Just like in stick and ball sports, the proper time to call up a young NASCAR driver to the big team is more of an art than a science.
Expected to be competitive right away even at the tender age of 21, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series rookie Erik Jones hasn’t disappointed. Jones already has four top-10 finishes and has mostly stayed away from the kind of blatant mistakes that rookies often make, all while turning Furniture Row into a legit two-car operation as a teammate to championship contender Martin Truex Jr.
Despite that, Jones isn’t guaranteed to be back with Furniture Row in 2018.
The decision could be performance-related, and not in the way you might think. Jones is actually under contract to Joe Gibbs Racing, who agreed to let him go drive for a fellow Toyota outfit for a season while they decide his next move.
JGR could have summoned Jones right away when Carl Edwards suddenly left the team and NASCAR as a whole, but it picked Daniel Suarez for the No. 19. That meant no other openings for Jones, but that might not be the case next season.
The 20 might be available for Jones is JGR decides to part ways with Matt Kenseth. Jones is surely aware of this possibility, as ESPN’s Bob Pockrass noted that even Jones said he’s not sure where he’ll be racing come the 2018 Daytona 500.
Next: Relive Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s best Daytona moments
A glance at the standings shows why the choice might not be cut and dried. Kenseth is 11th in points, with no race wins but two stage wins and would make the playoffs if they started today, albeit barely. Jones is currently 17th in points and unlikely to be postseason eligible unless he breaks through with a victory.
Yet Kenseth is 45 and on the downside of a stellar career. There always seem to be sponsorship issues surrounding him as of late, though JGR has managed to put together a nice package of companies for the No. 20 this season. In contrast, Jones is young and personable without being controversial, which would seem to be a sponsor’s dream.
Would the Gibbs camp let Jones stay with Furniture Row and risk him making a big jump up the standings with another team, perhaps while seeing Kenseth continue to decline? Or might the team make the switch and find out that Jones isn’t quite ready to help the organization rediscover its winning ways, which is an issue since no JGR car has won a race yet this year?
There are no easy answers to these questions, which is why being a team owner can be more difficult than it might first appear. Smart money says Jones has a bright future ahead of him, even if it’s unclear where the next chapter of his story will be written.