After 18-year-old Erik Jones earned his first Xfinity Series victory Friday night at Texas Motor Speedway, team owner Joe Gibbs said the driver is ready for NASCAR’s top level, the Sprint Cup Series.
Jones outdueled Sprint Cup stars Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski to score the victory in only his ninth Xfinity Series start. That kind of performance is just the latest evidence Gibbs needed that Jones is ready to advance.
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"There's no question that at some point very quick he's going to be in a Cup car some," Gibbs told reporters after the race. "We kind of have a little bit of a strategy there that we've talked about. He's ready to go at any time."
For now, Jones is competing full time in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series, while driving a limited schedule for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series. JGR currently has a logjam at the Cup level, running four cars — the maximum number NASCAR allows any team owner — but Gibbs has the opportunity to get Jones some seat time in the No. 18 JGR Toyota this year.
Kyle Busch, who normally drives the car, has yet to drive in a points race this season after suffering leg injuries in a Feb. 22 Xfinity race at Daytona. The timetable for his return is uncertain. David Ragan is filling in for Busch until he is healthy.
Gibbs also has two other options for getting Jones to the Sprint Cup level. He could put Jones in a fifth JGR car for a maximum of seven races this season, an exception NASCAR allows for developmental drivers. Or Gibbs could let the teen drive for another Cup organization to gain experience.
But Gibbs says he’s seen enough to know that Jones is ready for NASCAR’s elite level.
"We know that Erik is on the fast track," Gibbs said. "It's just a matter of when."