Erik Jones, currently under the banner of Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club team, has been experiencing a series of lackluster seasons. To bolster his confidence, maybe a reminder of his impressive entry into NASCAR, often convoluted with Kyle Busch helping him, could be beneficial.
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While it’s believed that Jones first caught the NASCAR community’s attention not when he outperformed Busch at the 2012 Snowball Derby, that’s not entirely true.
In that defining race, driving his own Erik Jones Racing #4 Super Late Model, the then 16-year-old outmaneuvered Busch during a crucial restart with just 20 laps remaining.
Following an intense battle, Jones made a decisive final pass with 17 laps left, propelling him to the forefront of his career’s biggest victory. The achievement initially catapulted him into the national spotlight, setting the stage for his subsequent NASCAR journey.
I’m proud of you @erik_jones. I knew the day I met you and then when you beat me at the snowball derby that you had so much talent. You’ve had to overcome a lot these past few years but you are a fighter. I’m proud of you and know your Dad is up there celebrating! 🍻 pic.twitter.com/DduSazOaeW
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) July 8, 2018
However, that was not the first time Busch learned about him. Rather, Jones had the chance to test a Kyle Busch Motorsports Super Late Model earlier that same season. The opportunity came up when Busch was unavailable for practice at the All-American 400 at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville, and Jones was brought in to shake down the car in his absence.
The critical test session was orchestrated by spotter Branden Lines, who leveraged his relationship with KBM Super Late Model director Chris Gabehart, now the competition director of Joe Gibbs Racing. Reflecting on this moment in a 2017 interview, Jones shared,
“Branden was actually the guy that got me the opportunity in 2012 to do Nashville and shake down Kyle’s Late Model. Branden had a good relationship with Chris Gabehart and without running that test, Kyle probably wouldn’t have thought as much of me after we won the Derby.”
Erik Jones won the 2012 Snowball Derby twelve years ago today. 🏁
The 16-year old beat Kyle Busch for the Derby win. A few months later Busch signed Jones to drive his truck in five @NASCAR_Trucks races, and Jones won the Truck race at Phoenix. pic.twitter.com/upEZsnkEZU
— NASCAR Legends (@LegendsNascar) December 2, 2024
So, Jones’s ascent in the racing world was catalyzed by both his early test session and his subsequent triumph at the Snowball Derby. The duo of achievements paved the way for him to secure five starts in the Camping World Truck Series under the banner of Kyle Busch Motorsports.
It was in his final race of these five appearances, at Phoenix International Raceway, that Jones clinched a victory that turned heads across the racing community.
Notably, it captured the attention of David Wilson, the president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development.
Joe Gibbs had to be convinced to take a chance on Erik Jones
Jones’s entry into Toyota’s NASCAR driver development system was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Lacking independent funding, Jones faced hurdles in advancing to the Cup Series without external support.
Despite the faith that both Wilson and Busch had in his potential, providing Jones with a direct route to the Cup Series was beyond their means alone.
It required concerted efforts and collaboration to bring Joe Gibbs on board. Reflecting on that time, the Cup Series team owner said, “It took a lot. It took a lot of trust in Kyle and David and Ed (Laukes) — everyone that spoke to his character and potential… It took everyone coming together and telling me that Erik was someone to believe in.”
Wilson highlighted the sense of duty they felt towards nurturing young talent, leading to the inception of the development program—a move Wilson had long asserted Toyota was reluctant to make.
