NASCAR: Erik Jones reveals current Joe Gibbs Racing contract situation

Erik Jones has revealed his current situation pertaining to a contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing for beyond the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Erik Jones has been the subject of replacement rumors at Joe Gibbs Racing pretty much since the start of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season after his round of 16 playoff exit and subsequent 16th place finish in the championship standings last season in his first year driving for the team.

His 2019 season had not been much better until recently, as just a few races ago, he found himself below the playoff cut line. He now sits comfortably above the cut line in 14th place in the championship standings despite the fact that he is still seeking his first victory since he earned the first victory of his career in last year’s July race at Daytona International Speedway.

In early April, the 23-year-old Byron, Michigan native stated that he and the team were “close” to a reaching a contract extension, but a few weeks later, no contract had been signed, although he claimed that he wasn’t worried about it.

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Two months later, the team re-signed Xfinity Series superstar Christopher Bell, the driver who many believed could replace Jones behind the wheel of the #20 Toyota. Adding to this speculation was the fact that the series in which Bell would compete next year was “unclear”.

One month later, team owner Joe Gibbs confirmed what Jones had been saying, stating that a deal was close and that it really just depended on sponsors, and earlier this week, Jones was tipped to return to the team.

Matt DiBenedetto confirmed that he will not be returning to the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated Leavine Family Racing next season, opening up the #95 Toyota for Bell, who had been tipped to land that ride the day before DiBenedetto made this announcement.

Nevertheless, without official confirmation, there has been ongoing talk regarding the possibility of Jones moving to Leavine Family Racing and Bell being promoted directly to the Joe Gibbs Racing Cup Series team as his replacement.

But Jones is adamant that the rumors about him re-signing with the team are true, just as he has maintained all along. According to him, he and the team are “really close” to getting a deal done.

Here is what Jones had to say, according to NASCAR.

"“We’re really close. I’ve gotten it and seen it. Nothing’s been signed yet, but we’re definitely really close on getting a deal done. I hope in the next couple of weeks, I don’t have any plans of going anywhere else, so I see myself hopefully announcing something here pretty soon. But not signed yet, nothing’s done, but definitely going in the right direction.”"

He added the following, according to Motorsport.

"“I’ve kept saying ‘We’re getting there,’ ‘We’re getting there,’ and now it’s all but done.”"

But just like it has for much of the season, expect the speculation and rumors to continue until he puts the pen to the paper even though the deal appears to be “all but done” given everything else that has happened over the course of the last few days.

Expect to see Erik Jones back behind the wheel of the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, and expect to see Christopher Bell behind the wheel of the #95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota as well.