NASCAR Cup Series: Top 5 pending free agents for 2021
By Asher Fair
4. Erik Jones
The 2020 season is Erik Jones’s third full season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing after replacing Matt Kenseth behind the wheel of the #20 Toyota ahead of the 2018 season.
There was speculation that Jones would not be back with the team in 2020 with Christopher Bell available and Jones being so hot and cold, but Joe Gibbs Racing opted to retain the 23-year-old Byron, Michigan native.
However, they only extended his contract by one year, making him a pending free agent after 2020.
Jones is the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver not under contract through the 2021 season, but two of their drivers are nearing 40. It’s hard to not see the team wanting to retain him for their long-term future given his age, potential and upside, which he has shown on multiple occasions; only five drivers finished the 2019 season with more top four finishes than he did.
With that being said, with Bell now in the Cup Series and in a prime position to replace Jones in 2021 if their respective performances warrant it, that would leave Jones looking for a ride, and with several seats potential available. There is no doubt that he is on the hot seat.
Bell doesn’t have the Cup Series experience that Jones has, but believe it or not, he is actually roughly a year and a half older than Jones is.
One of the reasons why Bell was promoted to the Cup Series with Leavine Family Racing is believed to be that Joe Gibbs Racing didn’t want to risk him getting away from the organization due to the team being full for an extended period of time. A promotion for the 2021 season would likely leave Jones looking for a new ride.