Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Brandon Jones will be returning for a fifth consecutive full-time season with the organization for the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
The news gives the 24-year-old native from Atlanta, Georgia, continuous driving control of the No. 19 Toyota Supra for the upcoming Xfinity season.
Since joining JGR in 2018, Jones has achieved his first four career victories in the Xfinity circuit (one in 2019 and three in 2020) along with one pole, 29 top-five results, 69 top-10 results and four consecutive appearances in the Xfinity Series Playoffs, including the 2021 season. His best result in the final Xfinity standings is sixth place, which occurred in 2020.
To go along with his driving plans next season, Jones will be having veteran Jeff Meendering remaining as his crew chief. Meendering, a native from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has worked with Jones and Joe Gibbs Racing since 2019. Also remaining with the No. 19 JGR team will be Menards, which will sponsor Jones throughout the 33-race schedule, beginning at Daytona International Speedway in February 2022.
“This has been a very strong season so far and I couldn’t be prouder of our 19 team,” Jones said. “It will be great to have Jeff Meendering back as my crew chief for the third consecutive year; his leadership is exactly what this team needs. I also realize how fortunate I am to have partners like Menards and Toyota; their support means the world to me. I couldn’t be more excited to have Menards return and more importantly, their support for the full season. It’s huge. I am thrilled to be back at Joe Gibbs Racing next season. Right now, I remain focused on our championship run and making it to Phoenix this year for a shot at the Xfinity Series title.”
“Brandon provides a veteran driver presence in the Xfinity Series for us,” Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, added. “He has advanced into the final eight of the NASCAR playoffs for the second consecutive year and now our focus is to make it into the next round with the opportunity to race for the championship in Phoenix. We’re excited to have him back next season with the opportunity to represent Menards every week.”
“We are excited about the opportunity to be a full-time sponsor for Brandon Jones in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Jeff Abbott, Menards Marketing and Promotions Manager, added. “Brandon has gained valuable experience through the years at many levels of racing, including winning in the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Truck Series and Xfinity Series and most recently by qualifying twice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. Brandon has proven himself time and again by winning races, competing for championships and being an outstanding ambassador for Menards and our valued racing partners. We look forward to being a part of his continuing success in 2022.”
Through the first 30 events of the 2021 Xfinity Series season, Jones has recorded a single stage victory, which occurred at Daytona in February. He has also notched three runner-up results, 11 top-five results and 17 top-10 results. He is currently competing in the 2021 Xfinity Series Playoffs and one of eight competitors vying for the 2021 Xfinity championship in the Round of 8 while ranked in eighth place in the standings and 32 points below the top-four cutline to make the Championship 4 round cut for the finale at Phoenix Raceway in early November.
With his racing plans for 2022 set, Jones, who is coming off his 100th Xfinity career start at Texas Motor Speedway, is scheduled to continue his pursuit for the 2021 Xfinity title at Kansas Speedway, a track where Jones has won at twice, on Saturday, October 23. The event is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
