KANSAS CITY, Kan. — When Erik Jones arrived at the No. 43 team in 2021, the organization was a single-car operation with roughly 30 employees.

Six years later, Jones has become far more than just the driver of the iconic No. 43. With LEGACY MOTOR CLUB set to expand to three full-time Cup Series entries in 2027, Jones now finds himself serving as the veteran leader of a growing organization.

“I think that journey started probably six years ago,” Jones said of his leadership role. “When I joined the 43, I think we had 30 employees maybe and we were a single-car team.”

Jones said his responsibilities have evolved significantly since leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, where he viewed himself as “just kind of a piece of the puzzle” within an established championship-caliber organization.

As LEGACY grew, Jones became increasingly involved in decisions affecting the team’s future while helping shape its culture and direction.

“At the end of it all, the leadership role has been higher than ever,” Jones said. “It’s something I’ve learned to do more and more and try to be more involved with and just more engaged in meetings, and being there, and being a part of things.”

The organization’s confidence in Jones was evident Saturday when LEGACY announced a multi-year contract extension, ensuring the driver of the No. 43 Toyota remains a centerpiece of its long-term plans.

President Michael Guttilla called Jones “the cornerstone” of the team’s five-year vision and said securing his future helped pave the way for the organization’s expansion plans.

“There’s such mutual trust between Erik and LMC,” Guttilla said. “Having Erik as the cornerstone allowed us to expand our program.”

That leadership role will grow even larger next season as Jones becomes the veteran of a new driver lineup that includes Josh Berry and Riley Herbst.

While Jones welcomes the additions, he believes the biggest advantage of a three-car operation will be the increased collaboration and data sharing.

“I’m excited to get to three cars more than anything,” Jones said. “It’s huge for us as a company in the data points that we can achieve with one more car on the track.”