Erik Jones has spent more than 12 years competing across NASCAR’s top three national series, collecting victories at every level and building a loyal fanbase that shows up rain or shine for autographs and photos. Yet despite the lines of die-hard supporters eager for memorabilia, Jones still values something far simpler.
Advertisement
For Jones, the moments that truly stick are the genuine exchanges, a quick word, a brief acknowledgment, a piece of encouragement, that carry more weight than any signature he can scribble.
During an appearance on Jeff Gluck’s “12 Questions” segment in 2019, Jones was asked what advice he would give fans who only have a few seconds with a driver in the garage, with limited time to choose between an autograph, a selfie, or a short comment.
“If I remember, when I was a fan, and I would go and try to get autographs, I would always just try to say something to a driver, whether it was, “Good luck,” or “Nice job” on this race or that race. I think that means more than any autograph or picture you’re going to take,” Jones replied.
The Legacy Motor Club driver explained that even a simple gesture, something as small as a pat on the back, feels more sincere than an assembly-line autograph session. A quick good job, or good luck, he feels, stands out in a driver’s memory far more than a signature given in passing.
Jones also shed light on a truth many fans may not realize. Autograph lines often turn into repetitive routines, and over time, drivers can slip into a rhythm where they sign item after item without even looking up. He explained that many times, when drivers get into that mode of giving out autographs, they are not even looking at who they are giving them to, and they do not really remember the interaction.
That reality is exactly why Jones values heartfelt moments above anything he can write with a Sharpie. He appreciates fans who take a split second to connect in a genuine way. To him, those interactions feel authentic, and they linger long after race day fades.
William Byron shares the same viewpoint about autographs as Jones
William Byron has voiced a similar outlook on fan interactions, saying that while he enjoys signing autographs and meeting people at the track, the signatures themselves often feel too ordinary. He prefers exchanges that carry some substance and actually stick with both sides.
As he put it, “I feel like autographs are so generic. Either a picture or just (commenting on) a neat little tidbit about what you’re doing, something that shows they know about what’s going on.”
Byron recalled attending races as a kid and realizing that the only way he ever felt truly connected to a driver was when he knew something about them, a detail about their weekend, their performance, or their storyline heading into the race. That kind of awareness, he said, is what makes a driver feel seen, and it’s the sort of interaction they remember long after the moment passes.
