota for 2025 as he is ready to take on a multiyear contract as per their announcement on Tuesday. The Legacy Motor Club is happy to have Jones on board, as many figures from the team came forward to talk about the contract extension. This includes the CEO of the company, Cal Wells III, who said, “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.”

After the announcement, Erik Jones stated, “I’m looking forward to what we can build at Legacy Motor Club. 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.” So far, the No. 43 Toyota driver has had a tough season, and it looks like there might not be a spot for him in the playoffs.

Having only 1 top-10 finish in a season is not what a driver wants, but lucky for him, it was a P8 at Daytona. Ever since then, it has been pretty much downhill for the driver, who also ended up missing out on two races due to his injury from a four-car wreck at Talladega. Lucky for him, the team has faith in him, which led them to put forward a multiyear contract for him. To justify that, here is what the team has to say:

Legacy Motor Club talks about Eric Jones’ contract renewal

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“Erik is one of the most talented drivers in NASCAR,” said Jimmie Johnson during a team release, as he believes that retaining Jones is a good idea. However, these words don’t come out of nowhere, as Johnson has raced against him in the past and has been following the driver’s performance for a while now. Although it has not been the best start to the season for the team, they have faith in the driver and are ready to support him through this rough patch.

With Jones confirmed for 2025, Legacy Motor Club is honoring Richard Petty’s legacy by keeping not only the team alive but also by having the No. 43 car racing on the tracks. According to Johnson, Jones is the driver who will be crucial to turning the club’s program around; he has faith that the Byron native will eventually compete for the championship with the team. The CEO of the team also added more to his statement, saying that with Toyota, Jones “can and will compete for race wins against the very best on any given Sunday.”

The whole team has faith in Jones to be able to turn things around for the team. Now the question that stands is: did Legacy Motor Club make the right call by re-signing Erick Jones? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.