ERIK JONES, No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What are your expectations this weekend at Talladega?
“It’s always pretty fun to come here. We ran one race last year here in the Truck Series and to be back now in the XFINITY Series is pretty cool. We had a fast car in our first and only practice. I feel pretty good about it. It’s always interesting to come run these superspeedway races and I’m really looking forward to just getting the race going tomorrow.”
What will your expectations be for the NSCS race at Kansas in the No. 18 Camry?
“For me, it’s really all seat time and experience. I think keeping our expectations realistic is a pretty big thing for us. If we can go run top-15, I’d feel like that would be a pretty big win for us. It’s a big step. We’ve talked a lot about it. I’ve talked with Adam Stevens (18 crew chief) a lot about it and kind of what the jump is and talked to Kyle (Busch) about it. It’s not going to be an easy step for anybody, but I really believe we can go run top-15 and if we can do that, I think that would be a good day.”
How do you avoid letting the comparisons to Joey Logano get into your head?
“They’re there and I guess I’ve heard them along the way. I try to just kind of separate the situations and it’s just a lot different situation all together. I’m stepping in as a fill-in role and I’m running one race right now at Kansas, which is entirely different from Joey’s (Logano) role of stepping in and trying to fill a full season. I feel pretty comfortable with that. I feel like there’s a point where you have to make the jump at some point in your career. Whether it’s now or a year down the road or two years down the road, I’d have to do it. I feel like this is probably the best situation I could be in to make that jump in a part-time situation like it is. It’s a great opportunity and it’s a great car – it’s a top-flight car so obviously there are expectations to run well. As long as I can keep my mentality that I’m just here to learn and make laps then I feel like it’s not going to hurt my development in any sort of way.”
Have you had any discussion of the conflict weekends in June with the NCWTS schedule?
“No, I haven’t. For right now, Kansas is the only race I’ve got in the 18 so beyond that I honestly don’t know. Sure, I’d love to run it again. I think it would be fun, but we’ll really just have to see how things go. I’m just going to run Kansas, do my deal there, do the best I can and see what happens.”
How did this opportunity come about and is it a ‘right place, right time’ situation?
“It seems like the last three years of my life have been a lot of right place opportunities starting with Kyle (Busch) and the Snowball (Derby) and from there on. It was really a shame to see Kyle get hurt at Daytona – I consider Kyle to be a friend of mine and it’s never fun to see something like that. Definitely not the circumstances I wish I could have done it in, but I’m excited for the opportunity no matter what else happens. It’s a cool thing for me to be able to make a Cup start at this point in my career. If you would have asked me two years ago if I would be making a Cup start when I was 18 – no, I really don’t think I would have. It’s an awesome opportunity that I never would have dreamed of to get to do at such a young age and definitely going to take it in stride and see what we can do.”
Is Joe Gibbs Racing only telling you about racing Kansas and not beyond?
“Honestly, just Kansas at this point, that’s all I heard. I’ve seen it too and I saw it 20 minutes ago where it says, ‘Until he (Kyle Busch) returns.’ Honestly, Kansas is the only one I know of right now.”
How helpful was racing at Bristol to prepare you for Kansas?
“I don’t know if all along I would say that I saw it. I hoped that I would have a shot. I don’t know that Bristol had anything to do with it honestly. It helps actually that I was able to make laps in a Cup car somewhere. Without being able to test anywhere anymore, it makes it tough for a young guy to get in a new ride and really figure out how different the Cup cars are. I don’t think Bristol was a deciding factor by any means. It was an interesting situation all around and I don’t know if it was a plan all around, but I’m happy that I will get to have my shot in the 18 for sure.”
Are you only focused on experience at Kansas or is there a part of you that wants to go for the win?
“Honestly, I never go into a race with the mentality that I have no shot of winning a race. Yeah, sure there’s a chance there, but it’s definitely a long shot. I don’t think that’s honestly even in the question of what we’re trying to accomplish. I’d love to, but it’s such a big jump and it’s such a higher level of competition. We’re racing against guys that have been in this series for 10 or 15 years and it’s hard to beat that experience no matter how good your car is or whatever else. I think if we did go into it with a thought that we could win, that’s kind of over-riding our thought of managing expectations, which is pretty big for us going into Kansas. We want to keep the expectations where they need to be, which is I believe a top-15 and if we can do that, I think that’s a pretty big day for us.”
Do you feel like this opportunity it being rushed?
“I’ve been begging to get in a car since Daytona, so they definitely took their time with it and let me develop this year. I honestly feel like I’ve advanced as a driver since Daytona and learned a lot as a driver with running all these XFINITY races, with running the Truck schedule, so I think it’s definitely a better time for me to be able to get into the car at Kansas and definitely feel more comfortable as a driver with the step that I’d have to take. There’s been some talks of it all along of, ‘Am I going to get a shot? Am I going to be in it,’ and to have it kind of all settle out and come together that I’ll be in it at Kansas is pretty cool. I feel like I’ve definitely gotten stuff that I need as a driver provided to me, especially by Joe Gibbs Racing – they’ve done everything in their power to help me advance as a driver. They give me great equipment. They provided me with whatever I’ve asked for along the way, so they’ve done everything they can. It’s just up to me now to really go out and do my job and try to be the best that I can.”
Will the Bristol substitute experience help to ease any anxiety before your first NSCS start?
“Yeah, it really does. Anytime you get into a new car in a new series, it’s kind of nerve wracking starting your first race. Its nerve wracking starting any race, but especially your first one. That did take away some of the I guess unsureness of what’s really different about the Cup Series and I definitely think that knocked some of that stuff out of the way, which is nice. I don’t know if it will take away all the pre-race jitters by any means – it will still be nerve wracking starting your first official Cup race any time – but definitely took some things away for me that when I get in the car at Kansas for practice, I’ll feel more comfortable with what I have and what the car’s going to do and know a little bit better some of the differences in the car and what I need to prepare for.”
With so many things going on with you in NSCS and NXS, are you looking forward to racing NCWTS at Kansas?
“At this point in the season, it’s hard to remember where we’re running for a Truck championship. I’m up to I think 46 races now this year on my schedule – by far the busiest year that I’ve ever run. It’s never easy to balance that many races in between, but with having such great race cars it’s actually worked out pretty well. I think as a driver, it’s helped me being in the race car every weekend. It’s a tough situation having that many races, but I think Kansas is honestly going to help me in the truck being in a Cup car. I think once I go back to the truck, it will feel honestly a lot easier to drive the truck than it would have before. It will be interesting to see how big the differences really are between the two, but pretty excited for it.”
