Kyle Busch and Erik Jones to split driving duties in No. 51 ToyotaCare Toyota

Kyle Busch Motorsports announced that Kyle Busch and Erik Jones will split driving duties behind the wheel of the No. 51 ToyotaCare Toyota in 2014. ToyotaCare will be on board for 14 of the 22 race schedule – seven with each driver.

“We are pleased to have ToyotaCare back onboard our No. 51 this year and really look forward to seeing Erik continue to develop as a driver with his increased schedule this season,” Busch said. “Toyota and Toyota Racing Development (TRD) have put a lot of time and effort into the new Toyota that hits the track this year and it is going to make for an exciting season.”

Busch will run the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, while Jones’ first start of the season will come in the second race of the year in April at Martinsville Speedway. In total, Busch will run 10 races while Jones run the other 12 as KBM goes for their second straight owner’s championship.

Jones made five starts last year, finishing inside the top nine in each of the races. At Phoenix International Raceway, the 17-year-old made history as he became the youngest series race winner.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the No. 51 Tundra and representing Toyota and ToyotaCare,” Jones said. “I really learned a lot last year from Kyle and everyone at KBM. I felt like each time out we all grew as a team and at the end of the season I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream by winning in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions. Going into this season, I feel like we have a great chance to get back to victory lane and go out and defend our Owner’s Championship.”

Jones also made three starts in KBM’s No. 51 Camry Super Late Model, winning two of the biggest events for the year – the Winchester 400 and the Snowball Derby. By winning the Snowball Derby, he became just the third driver in the 46-year-history of the Snowball Derby to go back-to-back.

“Erik did a tremendous job for us last year picking up wins in both the truck and the Super Late Model while running a very limited schedule,” Busch said. “At just 17-years-old he shows a lot of poise behind the wheel, provides great feedback to the crew chiefs and he has already proven that he can win on some of the biggest stages.”

Eric Phillips crew chief the effort as he looks to add more victories to his resume. His 27 career victories ranks second in series history and in three seasons at KBM, he has guided the team to 17 wins with four different drivers.

About the Author

Ashley McCubbin

Joining OnPitRoad.com mid-2013 season, Ashley McCubbin is now the Managing Editor and contributes to each racing division as needed. Since studying journalism at the University of Guelph-Humber, Ashley has published articles on a couple of different websites, while serving as a public relations representative for different short track teams. Born in North York, Ontario, Ashley currently lives in Bradford, Ontario and spends her weekend at the local short tracks in the area. She has spent her entire life at the short track level, falling in love with the sport at the age of five. Beyond her love of short track racing, she also has grown an interest for both NASCAR and the IndyCar Racing Series. She also enjoys taking photos and working on websites, while playing a couple rounds of Candy Crush afterwards.

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