Fox Sports’ Kaitlyn Vincie reported on NASCAR Race Day Sunday morning that Furniture Row Racing is close to adding a second team next year. She says she spoke with Furniture Row Racing General Manager Joe Garone and he said the pieces were coming together but nothing is confirmed. Regarding speculation that Erik Jones would be the driver, he said Jones would be a good fit for the team but nothing is finalized. The second team would be headquartered in Denver, Colorado with the #78 team of Martin Truex, Jr.(7-31-2016)
UPDATE: Furniture Row Racing’s alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing continues to bear fruit. An announcement planned Tuesday is expected to bring the small NASCAR team to a new level. Erik Jones could be part of the news. Reports surfaced Sunday that Jones might be getting the second Furniture Row full-time car. This season is Furniture Row’s first as a Toyota team, leaving Chevy for technical assistance from Gibbs. Week after week, Truex showed himself to be a competitor as a de facto fifth Gibbs driver. No other alliance has been so successful in Cup racing. Jones is ready for Sprint Cup. Just 20 and boyish of face, he won the Truck Series championship last season. He won his third Xfinity race of the season on Saturday at Iowa. His victory total this season might be higher had Kyle Busch not stepped down to win seven times. Sunday, a second Furniture Row car was still a rumor. So was the selection of Jones. Suarez also is an option. Another question to be answered: Will the second FRR car carry a charter or race each week without one? Expect that to be decided in the offseason.(Sporting News)
UPDATE2: nothing was announced on Tuesday, August 2nd, no word when/if an announcement will be made.(8-2-2016)
UPDATE3: NASCAR Truck Series champion and Xfinity Series driver Erik Jones will join Furniture Row Racing in the Sprint Cup next season. Jones, who is currently fourth in the Xfinity Series standings after winning his third race of the season on Saturday night at Iowa Speedway, is expected to drive the #77 Toyota. Jones is expected to be sponsored by 5-hour Energy, which will serve as the primary sponsor for 22 races, sources said. An official announcement is tentatively scheduled for Sunday morning at Watkins Glen International. When asked about the possibility of adding a second team on Friday at WGI, team general manager Joe Garone said, ‘With the support we have from Toyota and Gibbs, we feel like now would be a good time for that. It’s certainly part of it for the growth of our team.’(Motorsport)(8-5-2016)
UPDATE4 Furniture Row Racing to Make Major Announcement on Sunday, Aug. 7 in the Watkins Glen International Media Center at 10:00am/et. Following the announcement there will be a car unveiling at the Toyota PitPass display located in the midway.
-NASCAR.com will live stream the news conference.
-A transcript of the news conference will be available and posted.
(Furniture Row Racing PR)
OFFICIAL: Furniture Row Racing announced that it will field a second team in 2017 with Erik Jones (supposedly a one-year deal) driving the #77 Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series. 5-hour ENERGY will be the primary sponsor on Jones’ Camry for 22 races, launching the Cup Series rookie campaign for the 20-year-old driver. Jones, a native of Byron, Mich., won the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver’s championship and moved to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016 where he currently has three wins piloting a Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing. ‘I just can’t believe this is really happening,’ said Jones, who will run the full Cup schedule in 2017. ‘We have been talking about Cup racing for a while, but to actually make the announcement is surreal. This is every young driver’s dream, to be with a manufacturer like Toyota, an organization like Furniture Row with its successful technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, and an incredible sponsor like 5-hour ENERGY who is so well known for promoting its racing program. They have given me a life-changing opportunity and my mission is to make each of them proud.’
The colors of the Farmington Hills, Michigan-based 5-hour ENERGY will also adorn Martin Truex Jr.’s Furniture Row Racing #78 Camry for two races, including the 2017 NASCAR All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. ‘We take our NASCAR sponsorship very seriously as this is a major financial commitment, so we looked at several options for the 2017 season and beyond,’ said Rise’ Meguiar, vice president of Living Essentials, parent company of 5-hour ENERGY. ‘The combination of a young incredibly talented driver, the success Toyota has had with all of its teams at Joe Gibbs Racing and Furniture Row and the way Martin has been running in the #78, we just felt this opportunity met our company’s objectives the best. Erik has earned the hype around him and we are proud to be a part of introducing him nationally with commercials, in-store displays and promotions. This is a really exciting opportunity for 5-hour ENERGY.’
Furniture Row Racing, based in Denver, Colo., has earned a reputation as a consistent front-runner and a championship-contending organization with Truex and the #78 Camry. A Cup Series championship Chase finalist last season, Truex already has secured a 2016 Chase berth with one win, three poles and more than 1,000 laps led. ‘Today has been a long time coming for Furniture Row Racing,’ said team owner Barney Visser. ‘Since we started our NASCAR journey 11 years ago it was our goal as a single-car team to reach a competitive level that would allow us to be in position to win races and compete for championships. With the success the team has shown on the track we feel now is a good time to add a second team. We are thrilled to say that we have secured what we feel is the right mix of a driver, sponsor and manufacturer to support a second-car effort.’
Visser added, ‘I can say with a great deal of pride and elation that having a young, talented driver in Erik Jones, a supportive and successful company in 5-hour ENERGY, support from TRD (Toyota Racing Development, U.S.A.) and a strong technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing have propelled Furniture Row Racing into a new and exciting chapter as a participant in NASCAR’s top racing series.’ Jones’ ascension to the NASCAR Cup Series marks the first time a Toyota developmental driver has grown from local racing through the NASCAR national ranks to the Cup Series. ‘Watching Erik progress through the ranks of NASCAR has already been an incredible journey,’ said Ed Laukes, vice president for marketing, media, incentives, motorsports, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. ‘Erik is a true talent who has proven his abilities on the track as a champion and a race winner, but also off the track as an ambassador for Toyota, his sponsors and his team. The addition of Erik to Furniture Row Racing at the NASCAR Cup level is not only an asset for the team, but an added voice within the structure and teamwork that has proven successful between JGR, FRR, TRD and Toyota. We’re all looking forward to seeing Erik behind the wheel of the 5-hour ENERGY Camry contending for Toyota victories and championships.’ Jones’ hometown of Byron, Michigan is located less than an hour from 5-hour ENERGY’s headquarters in Farmington Hills.(Furniture Row Racing PR)
AND Furniture Row Racing owner Barney Visser said the team will attempt to gain a NASCAR charter for the #77 rather than competing as an open entry (ESPN)
Visser said Furniture Row has a one-year contract with Jones, and would like to have more. Jones, however, will remain a key cog in the future of Joe Gibbs Racing (USA Today), 5-Hour Energy will NOT move to Stewart-Haas Racing’s #14 team with Clint Bowyer.
Image of the #77 car on the 2017 #77 Team Schemes page.
