Eric Jones is now officially a free agent in the NASCAR market. He will not be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 car in 2021. Since joining the Cup Series full-time in 2017, Jones signed a one-year extension in 2019 to stay on the team through the 2020 season.
At 24 years old, Jones is considered one of the most promising young drivers in the Cup Series, despite a challenging 2020 campaign. Currently, he ranks 18th in the points standings and is outside the playoff cutoff of 16 drivers, even though he has achieved five top-five finishes in 20 races. Only six competitors have more top-five finishes than him this year.
Jones has struggled with consistency, ending nine races outside the top 20, which keeps him out of the top 10 overall. He earned his first career win in July 2018 at Daytona and added another victory in the 2019 South 500 at Darlington.
With Jones leaving JGR, Christopher Bell will take over the No. 20 car in 2021. Bell, who has signed with Toyota, is in his rookie Cup Series season driving for Levine Family Racing in 2020. With established veterans like Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Martin Truex Jr. already at JGR, the No. 20 car was the clear opening for Bell’s move to the team next year. Bell, 25, boasts an impressive 16 wins in 74 Xfinity Series starts.
Jones is expected to have plenty of opportunities as a free agent. Hendrick Motorsports is searching for a replacement for Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48 car, and if Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer don’t re-sign, Stewart-Haas Racing could have up to two open seats. Additionally, Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 will potentially be available following Kyle Larson’s exit.
If Jones lands a ride with a leading team like Hendrick or Stewart-Haas, he could become a consistent title contender, similar to Joey Logano’s career path after leaving JGR. Logano finished 17th in the standings in 2012 before moving to Team Penske, where he won the 2018 championship and accumulated 23 wins while rarely finishing outside the top eight.
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Fan Take: This driver shuffle signals a major shake-up in NASCAR’s competitive landscape, offering fresh opportunities for young talent like Jones and Bell. For fans, it promises exciting new rivalries and a potential rise in the sport’s next generation of stars.
