Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX - How Kyle Busch Changed Erik Jones' Career & Learning From Jimmie Johnson

Episode Date: June 11, 2026

Coming off an incredible, season-best 2nd-place finish at Michigan International Speedway, Erik Jones breaks down how he charged from the rear of the field to the front, helping secure a dominant 1-2-3 finish for Toyota. Erik opens up about what it took to go toe-to-toe with Denny Hamlin in the closing laps at his home track, the competitive gains Legacy Motor Club is making behind the scenes, and what it really takes to build a new manufacturer program from the ground up. Plus, Erik shares an emotional reflection on his early career, detailing exactly how much Kyle Busch changed his life and trajectory forever by taking him under his wing. He also discusses learning from Legacy Motor Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson on a week-to-week basis, how grassroots racing shaped his career, and how fatherhood has changed his mindset behind the wheel. Finally, we look ahead to the Tricky Triangle at Pocono and outline the strategy needed to survive the high-stakes countdown to The Chase, NASCAR's new playoff format. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with Eye Gaming Ontario. What was that like for you? Does you get a head pat there? Yeah, you know, it's just nice to race up there. And it's not as challenging in some ways when you're running, you know, 15th or 20th. Yeah, David's, he's enjoying the interview too. Welcome in to a special edition of Kevin Harvig's happy hour.

I'm Caitlin Vinci. And so thrilled to have Eric Jones joining us on the show today from the car. I see you are still out traveling in Michigan. It's great to see you. And what a great weekend as well you had out there. in Michigan, the home track for you. You have to be pretty pleased with that performance for a variety of reasons, I imagine.

Yeah, I mean, it was a great day in a lot of ways, but obviously having a good one at home is always fun. So, yeah, we were up here all week and just catching up with friends and family, and then we're still here driving over today to run the late model tomorrow night. And so, yeah, it's been great. You know, I think the last, I would say month or so,

we've had some really strong cars and some good runs, but we haven't really put the finishes together. So Michigan was the first one. I felt like we just put the whole day together and, you know, got some stage points and stage two and ran up front and had an opportunity, had things, you know, played out a little better to win the race. So it was just a lot of fun. It's fun to drive fast cars and run up front and challenge for the win. And, you know, hopefully, hopefully we can keep doing that. I don't know how fun it is to have to do it from the back, but you made a show out of it, very impressive, just like our race winner, doing it from the rear.

How were you able to make your way up through there, through the field like that? Yeah, we obviously didn't want to start back there, and we had a good qualifying effort up there in 10th. And so we had to make a decision, and it was really sort of last minute. We talked about it all the way until race day morning and making the choice to repair some damage from practice from the flat tire and then go to the back. And I think super glad we did. I think we were a little concerned to get a starting position initially, but knew that Michigan's place you could pass and get your position back if you have a good car and felt like we had a car that, you know, damage free was going to be a top five car. So we didn't want to have ourselves, I guess, any excuses in the basket if we go out and we had a, you know, a 10th place day or 15th place day going to say, well, you know, we should have fixed the damage or we had this going on and that's why we weren't good enough. So just made the choice to fix it.

And I'm glad we did because the car was really good and we were able to get through there so fast. How do you feel like performances like Sunday, though, are defining moments for the team when you face those difficulties and you're still able to overcome them and have a really solid finish like that? Yeah, I think everybody was nervous about having to go to the back. We all know that, you know, qualifying is so important. We've been focusing really hard on qualifying and getting better at it and starting farther forward. and we did that, then all of a sudden we're going to say, well, okay, now we're going to start at the back. We're going to make this choice. So I think the momentum is the big thing. You know, when we have a day like Sunday where we can just go out and show that we've got that kind of

speed and that pace, I think the momentum carries through the whole team. I know it definitely feels good for myself, just being able to have some speed and feel good about when I get in the car knowing that it's going to be good and we've had good cars. So, I think that's the biggest thing is that momentum and that confidence that you can kind of carry on from each week. You mentioned the momentum. You guys have made a lot of gains as of late. What do you think's been the biggest contributing factor for that with really legacy as a whole? Yeah, I don't think it's really just one thing. You know, you can't just say we did this one thing better or or something of that sort, I guess.

You know, it's a lot of little things that we've kind of added together that have made a big difference. And, you know, I feel like we've obviously had a lot of speed. I feel like the 42s had some good speed. They haven't got the finishes that they've deserved. So as a company, I feel like we have just been bringing better race cars and better performance to the track each week. And, you know, it's a good stretch of tracks, too, for us historically, these ones we've been on the last month or so. But, you know, I think we get through next week with hopefully a bunch more points in Pocono. And then we go into these two road courses and hopefully, you know, just show improvement.

Road forces have been a big struggle for us as a group. And we've been working really, really hard to get them better. So, you know, if we can go through those two with a little bit of improvement and just showing that we've gotten our cars better and our drivers better as well, I think that would be a big day. With Michigan specifically, you're very good in the long run. At what point in the race did you start to realize, okay, we got something good here beneath me right now? Yeah, I think it was, you know, in, I mean, in the stage one, we got up there to like 14th or 13th.

then I felt pretty good about that. But I think stage two, when we started driving through the field there on that long run, when we had four tires and some of those guys had taken two, and I thought as we rolled through the field and we were passing, some of the guys were passed, and I knew that we had a really good car. And that was kind of the moment where I thought maybe we were going to have a chance to contend for the win. You know, the first stage, it was a little hard to tell. We didn't get up front far enough to know, but by stage two, when we ran second in that stage and just kind of ran out of time, really, to win it.

I knew that our car was super strong. And having to hold off some very tough competitors, I might add as well, with Larson and Hosevar and all the different things in the mix. You know, what was that like from your vantage point? Yeah, you know, it's just nice to race up there and with those guys. And it's definitely not as, it's not as challenging in some ways as when you're running, you know, 15th or 20th. The battles back there are, you know, so intense. And everybody's kind of scrapping and clawing for every inch.

When you get up in the top five, everybody gets a little bit more laid back, just knowing that, you know, maybe it's one run where someone's trying to get their car a little better or they're working on their stuff, and they know they're going to have a shot to get back up front if they just have some more time. So the racing is way more relaxed, which is nice. And, you know, hopefully we just can run up there more and gain those guys, I guess, confidence and racing with us and, you know, know that we can get up there and be good. And the racing continues, because as you mentioned, super late,

model race there in Berlin. What's that race mean to you and having the opportunity to do that? And how does that help you translate in other ways to the Cupside? Well, it's nice to come back here. I enjoy just getting a race late model when I can. And I only get to do it maybe four times a year. And these two at Berlin and this is coming up this week. And then later in August in the year, we come back again. It's fun. This is a place I grew up racing at for years and years and just raced against some. A lot of guys I learned a lot from and you still get the chance to race against a few of them. They're still out here running and running these cars.

So for me, as far as it goes to, you know, connecting the cup side, I think it's just helpful to stay in a car and in the rhythm. You know, anytime you just get in any vehicle and you're out there doing it and learning more racecraft and keeping up up with it all during the week, I think it's a benefit for the weekend when you go back into the cup car just being a little bit more sharp. you referenced just growing up racing in Michigan what was the culture like growing up racing in that state because every state's kind of different has its own ways about it what was that like for you as you get a head pat there yeah yeah david's uh he's enjoying the interview too but yeah you know it's funny you don't think of um i don't think people think of Michigan and it's like a big um state for racing or somewhere that it's you know really really popular but there is a big racing culture up here and i think just a big car culture in general. So we have tons of local tracks and pavement tracks, and you think of a lot of great racers that came from up here. And so for me, yeah, it's always been kind of ingrained, I think. We weren't a racing family, but we had cars and always loved cars and that sort of thing.

So I think that's what kind of sparked the racing interest is just the love of cars and being around them as a kid. And now you have your own child. David has been hanging out with us during the course of this interview. I loved the picture you posted over the weekend of your wife Holly and just the family side. And I'm curious, you know, how you feel like you've changed since you've become a dad and how it even has maybe it changed your approach to racing. Yeah, I think it, you know, it definitely makes you more patient, being able to deal with David every day and how crazy he is all the time. But yeah, I think it gives you a different meaning too and why you do what you do.

And, you know, a lot of it is to show him, I guess, later on, why, you know, why I'm doing this, why I'm racing and how I approach it. And it's just lessons that, you know, for him later on, I hope he can take something from. And so that's the part that I think has really changed the way I look at racing and how I go about what I do on. a week-to-week basis is just for him to have something to look at later on. I know he's very young, but what's kind of his reaction when he is at the track? Is he curious about is? He's just kind of looking around, like, what's going on here? Yeah, he likes it.

He loves the cars and being around them and seeing him. He always wants to get in the car. Even after the race at Michigan, he was out there and he wanted to hop in the car after I got out. And so he's definitely interested in it and curious and wants to know, I guess, I think, kind of what is going on a little bit. it more, but it's just, it's always fun. I mean, just showing him and having him around and having them be a part of it and learning about it. That's the part that's really cool, cool for me.

That's very special for sure. It's cool to see you as a dad now. You also work a lot with another fellow racing dad and Jimmy Johnson. I'm curious from you, what are some of the biggest things that you've learned from Jimmy and just being in his presence week to week? Yeah, I think just the way, you know, he approaches racing and some of the things that he did when he was a driver is the things that I take from him. You know, he obviously the cars are really different now, so he can't always add a lot on just the driving style of what he did. It just has changed so much. But I think the approach that he had, how he went about, you know, his weeks and his approach to the track on each weekend is something that it obviously still applies. today. So I think that's the biggest thing he shared. It's just the approach that he had and

how he went about his business is something that I've always been able to learn from him since he's been around at Legacy. That's a great person to be learning from. You know, and you guys started this team not that long ago. It's been really neat to see the progress of it. What are some things, maybe though, the average fan may not understand about the challenges and the growing pains that comes when you completely start a new organization? Yeah, it's really challenging in a lot of ways. ways, but you know, the manufacturers, which we made a couple of years ago to Toyota was a huge change for us. We had to take on so much more to be, you know, not relying on another

team with an alliance. And that's what we always did for years. We were an alliance team and we wanted to go out on our own and be able to, you know, build this program and build these cars. And I would say the biggest thing was just the amount of people that we had to bring on and the the departments that we had to build out were just massive. So we're finally, you know, getting there. I think we got to the point maybe a year, six months ago, we had almost all our positions still. And now we're, you know, back adding on again like crazy, getting ready for this third car next next year. So it's been a huge building process. It's been fun to be a part of. And it's been a great learning experience to be a part of it all. And there's times where it's a lot of fun and rewarding. There's times where it's really fun.

frustrating and you wish it was just better. So yeah, it's a tough process from top to bottom, but it's at the end of the day, it has been rewarding this last month, especially days like yesterday, you know, when you put in the work and grind it out and you see the progress, that's when it really makes it feel right. And it was announced recently. There will be 27 celebrity investors coming in that was announced. What do you think, how does that speak to just the influence of Jimmy and what legacy is doing that all these. different people want to be a part of it. Yeah, I mean, I think Jimmy has a great vision for what he wants the team to be.

And I think bringing awareness to the team through the celebrity investors is great. You know, at the end of the day, we have to make it sustainable. And we have to make it a business that works for us on the racing side. And I think he's done a great job of kind of bridging that gap and finding different areas that he can bring in revenue and bring in people who are interested in racing and also bring in an experience that people who don't know about racing, they want to come and check it out. They want to be at the track and see what it's really all about. I think that's been the coolest part about the investment group that he's been bringing on. We're showing the Darius Rucker impromptu concert at the racetrack. I don't think I ever

would have expected to see something like that. That's pretty cool and very unique. Just things going on with your team. Yeah, it's fun. I mean, we do different stuff. We've got a great hospitality program that we set up each week and bring to the track. Not every week, but most weeks. And we have, it's an experience that I guess I don't really see from other teams out there that we provide. And it's been something that has been great for our partners, you know, you see them come out and we show up and we do our appearances up there.

And what they're having for an experience and falling out at the racetrack is really, really unique and really fun to see. So it's been fun to be a part of and watch it kind of grow and see Jimmy's vision come to life. It has been very neat indeed. I do want to talk to you for a moment about Kyle Bush. The late Kyle Bush obviously had a very important role in your life. I want to go back to 2012 in the Snowball Derby, which was a turning point for your life and your career in Kyle Bush was a big part of that. You beat him, which many people can't do.

What do you remember about that day and how did it just totally change the trajectory? of your life. Yeah, I mean, I had known Kyle a little bit before that day and raced against him a couple of times in late models. And I'd actually tested his car one time for him a few months before that as he was traveling back and forth between Talladega and Nashville Fairgrounds. And so I was just shaking the car down while he wasn't there. And, you know, we went to this snowball and then won that race.

And I had not had, you know, I was 16 at the time. have any opportunity in NASCAR at all. I wasn't really getting any interest from anyone on that side of thing. So all of a sudden it opened up a door to me to go drive his truck for a minute. I got to do five races that next season for him and we won one of them at Phoenix and then that went to, you know, I think 14 maybe the next year in 2014 and then full time and 15 with him. And all along the way, he was helping me build my relationship. relationship with Toyota and Joe Gibbs at the time to get in their vicinity car and their O'Reilly car and run races and then eventually go full-time for them. And, you know, and eventually

after that all the way to the Cup Series. And so it was really neat for me to meet him at that time and then go all the way to being a teammate with him in the Cup series. And I think that was, I think that was cool for him too. You know, he was always the guy that, you know, he got to kind of picked me from the crowd and help me along, you know, and without him, I don't think that, you know, I don't know if I ever would have really got to where I am. I think maybe there would have been some opportunities along the way, but probably not like he gave me with the trucks and the equipment that he had at the time that were, you know, top notch and I was able to go out and run up front and win. And so I'll never forget that. You know, and for me,

it was just fun. I just enjoyed hanging out with him. I enjoyed being around him and his family and it was fun to watch him and Brexton just go race and watch that relationship grow and then see how much he cared about him and his racing and how much he put into it. There was just a lot of neat things that Kyle had going on, you know, even away from his own racing that was fun to watch. Yeah, that's really neat. I'm sure he's very, very proud of everything you've achieved. And I feel like he was one of those individuals that just elevated everybody.

Would you say that's fair? I mean, he was a tough teacher at times, but he made everybody better, whether you're a media member, a driver, all of those things. Yeah, I always enjoyed getting a chance to race with him. You know, it was challenging. I think the most challenging was the Xfinity series when I went full time. In 16, he ran, seemed like every race. And he was always out there and super fast and hard to beat. But those days where we did get to beat him those couple of times, it wasn't many.

times. You know, it felt great. You knew that you beat the best. You knew that there wasn't anybody else out there that was going to be harder to be probably than him that day. So I always learned so much just being on the track with him and watching him. And, you know, he helped me elevate my level of performance, you know, to the next to the next level. So I'll always remember that and just the time is racing with him and being around him. He definitely could help you bring your game up to the next level I felt. Yeah, thank you for sharing some of those memories and stories of him. I want to look ahead to kind of the future here. And you have good numbers at Pocono. I noticed in the cup car over there at the tricky triangle. What's the

expectations going to that place because it is so unique and trying to get your car right in all three places? Yeah, it is tough. And in some ways, I think, you know, everybody's kind of found the biggest or the most important corner is turn three and how you can get through there. But overall, there's also a lot of choices you got to make at Pocono. You know, there's opportunities to get stage points. There's opportunities to short pit stage and try to go for a better finish. So, you know, we'll have to make a quick assessment early on. I guess what kind of race car we think we have.

And, you know, if we have a car like Michigan, obviously going to play to try to win the race. So I hope that's what we have. And I hope that's the choice we're making. But at the end of the day, there's a good opportunity to gain a lot more points. You know, on this cut line, we're getting really close. It's obviously really tight right at the cut line. There's a lot of guys that are kind of right on that number. But, you know, we need a few more really good weeks to at least get into the playoffs

and then, you know, hopefully add a cushion from there to the cut line. So I'm excited. I like Pocono a lot and I like racing there and just excited to get out there and see what kind of car we have. Yeah, it's a unique part of the country to go to. A person who is obviously pivotal to your success in this whole operation that's happening right now. I want to mention him as Justin Alexander, your crew chief, first full season with you two together. How do you feel like you compliment each other and just that that has been the good pairing for you? Yeah, I think, you know, Justin and I always, it seems like we're on the same page.

You know, it's really easy to communicate with him. And obviously having fast cars makes life easier too. True. You know, I don't know if we even made a single adjustment in Michigan all day. during the race. So, you know, it's been fun working with him. He was obviously out of the sport for a while and, you know, to have him come back and this year. And I think he's elevated the game. I think overall our whole group is really strong. You know, I think Justin and I communicate really well and the engineers that we have communicate well, the guys who are wrenching on the cars.

I've worked with them now for, you know, a handful of years. So everybody's just really comfortable with each other. And, you know, we know we have a great opportunity right now, some, some fast race. cars are all just trying to make the most of it. But I think Justin has done a really good job with just the adjustment side and knowing when I'm asking for stuff, you know, what I need and what I'm looking for as far as a feel in the race car. And I always feel good about, you know, when I'm calling in and asking for stuff that he's going to, he's going to come back with the right changes that I need.

It's good to have that trust there. And you mentioned the cut line a bit ago. And I look at the Southern 500 that's obviously further down the season. You've had a lot of great memories and moments at that. that racetrack. So are you thinking about that mindful of that as you look towards the chase and what that race could present? Yeah, definitely. We always look forward to going to Darlington. We were a little bit worried this year with the package change of things were still going to be as good for us. But I felt like we went there in the spring and had another really good car. So

yeah, I would obviously love to add another win there. And I feel like with the cars that we have right now that's you know more than possible i the couple of races we won there the first one we were really strong 20 car and then the 43 car we really weren't um the best car that day we just had a lot of things really play out well for us so you know that race you have to have kind of everything go right there's always one i feel like funky sequence in there where guys are pitting they're not pitting or yellow comes out in a cycle you know something always a little bit strange happens in that race so you just have to hit it all right so i yeah definitely though looking forward to I'd always get excited to go to that track, and especially in that race,

has went so well for us. Well, this has been really interesting conversation with you today. It's meant a lot that you would join us and share more about your whole life and everything that you have going on. I know you've got the family with you and you have a busy couple days ahead of you before we get out to Pocono. But thank you so much for joining us, Eric, and best to luck to you, of course, this weekend as well. Sounds good. Thanks, thanks for me out.