“We’re Just Not at That Point”: Erik Jones Makes Honest Admission of Team’s Performance

Legacy Motor Club has been trying to find its stride since joining the Cup Series. After switching to Toyota last year, the team spent a full season adjusting to the new machinery. While performance took a step forward this year, it still fell short of playoff contention. Erik Jones, driving the No. 43 Toyota, recorded four top-five and five top-ten finishes but never found victory lane.

Similarly, John Hunter Nemechek, behind the wheel of the No. 42 Toyota, bagged two top-fives and eight top-tens, while part-time driver-owner Jimmie Johnson finished in the top five once across his two starts this season.

Assessing the team’s season, Jones said, “I think maybe there was a bit higher expectation from the company for our program this year. I felt like this year’s is, like I said, I think it’s how I expected. I wish it would have been more successful. I think we’ve had times that we’ve had cars that we’re capable of running or contending for wins.”

He pointed out that while Indianapolis and Darlington stood out, it’s difficult in the current era to claim the team had cars with winning speed. To be in winning contention twice in a 38-race season is extremely low, and hence the team needs to be consistently running at the front.

When a team isn’t used to that environment, the pressure mounts on everyone if they reach the front in a race, from the driver to the crew chief, to make flawless calls and deliver under fire.

“You’ve got to be settled and running up front and contending for wins. Everybody’s got to be comfortable with it, and we’re just not at that point. There are just parts of our program that aren’t where they need to be.”

“Our road course stuff, short track stuff hasn’t been there. Our mile-and-a-half stuff has been pretty good for the most part. So, we’re just still building, I think it’s kind of went along the line of where I see it,” he added.

Jones further admitted that 2025 marked Legacy Motor Club’s first year with concrete funding, personnel, and data infrastructure. For him, this season served as a foundation year, an opportunity to fill the notebook, learn from the growing pains, and lay the groundwork to step up when the next season rolls around.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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