WATKINS GLEN, NY - AUGUST 07: (L-R) Erik Jones and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Furniture Row Toyota, speak to the media after announcing Jones will drive the #77 5 -hour Energy Toyota for Furniture Row Racing in 2017 prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International on August 7, 2016 in Watkins Glen, New York. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Getty Images)

A top team is looking at the possibility of losing a car next season


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Furniture Row Racing currently has the top driver of the season in Martin Truex Jr., but the team is losing its only other driver after this season.

Erik Jones is leaving the team to drive the No. 20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, which leaves a void for Furniture Row Racing. The team now needs sponsorship for the No. 77 car, and team owner Barney Visser told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday if they don't get a sponsor then they'll have to give up the car.

"We've got no sponsorship right now for the 77," Visser said. "So we've got to find something. We don't want to give up that car, but if we don't get sponsorship, we'll have to. We're doing everything we can to get that to come together."

Related: Erik Jones discusses beating Kyle Busch as a 16-year-old

Jones only signed a one-year deal with Furniture Row Racing. The team could bring in a veteran driver such as Matt Kenseth or Kasey Kahne, but they have to secure sponsorship first.

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Visser also discussed about Truex's impressive year and the fact that he doesn't have as big of a salary as other top drivers in the sports.

"Martin, he took a real chance and he's not paid anywhere near as these other guys," Visser said. "Martin is pure athlete. He's out there because he wants to be out there. That's just who he is. I'm not saying that he's not well compensated, but he doesn't have the kind of base (salary) that these other guys have, the other top runners have."

Truex is in position to contend for the championship this season, and Jones has had a successful rookie season, but if Furniture Row Racing can't secure sponsorship for the 77 car, all the pressure will be on Truex in the future.

(h/t NBC Sports)

 

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