Erik Jones will pilot the No. 43 Chevrolet for Richard Petty Motorsports starting with the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the team announced Wednesday morning (Oct. 21).
The multi-year signing comes two months after Joe Gibbs Racing tagged Christopher Bell to drive the No. 20 Toyota next season.
Jones will hop in the seat that is vacated by Bubba Wallace, who will drive for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s new team starting next year.
“It is an incredible honor to have Richard Petty want you to drive for his race team and with the car number he made famous,” Jones said in a team release. “Richard Petty Motorsports has a rich history in the sport, but they are not resting on that history. They still have something to prove, and I have something to prove. We are both motivated to write a new chapter. I am proud to be a part of Richard Petty Motorsports.”
The 24-year-old has two wins, 33 top five and 62 top 10s across four full-time Cup seasons. His most recent points victory came in last year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington, while he also won this year’s Busch Clash at Daytona.
Jerry Baxter will continue in his current role as crew chief of the No. 43 with Jones in the seat. Sponsorship details are yet to be announced.
Joy joined Frontstretch in 2019 as a NASCAR DraftKings writer, expanding to news and iRacing coverage in 2020. She's currently an assistant editor and involved with photos, social media and news editing. A California native, Joy was raised watching motorsports and started watching NASCAR extensively in 2001. She earned her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies at California State University Bakersfield in 2010.