July 30, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Erik Jones signs multi-year deal with Petty GMS

Erik Jones will continue his NASCAR future behind the wheel of the No. 43 Chevrolet.

Petty GMS announced on Saturday that the team and Erik Jones have agreed to a multi-year deal for the 2023 season and beyond.

“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 is enjoying his sixth full season in the NASCAR Cup Series. He joined RPM in 2021 and continued with the team following the merger with GMS this season with Elenz calling the shots.

“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 started his NASCAR career as a Toyota development driver. The 26-year-old racer won the 2015 Camping World Truck Series title before graduating to the Xfinity Series the following year. In his only full season competing in NXS, Jones scored four wins and advanced to the Championship 4 round before finishing fourth.

Jones is currently 18th in the NASCAR Cup standings. In 204 Cup starts, Jones has tallied two wins, 35 top-fives and 75 top-10 finishes.

“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.”