“Sports is a young man’s game,” they say. Although Jimmie Johnson proves himself to be just as competitive at 50 years old, one of his drivers seems to be getting a different kind of reality check in the Late Model Series. He has made quite a presence on the field with Legacy Motor Club, but his regular participation in the junior series seems to be giving him more alien experiences than the Cup Series field, with the young wave rising fast.

Jimmie Johnson’s driver reacts to the young drivers

“It is cool racing against some of those guys still. And it’s fun to race against the young guys,” Erik Jones admitted as he discussed running the Late Model Series races. Admittedly, he seems to be having quite a tough schedule apart from his NASCAR responsibilities, but as he claimed, it becomes a different experience for him to race against the upcoming generation.

“There’s guys that I get to go race against now that are coming up and they’re 15, 16, 17 years old and trying to make a name for themselves and prove themselves at the short track level. And it’s fun to see that talent. You know, it’s cool to see the next generation come along,” Jones added, realizing he’s in the veteran category now.

While he used to find it competitive, it is quite understandable that after almost a decade in the Cup Series, Jones finds his way at the front of the field: “I’m at a point now where it doesn’t feel intimidating anymore to think that there’s someone behind me coming up.”

But at the same time, it goes to show that he might be fading out of the Late Model Series races, getting to almost 30 years of age this year.

While he does blow off some steam running these Late Model races, there’s quite a lot on Jones’ plate that he might have to focus on now. Jimmie Johnson, being co-owner of the team, took some major decisions earlier, bringing Justin Alexander to work with Jones.

LMC still doesn’t seem to have the pace to win races. Although Jones has proven in the past that he can bring himself to victory lane, his best performance in the past couple of years has been a few top-five finishes.

Can Erik Jones stay dependent on LMC?

Understandably, Justin Alexander would have to spend quite some time with the team before he can bring any real changes to their performance, but for Erik Jones, that is simply time running out of his hands.

Even Jimmie Johnson, who began returning to the Daytona 500 more recently, hasn’t found himself in a competitive spot. Although he had an impressive finish last year, it was mostly because of a late wreck, and he managed to steer through.

The situation at Legacy Motor Club is fragile right now. Although Jones has managed to clinch a top 10 this year, it still does not put him where he potentially could be. He needs a strong team to back him up, which LMC is unable to provide him. Jimmie Johnson’s operations need sole focus, and he might be able to dedicate more time to it from next year.

Johnson earlier revealed that he would consider finally retiring from racing after running the 2027 Daytona 500. This seemed to be quite a rational decision, considering his age and the responsibilities he has. So, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that he would have a lot more time to focus on the team and their performance next year onwards, which could help LMC in the long run.

But as for Erik Jones? The gamble seems risky. As of now, he seems to be spending his prime years behind the wheel of an uncompetitive car, and although being loyal is one thing, it would perhaps be the right time for Jones to consider some other options.