Toyota GAZOO Racing – Erik Jones
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 12, 2025) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver Erik Jones was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.
ERIK JONES, No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB
What are you most looking forward to this season?
“Well, I think just trying to get into a better place as a group, an organization. 2024 was just challenging for us in a lot of ways. Getting performance to where we expect it and where we want it to be is important in 2025 for us for a lot of reasons. Just hopefully getting to that place.”
Before getting your first win at Daytona, did you ever question your enjoyment of superspeedway races?
“Yeah, coming into the sport, I don’t know someone that necessarily enjoys it (superspeedway racing). Probably because you’re not used to running a race where things are so out of your control, and honestly, there’s no one that comes into it and is good at it off the bat. It’s something you have to learn and kind of figure out. Yeah, I don’t think I was a fan at first but finally came to the point that you can control what’s in your control and let the rest of it kind of play out. After that, I’ve just had fun with it. I don’t think it was the win (at Daytona in 2018) that changed my mind of it, but just the kind of changing my mindset helped a lot.”
What are your thoughts on the new additions to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB?
“It’s a lot of good people. I know Jacob Cantor (director of competition, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE) and have known him for a really long time. I didn’t know Brian Campe (technical director, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) much before, but he’s done a good job coming in and those have been our two bigger hires. Chad Johnston (manager, race engineering, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) coming in. I didn’t know Chad but have gotten to know him. I think there’s a lot of smart people in the room and obviously, you need that. But one thing we can’t hire or buy is time. We’re competing against time right now to build out our sim program and that side of things. Build out our aero program and car builds. That’s just a process that’s going to take time and experience. Along with that, these guys are very sharp but are in new roles. New roles that are more involved than what they’ve done in the past. Not to take anything away from them, just bigger roles so it’ll take some time as well.”
How far into the season do you feel it’ll take before you know where the team is at?
“I think you have to give it three months. Those first four races (Daytona 500, Atlanta, COTA and Phoenix) are sort of odd balls, it’s hard to judge. We need to get some normal races in, so I’d say the first three months are a good barometer.”
How has it been getting a full offseason with your crew chief?
“Yeah, it’s been good. I haven’t gone through a lot of crew chiefs in my career, so it’s always kind of a challenge and it’s never fun. I’ve worked with Dave (Elenz, former crew chief, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) for a long time and had success with him, so it’s never fun nor an easy change to make. But I’ve gotten to know Ben (Beshore, crew chief, No. 43 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE) a little bit better through the offseason. Ben’s a really quiet guy, so takes a little more time, but he’s really sharp and we’ve worked alongside each other for a few years in different areas, just not with each other. I like the way he thinks about things; it just takes time at the race track to get to know each other more and more and know what we need from each other.”
What are the biggest challenges in building that communication?
“Think the biggest thing is terminology. What I want to hear from him during the race, what he wants to hear from me. And know what I’m trying to get across as my point. That’s the hardest thing, just building that communication up and what we need from each other and it’s not something you can just talk about, have to be out there and doing it.”
How does having the same teammate as last year streamline things this season for the team?
“Yeah, it’s just different (than what I’m used to). It’s changed a bunch since I joined the No. 43 team. From the first year when we were Petty GMS Racing, and known as LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, it’s just different. I’m really thankful for what Maury (Gallagher, minority owner and team ambassador, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) and the Pettys have done for me as it’s gotten me to this point. Now, it’s Jimmie (Johnson, majority owner, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB)’s turn to take over and steer the ship where he wants it to go. Yeah, I mean it’s more streamlined in some ways and different in some ways. I feel it’s a bigger organization than what it’s been and people in different places so it’s just different is the best way to put it.”
Does the faith of the team in you give you something to lean on?
“Yeah, they’ve been great to me. I know Jimmie (Johnson) wants to run well. It’s not ever a question in my mind. And I think it’s just been a learning process for everyone involved. To get involved on the ownership side and learn more and more about how to build a stronger team. I definitely have a home where I’m at. I don’t think that’s ever been a question for me. At this point, I’m here to ride it out and see it to the end. I’m at what should be really good years in my Cup career and Jimmie knows that as well and is trying to put together a program over the next decade or so I can hopefully run well with.”
Do you feel the team is turning the corner?
“I think we are. There were times last year where we were probably working to get to the track and not necessarily bringing a fast race car to the track. This year, I think we’re in a better position to build a fast race car to bring to the track and we hope that shows up. I definitely think we’re in a better spot than we were one year ago today. Whether that pays off or not, we’ll find out, but we’re definitely doing better things right now.”
What benefits does your late model racing bring you?
“More time in the seat, that’s number one. On top of that, it’s fun that organizing a team. It’s my own guys, my own group, so it’s been fun putting that together. It’s good for me to see that side, structure of things. And number three, just being involved and working on the cars. Staying up to date on what’s going on in the racing world. Not everything is going to transfer from a late model to a Cup car, but just staying up to date and being involved on the set up and the process of it is very beneficial for me.”
How similar or different is being back with Toyota now vs when you were at Joe Gibbs Racing?
“Yeah, in some ways it is (the same) and some ways it isn’t. The first time around (with Toyota), I was certainly in a different position, certainly younger and early in my Cup career, so just in a different spot with how that goes. Also, was with JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) and that was a big machine in itself. I was kind of a bit in the sea at that point. Now, I’m in a much different spot in my career, farther down the line in years wise. The support side is different. JGR, we did a lot on our own and independently. Currently at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, we’re working with TRD (Toyota Racing Development) to build more support and taking some time to build that out.”
Any stories of Carl Edwards?
“Yeah, one I have with Carl (Edwards) is, one time, I had to fill in for Denny (Hamlin) and Bristol (2015). I flew in and I’ve never ran a Cup car. And I remember getting out after the race, my shoulders were on fire for multiple reasons. The seat didn’t fit and the steering was a lot heavier than what I was used to. I felt bad that I thought I wasn’t in shape, but I went to their (JGR) meeting on Tuesday and Carl was in there. And Carl was in really good shape and always has been, and was talking about how tired his shoulders were. So, I was feeling better after that. I didn’t get to know him super well as he left the year before I got to Cup, but he was a great driver and did a lot of things in a short amount of time. I think that’s more impressive than anything, so, was cool to see him go into the Hall of Fame.”
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