INDIANAPOLIS -- Erik Jones has used his foundation to promote childhood literacy and to promote cancer awareness and prevention methods. He has also promoted animal welfare from the early days, but he is really ramping up the efforts now.
The Legacy Motor Club driver announced on Saturday that he would expand his foundation's efforts regarding animal welfare, starting with the sale of a special-edition item. He had a plushie version of his dog, Oscar, created to raise proceeds for animal shelters, as well as specialty programs such as Ultimate Canine Training in Indiana.
This plushie will be available for NASCAR fans to purchase, first at a merchandise hauler at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They will also be available on the Erik Jones Racing Store website in the near future.
Oscar is so popular we had to make mini Oscar’s for everyone to share. The new plushie is available this weekend at the NASCAR Classic merch hauler and online soon. pic.twitter.com/1qACLNm8nx
— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) July 26, 2025
"Well, we started the foundation, I guess it has been almost four years, and I felt like the animal welfare portion has been probably one of the pillars that we've - we have done quite a bit with - but not as much as we have with the cancer or reading side," Jones said on Saturday.
"It hasn't been as much as the forefront, and I've been wanting to bring it more forward. That has been a really big objective with the foundation, so as we kind of dove into that and figured out ways to connect.
"The plushie was a huge way we came up with to raise money for it, for one, but connecting with groups like Julie (Case, CEO, Ultimate Canine Training) and what they do, for me has been pretty fun."
Jones kicked off this partnership ahead of the Brickyard 400. He and Legacy Motor Club headed to Westfield, Indiana, to see the work at Ultimate Canine Training. The two-time Southern 500 winner put on a bite suit and got to see exactly the power of some of these dogs.
Jones also put his longtime companion, Oscar, through a special course. According to the Legacy MC driver, his dog "did okay" and got through the entire course.
It looks like @LEGACYMotorClub knows the way to media members’ hearts. At least, the way to mine. pic.twitter.com/XAJ3xOznpO
— John Newby (@JohnNewby_) July 26, 2025
The fun did not stop when Jones departed Ultimate Canine Training. He and the organization actually brought several puppies to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway media center.
Yes, the puppies in the media center served as a fun distraction throughout the day, but they also served as a reminder that the Erik Jones Foundation will continue ramping up its support for animal rescues, shelters, and organizations that train "working dogs" such as police K9s.
"(The plushie) is going to be raising funds to go towards our cause of Animal Welfare, helping out groups like Ultimate Canine with their dog training effort and multiple other areas we do with animal welfare," Jones said.
"Something we've been working on a long time, and we've been having fun with it this weekend here in Indy. Happy to have some dogs here in the media center for the media to enjoy."