"It's never an easy situation": Erik Jones gets real on new relationship with NASCAR HOF Matt Kenseth after awkward past

When Erik Jones stepped into the No. 20 car at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018, it was wrapped in silent weight. The ride belonged to Matt Kenseth, a former champion whose Cup resume includes 39 wins, a Daytona 500.

While Kenseth wasn't directly pushed out by Jones, he was ushered in as Toyota's next great talent. Seven years later, the two drivers find themselves on the same team as the moment came full circle in 2023 when Kenseth joined Legacy Motor Club as a competition advisor.

Legacy Motor Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson chats with Matt Kenseth during the Wurth 400. Source: Imagn

One of his first calls was to Erik Jones. The pair met at a quiet restaurant in Davidson, North Carolina, and began piecing together a relationship that had been largely absent, despite years of overlap.

"Matt (Kenseth) knew that he was the guy, that was going to be out in that situation and ended up moving, to make room for myself coming up through there (Joe Gibbs Racing). That made it harder to build a relationship. I don't know that there was any animosity from him towards me, and obviously, there was none from me to him. But when you're getting replaced, it's never an easy situation," Jones admitted (via NASCAR).

Erik Jones was a Truck Series champion in 2017, handpicked by Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs to rise through Toyota's system.

Matt Kenseth, then in his 40s, was still performing at a high level but was without a ride for the 2018 season. But Kenseth never blamed Jones.

"I've been around it for a long time, and the owners and other people make those decisions. It's not like the driver did it, or he was the owner and let me go. To be fair, Erik was Toyota's guy at the time. He was Kyle's (Busch) guy, Coach's (Joe Gibbs) guy and was running really well and having a ton of success. I wasn't exactly a spring chicken, so if you look at it objectively, you can't really blame anyone for that," he said.

Matt Kenseth (R) with crew members and team owner Joe Gibbs (L) during the 2013 Advocare 500 at Phoenix. Source: Getty

After his exit from Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth took a short break. He returned for part-time efforts with Roush in 2019 and had made a full-time comeback with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020. Kenseth was also inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class.

Meanwhile, Erik Jones' own stint at JGR mirrored Kenseth's closing act. By the end of 2020, he was released from the No. 20 ride, this time to make room for another Toyota-backed talent, Christopher Bell. That's what makes their present bond at Legacy Motor Club all the more poetic.

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"We took a pretty big leap": Matt Kenseth and Erik Jones head to Chicago Street race with momentum

NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones (43) before the Wurth 400 race at Texas Motor Speedway. Source: Imagn

Since arriving at Legacy Motor Club, Matt Kenseth is deeply involved in the day-to-day operations at LMC, attending engineering meetings, advising drivers, and offering firsthand counsel. Erik Jones has embraced the mentorship, and the No. 43 team has now begun to rise from its dormant state.

Jones has turned his middling 2025 campaign into one of the hottest midseason streaks in the Cup Series garage. In June, he is averaging 10.6 finishes across the past six races, including a fifth-place effort at EchoPark Speedway. He's now scored the fourth-most points of any Cup driver over the past five races.

From 29th in points after Kansas in May to 16th entering this weekend's Grant Park 165 on the streets of Chicago, the rise has been rapid. But Kenseth sees more than numbers.

"I feel like we took a pretty big leap within the last (seven or eight) weeks. We've had cars, both or one of them, that were capable of running in the top 10. I don't know if we had cars last year capable of running in the top 10, but once or twice. It's been a big leap, but there's a long way to go to get to where we want to be," Kenseth added (via NASCAR.com).

This weekend, Jones enters Round 2 of the In-Season Challenge with momentum against Ricky Stenhouse Jr., while teammate John Hunter Nemechek faces an uphill task against Chase Elliott.

Erik Jones (43) and John Hunter Nemechek (42) during the 2024 Bank of America 400. Source: Imagn

While the No. 43 still sits 49 points below the playoff cutline, Chicago represents another prime chance. For a street-course setting where control, confidence, and chemistry matter, the evolving dynamic between Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth could make the difference.