2022 Season in Review: Petty-GMS Motorsports

Drivers: Erik Jones, Ty Dillon

#43 FOCUSfactor Chevrolet (Jones)

#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

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.

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.

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:

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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.

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.

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: