NASCAR: 5 drivers who could’ve replaced Jimmie Johnson
By Asher Fair
Possible Jimmie Johnson replacements: No. 2 – Erik Jones
Among young drivers, Erik Jones was seen as the leading candidate to replace Jimmie Johnson if Hendrick Motorsports opted to go with a younger driver as opposed to a veteran for the 2021 season.
Jones was in his third season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing at the time, and both Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing were in a tough position. Toyota didn’t want to lose Jones, but they also couldn’t afford not to promote Christopher Bell.
Bell was driving for the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated Leavine Family Racing at the time, but they faced an uncertain future and have since shut down. Had Joe Gibbs Racing not signed Bell, he likely would have left Toyota altogether.
Why not both Jones and Bell for Joe Gibbs Racing? Their three veteran drivers, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr., all competed in the 2019 Championship 4 and had shown no signs of slowing down. While their careers may definitely be nearing the end, 2021 wasn’t the time to let any of them go.
All in all, Jones’s departure from Joe Gibbs Racing wasn’t what anybody wanted. So would another top-tier team in Hendrick Motorsports sign him?
Jones ultimately ended up with Richard Petty Motorsports as the replacement for Bubba Wallace behind the wheel of the #43 Chevrolet, which he continues to drive.