In NASCAR, drivers project a tough, “macho” persona, raw, aggressive, and supremely confident in their on-track performance. Yet beyond seat time and setup sheets, many carry a talisman they believe can tip the scales toward success. From St. Christopher medallions in the cockpit to rabbit’s feet tucked away, drivers have long embraced charms alongside their driving skills. Alan Kulwicki famously ran with a Saint Christopher devotional medal in his car for protection and good fortune. Erik Jones, enduring a win drought since his last 95 races that he raced, found a semblance of hope to turn his fortune in his recently revealed own talisman.

A sock from his young son. As he seeks to break that streak and regain momentum with Legacy Motor Club, this small keepsake brings fresh hope. So what’s the story behind this sock?

Erik Jones carries his son’s sock for good fortune

Erik Jones described it plainly. “I went to Mexico there, and I was getting ready one day, and I was getting my luggage unpacked, and the sock fell out, so I let the team know I had one of David’s socks, and Holly and my car chief thought it would be a good idea to put it in the car. So it’s been riding along.” This records Jones describing how the sock emerged unexpectedly while unpacking before the Mexico City weekend. As he brought something extra special to NASCAR’s historic return to Mexico City, his six-month-old son David’s sock was tucked inside the No. 43 Toyota as a good luck charm. Also noting its shifting placement inside the car. This incident underscores a spontaneous, personal origin rather than a planned ritual.

“I didn’t give us quite what we needed in Mexico, but maybe going forward it’ll give you some more. We had it right on the doorpad, stuck in there. Yeah. It’s on the roof this week.” Jones’s six-month-old son, David Wayne Jones, born November 27, 2024, gave the sock its emotional weight during his first Father’s Day weekend in Mexico City. Qualifying 14th on the 2.429-mile road course demonstrated solid preparation despite altitude challenges. He settled for a 17th place finish in a race were crashes were frequent and track position was hard to come by.

What’s the story with the sock in @Erik_Jones car this weekend? #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/rLdC9LjEea

— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) June 21, 2025

This sock is perhaps a permanent feature inside the Jones’ race car. The LMC driver took to social media and shared an update that this lucky charm is back at Pocono Raceway. “Don’t worry, the sock is back this weekend.” His last victory was at Darlington on September 4, 2022. After only two top-10s in 34 races in 2024 and with an average start of 26.9 and an average finish of 22.9, this gesture aligned with modest early gains in 2025, two top-10s in 16 events, an average start of 20.41, and a finish of 19.6. Placing the sock on the doorpad or roof became a tangible reminder of new priorities and incremental progress.

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Erik Jones still has work to do

With roughly half the regular season races complete, Jones is around 22nd in standings with 311 points through 16 races. Sustaining improved qualifying and finish averages is crucial. Tracks where he’s shown competence, such as Darlington, offer immediate chances to convert preparation into results. His early-season 7th at Nashville and 5th at Texas demonstrate that the team can produce top-10 runs. Continuing to avoid DNFs and capitalizing on stage points will be key in a tight playoff-eligibility battle.

If incremental gains persist, regular top-15s interspersed with occasional top-10s, the standings position can climb toward the top 20. While the sock itself won’t change lap times, the mental reset it symbolizes may help Jones extract marginal improvements in execution. A win at Darlington could be the perfect scenario, as banking on points isn’t the best strategy to qualify for the playoffs. SVG winning the Mexico race has added chaos to this race, with only 6 spots up for grabs, every new winner will further push the drivers like Jones into a tough spot.

Right now, Jones will need all the luck he can get from his sock and at the same time, he will need to churn out consistent performances with the hopes of converting a strong run into a victory lane visit.