Buckshot Jones to join Petty Enterprises

Keith Parsons

Friday, Sept. 22, 2000 | 4:34 a.m.

ATLANTA - Buckshot Jones will drive a Dodge for Petty Enterprises next year on the Winston Cup circuit.

"It's a dream come true," said Jones, whose car will be sponsored by Georgia-Pacific. "The way they do things is just how I like to do things."

Jones, 30, ran 10 Winston Cup races in 1999 for his family owned team. He has competed in the Busch Series since 1995, and has two career victories on that circuit.

"Our biggest problem, looking back now, is we never knew what Winston Cup was like," Jones said. "That's what I like so much about how the Pettys run their operation. They've been in Winston Cup racing for a lot years."

Jones will be part of three-car team next season, driving the No. 44 car and joining John Andretti and Kyle Petty, who runs Petty Enterprises. Petty will drive the No. 45 car he started for his late son, Adam, who was killed in a practice accident in Loudon, N.H., on May 10.

Andretti stays in the No. 43 made famous by Kyle's father, Richard.

"Obviously, we started with one plan, but we had to have another plan after Adam's death," Kyle Petty said. "We were looking for a young driver to fill the gap at Petty Enterprises, since I'm 40 years old all of a sudden. We had the opportunity to talk with Buckshot and his father and Georgia-Pacific, and we were able to do that."

Petty stepped out of his Winston Cup car in September to help prepare the team for 2001, and veteran Steve Grissom took his place. Grissom will finish the season and might return in 2001 for a Petty Enterprises Busch Series team, Petty said.

"Buckshot's going to do some testing in the next week or two with the new Dodge," Petty said of the automaker making its return to NASCAR's top series. "Grissom will finish the year in the Cup car. We made that commitment to him."

Despite Jones' failed attempt at Winston Cup in 1999, Petty said he didn't hesitate in hiring him.

"That's the same thing Mark Martin did," Petty said. "His first Winston Cup deal didn't work out, and then we went back, he ran some Busch and then hooked up with Jack Roush. I think his career since then pretty much speaks for itself.

"That's what we're trying to do with Buckshot. He's got a lot of potential that hasn't been tapped yet, so for what we're trying to do, he's a perfect fit."

Jones' best Winston Cup finish was eighth place, which came in Dover, Del., in 1998. He said the team's goals for next season are realistic.

"I think it'd be good if we could finish in the top 15 in the points," he said. "We're going to try to progress through the year. I think that with Kyle and John running up front, we might be able to run up there toward the front, too."