Erik Jones believes Legacy Motor Club is a 'step away' from a breakthrough among NASCAR giants like Team Penske and JGR 

After a stellar top-five finish at Atlanta last week, Erik Jones opened up on what it would take for Legacy Motor Club to get on par with NASCAR giants like Team Penske and Joe Gibbs Racing. Heading into the Chicago Street Race, he reflected on the LMC's rise through the ranks and admitted that it's 'not easy' to land a top-10 or top-15 result.

LMC has steadily progressed from being a backmarker to regularly contending with the mid-pack and occasionally breaking into the top 10. Both LMC drivers, Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek, have already scored more top-10s than they did last year.

Furthermore, Jones has qualified among the top five on multiple occasions, while Nemechek was able to notch up consecutive top-five finishes twice so far. With an average finish of 18 for Jones and 19 for Nemechek, the two have clearly made a step forward in a highly competitive field.

During a press briefing on Friday, July 4, Jones was asked the one missing piece for LMC to become a full-blown frontrunner. He replied [7:57 onwards]:

"So, in racing, I think you go, you're running 30th like we were last year, it's not easy to get better to grunt top 15 or top 10, but it's a lot easier to get to that point than it is to go from top 10 to top five to winning. So, this is kind of where that magic starts to happen."

"And it takes some really good people to find some really minute things in race cars and then it comes down to the drivers as well, right.....I think we're right there a step away of of being, you know, up there with the Penske's, JGRs, Hendricks," he added.

Erik Jones bumped up two spots in the drivers' standings post-Atlanta. He is now 16th with 379 points, one spot below Hendrick Motorsports' Austin Cindric.

Meanwhile, Nemechek is set to start on the back foot this weekend, as his #42 team failed pre-race inspections twice, resulting in the loss of a crew member and pit stall selection.

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Erik Jones revels in top-five result at Atlanta

Erik Jones survived a crash-prone Quaker State 400 to place fifth. The #43 Toyota driver was caught up in two wrecks, but LMC made crucial adjustments to get him back on track amid a chaotic and retirement-heavy race.

Speaking to NBC Sports, Jones highlighted the team's momentum.

"To come back and run fifth after we wrecked twice, I’m happy with that....We’ve made a big climb in points and are still going," he said.

Erik Jones's fifth-place result at Echopark Speedway helped him beat Ross Chastain in Round 1 of the In-Season Challenge. Up next, he faces off against Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in Round 2 at The Grant Park 160.

Fans can watch the 75-lap affair on TNT Sports on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.