When NASCAR driver Erik Jones opened his phone this week, he wasn’t sharing race updates or sponsor news. Instead, he was sending out a plea no family ever wants to make. A quiet Monday night in Pensacola turned into a nightmare for the Jones family after his cousin suddenly went missing without a trace.

Now, with each passing day, worry is turning into fear, and Jones has turned to the public for help. His message has sparked urgency across the racing community for a heartbreaking search that grows more desperate by the hour.

Search intensifies for Erik Jones’ cousin

“If you’re in the Pensacola area, my cousin, Marc, has been missing since Monday night. Please keep an eye out for him if you can, and contact Escambia County Sheriff’s office if you have any information.”

With that single post, Erik Jones has made it clear just how urgent the situation has become. It is a family in crisis, and Jones is reaching out to anyone willing to look, listen, and help.

Jones’ message came directly in response to the WEAR-tv’s tweet, which shared Escambia County Sheriff’s Office’s public alert and urged the community to get involved. Their post painted a sobering picture:

A 56-year-old man was reported missing in Escambia County on Tuesday. Marc David Kihlstand was wearing a light blue long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and grey Nike shoes, according to the ECSO.

As the sheriff’s office shared the physical description and last known location, Jones’ amplification of the message quickly spread across NASCAR circles and beyond. Fans, fellow drivers, and community members began praying, reposting, resharing, and asking how they could help. For a family already dealing with fear and uncertainty, the outpouring of support became a lifeline.

The situation has added a heavy emotional weight to an already demanding week for Jones. While publicly focused on finding his cousin, he remains in Pensacola for one of the biggest short-track events in America. Erik Jones is currently racing the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.

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NASCAR stars at Snowball Derby showdown

Undoubtedly, the Snowball Derby has long been the crown jewel of short-track racing. However, this year’s entry list reads like a full-blown NASCAR all-star roster.

Four current full-time Cup Series drivers: Erik Jones (No. 4), Noah Gragson (No. 30 for Kasey Jones Racing), Kyle Busch (No. 51 for Bryson Lopez Racing), and Ryan Preece (No. 60), are all strapping in to chase a coveted spot in Sunday’s 300-lap main event.

Their presence instantly raises the stakes, drawing national attention to Pensacola and transforming Five Flags Speedway into the weekend’s motorsports epicenter.

But the star power doesn’t stop with the Cup Series. Former Truck Series champions Johnny Sauter (No. 5) and Ty Majeski (No. 91) are back for another shot at the famed Tom Dawson Trophy. Rising Truck Series drivers like Kaden Honeycutt, Dawson Sutton, and Jake Garcia add even more competitive depth.

And for Erik Jones, this weekend brings back memories of the moment that changed his life. NASCAR fans fondly recall the now-iconic storyline:

“Erik Jones won the 2012 Snowball Derby 13 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,” the fan account NASCAR Legends shared on X.

That 2012 race remains a defining snapshot in short-track lore. Piloting his own No. 4 Super Late Model, a teenage Jones outdueled Kyle Busch (then one of the most dominant short-track racers in the country), powering past him after a hard-fought restart with 20 laps remaining. The win not only cemented Jones as a prodigy but also earned him a life-changing call from Busch that launched his national NASCAR career.

As anticipation builds, the weather has thrown a slight curveball. Thursday’s planned on-track action was washed out, pushing everything to Friday, adding yet another layer of tension to an already electric Snowball Derby weekend.