Getty Brandon Jones (rear) will have Menards as his primary partner in 2023.
The No. 9 team at JR Motorsports will have a new primary partner for the 2023 season. Menards will sponsor Brandon Jones as he makes his debut with the Xfinity Series organization.
JR Motorsports announced the news on November 3 as three of the team’s drivers took part in Championship Four Media Day. The team issued a press release and said that Menards will serve as Jones’ primary partner for all 33 races of the Xfinity Series season. This will make a partial reunion for team co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., who won three Xfinity Series races with a co-branded Menards Chevrolet.
NEWS: @Menards will partner with JRM and @BrandonJonesRac in 2023.
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“I’m happy for the chance to work with John [Menard] and Menards again,” Earnhardt said in a press release. “Menards sponsored one of the most dominant cars I ever drove in the Xfinity Series. I have some great memories of winning races together. John and his company are big supporters of racing and have been for many years. I’m glad to have them at JRM backing Brandon.”
Jones Has Extensive Experience Working With Jones
GettyBrandon Jones (left) will take over the No. 9 in 2023.
The 2023 season will mark a continuation of the partnership between Jones and Menards. The Wisconsin-based company has joined forces with him for numerous races, dating back to the 2016 season when he drove for Richard Childress Racing.
Menards continued to support Jones when he moved over to Joe Gibbs Racing for the start of the 2018 season. The company maintained a presence on the No. 18 Toyota Supra for 12 races in 2018, 13 in 2019, 20 in 2020, and 22 races in 2021.
The 2022 season marked a significant change. Menards upped its support of Jones and took over the No. 19 Toyota GR Supra for all 33 races of the Xfinity Series schedule. This included the win at Martinsville Speedway in the spring that punched his ticket to the playoffs.
“To be able to make this transition to JRM alongside Menards is a dream come true for me,” Jones said. “I am eager to win races and championships with Menards’ continued support. It will be significant to have my longtime sponsor and John Menard reunite with Dale and JRM. JRM’s commitment to their partners is second to none, and I can’t wait to come out of the gate strong with them in 2023.”
The Announced Deal Addresses Other Questions
When JR Motorsports announced that Jones would take over the No. 9 for Noah Gragson, there were some immediate questions. Would Jones ditch the Menards colors for a different company as he returns to the Chevrolet family after five seasons in a Toyota?
These questions only increased after the team announced on November 1 that Bass Pro Shops, one of Gragson’s primaries, would move over to the No. 8 and support Josh Berry for 11 Xfinity Series races. This news meant that Jones would not have the Bass Pro Shops colors on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro.
There are no more questions about Berry or Gragson ahead of the 2022 season finale. The No. 8 will have support from Bass Pro Shops and Tire Pros while the No. 9 will have the Menards colors as Jones tries to become the latest driver to win numerous races in the JR Motorsports Chevrolet.