Brandon Jones steps up as unexpected veteran leader in young Joe Gibbs Racing garage

Here’s the thing about growing up in the racing world: eventually, you look around and realize you are the old hand. For Brandon Jones, who admits he has historically kept his thoughts internal rather than playing the extrovert, that realization has finally hit in his 11th full season and seventh with Joe Gibbs Racing (yes, that Joe Gibbs Racing).

At 29 years old, Jones is suddenly the seasoned veteran in a garage dominated by youth. His three teammates include teenagers William Sawalich and upstart Brent Crews, alongside 21-year-old Taylor Gray. It is a massive shift from his time at JR Motorsports, where he was surrounded by drivers like Justin Allgaier, who boasts 10 more years of experience. Now, the dynamic has completely flip-flopped.

JGR leadership has definitely noticed the change. Longtime executive and EVP of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series/Development Steve deSouza points out that the eight-time winner is far more expressive in team debriefs these days. Jones has even become a key contributor in helping young winners like Gray and Sawalich navigate the ups and downs of a race weekend. Crew chief Sam McAulay, paired with Jones since his return to JGR in 2025, notes that intense post-race analyses have helped the Georgia native find his voice and become more detailed in what he looks for from his machine.

That newfound vocal presence isn't about playing the big dog, though. Jones prefers to let his teammates break the ice before opening his playbook, refusing to chase down a struggling driver in the practice paddock just to hand out unsolicited advice. In fact, he is humble enough to lean heavily on Crews when it comes to road courses—a strategy that paid off with a fifth-place effort at Watkins Glen International back in May.

Instead, Jones sees his job as raising the internal standard. Top fives are fine, but he knows the team needs to be winning and leading laps every single week. That mindset is showing up on the timesheets. Alongside a victory at Chicagoland Speedway in July, Jones has already eclipsed his top-10 total from last year with 14, and improved his average finishing position from 14.2 down to 12.2.

Coming off a 10th-place finish at Darlington Raceway to kick off The Chase, Jones sits eighth on the grid as the No. 6 seed, currently 58 points behind Allgaier. Even so, the No. 20 team believes the remaining tracks line up favorably for them. With increased consistency, more stage points, and a calm, even-keeled veteran at the wheel, McAulay believes this is the best opportunity Jones has ever had to go deep in the playoffs and fight for the championship.