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Sep 27, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) races for position along side driver Bubba Wallace (43) during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports | Reuters
Reuters
Sep 27, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) races for position along side driver Bubba Wallace (43) during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports | Reuters
A few months ago, Erik Jones was left high and dry after Joe Gibbs Racing informed him of their decision to replace him with Christopher Bell. Since then, he has been hunting for a new ride for the 2021 season as the clock kept ticking on the NASCAR Silly Season. One of the spots that opened up was that of Bubba Wallace.
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As per recent developments, it seems Erik Jones is set to replace Wallace at Richard Petty Motorsports. The driver of the No. 2o car at Joe Gibbs Racing is already a proven driver in the Cup Series.
While an official announcement is yet to be made, reports say that Jones and the team are finalizing paperwork.
Another name associated with the vacant seat at Richard Petty Motorsports was Kyle Larson. The former Chip Ganassi Racing driver was officially reinstated by NASCAR on Monday. However, Larson is a favorite to replace Alex Bowman at Hendrick Motorsports after Bowman was announced as Jimmie Johnson’s replacement.
With Jones going to Richard Petty Motorsports, it adds more fuel to the fire of Larson’s potential deal with Hendrick Motorsports.
Is Erik Jones a strong replacement for Bubba Wallace?
Jones’ potential arrival at Richard Petty Motorsports is considered as an upgrade for the team. While Wallace is yet to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, Jones has two wins already. Both those wins came in big races such as the Southern 500 and the Daytona race.
Meanwhile, for Jones, the equipment he would get at RPM will not be as advanced or competitive as Joe Gibbs Racing. However, Jones knows what it takes to win. He recently indicated that he feels he can compete for wins wherever he goes.
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Sep 27, 2020; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kurt Busch (1) leads driver Bubba Wallace (43) during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Jones’ confidence and impressive run of form
“I don’t think it’s a situation where it’s gonna be a total struggle for me as a driver so that’s encouraging. You always want to be in a situation where you feel like you can go win. So that’s been encouraging for me over the last couple of weeks,” he expressed.
Jones’ impressive run recently could also have influenced Richard Petty Motorsports’ decision. Jones is not in playoff contention in the NASCAR Cup Series. However, he has four top-five and one top-10 finishes in his last seven races.
Read more – Is a Kyle Larson-Hendrick Deal Just a Matter of Time as Larson Is Officially Reinstated by NASCAR?
