Tuesday, November 5, 2024
HomeCup Series2022 Season in Review: Petty-GMS Motorsports

2022 Season in Review: Petty-GMS Motorsports

Drivers: Erik Jones, Ty Dillon

#43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet (Jones)

(Via chessup.net)

#42 Black Rifle Coffee Co. Chevrolet (Ty Dillon)

Engines: Earnhardt-Childress Racing

Crew Chiefs: Chad Norris (#42), Dave Elenz (#43)

2022 Season Grade (overall): B

DRIVER

ST

W

T5

T10

RANK

Erik Jones

36

1

3

13

18

Ty Dillon

36

0

0

1

29

 

2022 Season (Erik Jones #43):

 As Erik Jones entered his second season in the famed #43, expectations were high for 2022, as Richard Petty Motorsports would combine their efforts with Truck series team GMS Racing.

(Via Jayski & Richard Petty Motorsports)

The new team, now known as Petty-GMS Motorsports, was set to make an impact in the new season. Having signed a 26-race sponsorship deal with FOCUS Factor, and hiring new crew chief Dave Elenz…Jones and the 43 group were eager to prove what they could accomplish together.

While the NextGen car threw most teams for a loop in an extremely competitive season, Jones and the Petty-GMS #43 started to see the benefits as the season progressed. The team especially showed speed at the superspeedways, as Jones would be a contender in almost every race. Leading 20 plus laps at both Talladega races, as well as the second race at Daytona, the team was slowly knocking on the door of Victory Lane. This all then changed with the Southern 500 in Darlington.

(Via alwaysraceday.com

After qualifying 15th, Jones would go on to lead 23 laps and score a milestone 200th win for the 43 car, the Petty team’s first win since 2014, and Jones’ first win since he scored his first Southern 500 win (with Joe Gibbs Racing) in 2019.

Overall, the second-year team gelled. Jones and the Petty-GMS #43 would end the season an average finish of 16.3 (up from 19.7 in 2021), while giving Jones his third career Cup Series victory, and also leading 147 laps during the season.

2023 Outlook:

With Jones signed to a multi-year contract through 2024, as well as crew chief Dave Elenz and FOCUS Factor returning, look for a continued forward march of the 43 team. A win again at Darlington, or on a superspeedway is certainly not out of the question. Also look for Jones and Elenz to mount a serious charge for the 2023 Playoffs.

2022 Season Results:

RACE

TRACK

ST

FIN

LAPS

REASON

1

Daytona

13

29

191/201

Accident

2

Fontana

2

3

200/200

Running

3

Las Vegas

23

31

264/274

Accident

4

Phoenix

14

25

311/312

Running

5

Atlanta

23

14

325/325

Running

6

COTA

30

9

69/69

Running

7

Richmond

5

23

398/400

Running

8

Martinsville

24

13

403/403

Running

9

Bristol (Dirt)

14

24

250/250

Running

10

Talladega

16

6

188/188

Running

11

Dover

25

10

400/400

Running

12

Darlington

11

25

262/293

Accident

13

Kansas

22

32

261/267

Running

14

Charlotte

25

14

413/413

Running

15

Gateway

21

7

245/245

Running

16

Sonoma

33

22

110/110

Running

17

Nashville

23

11

300/300

Running

18

Road America

27

26

62/62

Running

19

Atlanta

25

4

260/260

Running

20

Loudon

22

19

300/301

Running

21

Pocono

34

9

160/160

Running

22

Indianapolis G.P.

35

15

86/86

Running

23

Michigan

10

8

200/200

Running

24

Richmond

9

35

240/400

Accident

25

Watkins Glen

31

10

90/90

Running

26

Daytona

11

17

148/160

DVP

27

Darlington

15

1

367/367

Running

28

Kansas

24

29

264/267

Running

29

Bristol

24

21

492/500

Running

30

Fort Worth

27

6

334/334

Running

31

Talladega

12

6

188/188

Running

32

Charlotte (Road)

26

11

112/112

Running

33

Las Vegas

22

8

267/267

Running

34

Homestead

22

30

264/267

Running

35

Martinsville

23

18

498/500

Running

36

Phoenix

30

14

312/312

Running

========================================================

2022 Season (Ty Dillon #42):

With the inclusion of GMS Racing into the Petty organization for 2022, a second team was added to bolster the new organization’s presence. Ty Dillon was signed to drive the #42 Chevrolet for 2022, along crew chief Jerame Donely. The team struggled to land funding however, as Black Rifle Coffee Company would only be on the car for select races. This led to almost a revolving door of sponsors to fill in the season.

(Via Jayski & Getty Images / Jared C. Tilton)

While Dillon and the 42 looked to mirror the success of the flagship 43 team, the newly formed team struggled to get off the ground. Performance started as promising, with 4 Top-20 finishes in the season’s first four races. Results after that seemed to start to fade, however. 

Aside from a solo 10th place finish in the Bristol dirt race, the 42 would be a mid-pack team most weeks, as they could not replicate the success of their teammates.

(Via Jayski and Getty Images / Jared C. Tilton)

Following race 28 in Kansas, crew chief Donely was let go in favor of veteran crew chief Chad Norris. Results failed to materialize for the new pairing though, as Dillon would finish no better than 16th the remainder of the season. The 42 team would close the season with 9 DNF’s, and an average finish of 22.6.

 

2023 Outlook:

Ty Dillon will not be returning to the 42 in 2023 and has signed with Spire Motorsports to drive the #77 Chevrolet full-time. At this time, no sponsor has been announced.

Replacing Dillon will be Xfinity Series standout Noah Gragson, who brings his JR Motorsports crew chief Luke Lambert with him. This could be an interesting addition as Gragson has several Cup Series starts in 2022, and Lambert is already a veteran Cup Series crew chief. Only time will tell if their Xfinity Series success translates to the Cup Series in 2023.  A Top 20 points finish should be considered an attainable goal.

2022 Season Results:

RACE

TRACK

ST

FIN

LAPS

REASON

1

Daytona

26

11

201/201

Running

2

Fontana

18

17

200/200

Running

3

Las Vegas

32

20

274/274

Running

4

Phoenix

21

15

312/312

Running

5

Atlanta

18

36

101/325

Accident

6

COTA

33

20

69/69

Running

7

Richmond

30

24

398/400

Running

8

Martinsville

34

23

401/403

Running

9

Bristol (Dirt)

7

10

250/250

Running

10

Talladega

20

33

89/188

Accident

11

Dover

31

27

396/400

Running

12

Darlington

21

12

293/293

Running

13

Kansas

17

20

267/267

Running

14

Charlotte

28

13

413/413

Running

15

Gateway

26

27

245/245

Running

16

Sonoma

34

23

110/110

Running

17

Nashville

29

31

297/300

Running

18

Road America

30

20

62/62

Running

19

Atlanta

23

28

174/260

DVP

20

Loudon

35

33

3/301

Accident

21

Pocono

27

22

160/160

Running

22

Indianapolis G.P.

30

34

60/86

Accident

23

Michigan

25

14

200/200

Running

24

Richmond

22

17

398/400

Running

25

Watkins Glen

28

16

90/90

Running

26

Daytona

25

18

144/160

Accident

27

Darlington

29

22

366/367

Running

28

Kansas

21

20

266/267

Running

29

Bristol

34

26

457/500

Steering

30

Fort Worth

32

16

334/334

Running

31

Talladega

30

23

188/188

Running

32

Charlotte (Road)

28

25

112/112

Running

33

Las Vegas

33

33

237/267

Susp.

34

Homestead

30

26

266/267

Running

35

Martinsville

32

31

466/500

Brakes

36

Phoenix

32

26

311/312

Running

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

More From This Author

Recent Comments

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x