Viewers got to know Scott Jones as the bookkeeper and shop manager of Count’s Kustoms in the popular automotive reality show “Counting Cars”, a spin-off from History Channel’s “Pawn Stars”. He was known as an unapologetic figure, who isn’t afraid to call out anyone, even his boss. The drama he brought to the series, along with his humorous personality quickly made him a fan favorite. Scott was an integral part of the show, until he suddenly disappeared near the end of season two. To this day, we only have hints of what might have happened behind the scenes.
Why did Scott leave “Counting Cars”?
In season three of “Counting Cars”, Scott was replaced by Kevin Mack, the best friend of Danny Koker. The official explanation we got in the show was that Scott had moved away to help his wife’s career, but many viewers have speculated that this is just a cover-up for something more serious that transpired behind the scenes.
It seems entirely possible that Scott actually didn’t leave the show of his own volition, but was rather fired from the job, the most likely reason being the lawsuit against Danny Koker that happened in 2014. Reportedly, a few months prior, a couple from Upstate New York paid over $50,000 to the shop to buy and restore a 1967 Ford Mustang, hoping that it would also be featured in “Counting Cars”. They claim that they gave the money to Scott, who told them that another $20,000 would be provided by the show’s producers.
In August 2013, the couple was told that there would be no filming, but that they would still receive their car. Two months later, they returned to Las Vegas to check progress on their dream car, only to find out that Scott had purchased a completely different model, and that absolutely no work has been done on it. They requested a refund of their $50,000, which Danny refused to issue, prompting them to file a lawsuit.
They were also told that Scott, who was the only employee who talked to them, had been fired. Many fans of the show believe that he had attempted to embezzle the money from the customers, but that Danny decided to cover it up to avoid tarnishing the reputation of his business.
What we do know is that Scott has since opened his own shop in Greeneville, Tennessee, where he now lives with his wife and son. His move to Greenville shouldn’t be surprising, as the reality TV star had lived there years prior to making it in “Counting Cars”. While he was still a member of the show’s cast, Jones revealed that he had been planning to move there as soon as he could, saying ‘I’ll spend some more time in Vegas before I get done. I’m ready for a slower lifestyle.’
Scott’s connection to Greenville, Tennessee goes far back; although he wasn’t born there, it’s the one place he likes to call his home. He first started living there back in the early 2000s, following his sister Mona, and her husband. The small town charmed Scott who, despite his extroverted attitude, likes to live a simple and quiet life. It was also the place where he found one of his first jobs in the industry, working for a company called Kyker’s Extreme Automotive.
What is Scott up to today?
On his relocation to Greensville, Scott returned to his old job at Kyker’s Extreme Automotive. After laying low for close to 10 years, he made a comeback to reality TV in 2021, now as a cast member of Netflix’s “Swap Shop”. Currently in its second season, “Swap Shop” is a hidden gem among reality shows centered on collector items. The series is based on a popular radio show of the same name, which has been on air since 1954, allowing listeners to sell, buy and trade various items.
In the TV version, we get to see Scott hunting for rare vintage cars, joined by his boss, Dale Kyker. Now we see a completely different side to Scott, compared to the explosiveness of “Counting Cars”.
Whether he will be returning to TV again in 2023 is still unknown though, since Netflix is yet to renew “Swap Shop” for another season.
“Swap Shop”
As mentioned, the TV show “Swap Shop” was inspired by a popular Tennessee radio show, which has been airing every Monday through Saturday morning on WRGS. Each episode starts with the same opening: ‘The phone lines are now open, and we’re ready to get swappin’’ The premise of the show is simple – if you have something to offer for sale, you call in, describe what your items are, quote the price, and leave some contact information; deals can later be found listed on the radio station’s official website. Through the years, “Swap Shop” has received all kinds of calls, which has led to some hilarious situations. Even the famous radio host, Howard Stern, has made prank calls to “Swap Shop” on several occasions, asking to buy a kidney, and looking to sell cups of ‘used’ urine for $1500.
The talks about making a TV show inspired by “Swap Shop” started in October 2018, when the owner of WRGS radio was contacted by the production company Hit + Run. As she later revealed in one of her interviews, the producers had a lot of different ideas about how a TV show like that could play out, but they eventually settled on a reality-documentary format, that would focus on local collectors who are the most religious listeners of “Swap Shop”.
The first two seasons of the series were filmed in Tennessee, within the reach of WRGD radio waves. The series is mostly focused on small shops from all over the state, constantly looking to hunt down the most valuable collector’s items from their respective areas of business.
Despite the success that the TV series has had, the radio hosts behind the original show were never featured in the TV version, but their appearance is not off the table in case Netflix renews “Swap Shop” for another season.
Who else left “Counting Cars”?
As is the case with other long-running reality TV series, cast members tend to come and go, and Scott is not the only guy from “Counting Cars” to leave. Since season six, which premiered in 2017, Roli Szabo has been noticeably absent from the show. He had been working for Danny for years and was the one to give the finishing touches to customers’ cars.
His absence has left fans understandably confused, since his departure wasn’t expected, or even subsequently addressed on the show.
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Joseph Frontiera lawsuit
Another employee who left, or rather was fired from Count’s Kustoms, was Joseph Frontiera. In a 2017 lawsuit, Danny Koker accused Frontiera of stealing more than $75,000 of the company’s money. According to Danny, Joseph used the money to make a down payment on his car, and buy airline tickets for personal use. Furthermore, he got the company in trouble with the IRS by failing to do his job and pay their taxes on time, as a result of which, Count’s Kustoms ended up with a penalty of close to $20,000.
Also included in the lawsuit is Randstad Professional, a hiring company that recommended Richard for a position. They failed to disclose his previous employment history, including similar cases of money embezzlement in which he was allegedly involved. Apparently, Frontiera had more experience in embezzling money than working – during his time at Count’s Kustoms, he even went as far as making signature stamps of Danny Koker and Kevin Mack that he used to ‘sign’ checks in their name.
My boy Boris. I just love him. pic.twitter.com/d29D4VWg
— Danny Count Koker (@DannyCountKoker) July 6, 2012
Clearly this wasn’t the first time Joseph had been charged with a crime – in 2013, shortly before he started working in Count’s Kustoms, he was supposed to serve time for stealing more than $3,500, but absconded from Florida to Las Vegas, thus escaping arrest.
In a counter-lawsuit, Randstad Professional alleged that the contract Frontierea signed with Count’s Kustoms explicitly prohibited him from handling money transactions, and giving him the authority to transfer and disburse funds.
What happened to Danny Koker?
Several people may have ended their time in “Counting Cars” on a not very high note, but the show has still been going strongly without them. The central figure is Count’s Kustoms owner, Danny ‘The Count’ Koker. Danny grew up in Detroit, Michigan with a family that gifted him with the love of music and the automotive world.
He started messing with cars in his father’s garage during his teenage years, and eventually became a self-taught mechanic. His customizing shop started years ago, as a place to work on his private collection of cars, but eventually grew into a real business operation. Count’s Kustoms is now considered to be one of the best customization shops in the country.
Aside from his career in the automotive world, Danny is also a passionate musician, unsurprisingly, considering he grew up with a father, Daniel Koker Sr., who was a famous singer and composer. Danny Jr. himself is still making music, as the frontman of Count’s 77.
Danny made his first TV appearance in 1990, on Channel 33’s “Saturday Fright at the Movies”. Two decades later, he made his way onto History Channel’s “Pawn Stars”, appearing as the owners’ friend and an avid car enthusiast. He quickly became so beloved that the channel gave him his own spin-off series, “Counting Cars”, which has been going for more than a decade now.
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A lot of fans of the series know just how passionate about cars Danny really is. He’s the owner of a massive collection of mainly vintage cars and motorcycles, numbering more than 150 vehicles now. Some of Danny’s favorite cars include his 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, a 1962 Volkswagen Karman Ghia, and a 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Most pieces in Danny’s personal collection are currently on display in his shop, which offers free daily tours.
Furthermore, Danny has also inherited his father’s car collection, but has stated that he hasn’t touched any of the cars yet. Although one would expect him to restore some of them, and add them to his own collection, it’s apparent that his father’s passing still weighs heavily on Danny.
Aside from owning Count’s Kustoms and a very valuable car collection, Danny also has his own bar called Count’s Vamp’s Rock and Grill, along with a small tattoo shop. The bar’s interior is inspired by the heavy metal and horror aesthetic, and offers visitors a very unique experience.
Speaking of horror, Danny is a huge fan of the genre – some of his favorite movies include classics such as “Dracula”, “The Shinning”, “Nosferatu”, and “Theatre of Blood”.
Danny is notably secretive about his private life. For instance, he doesn’t allow the “Counting Cars” production crew to film near his house under any circumstances. What we do know, is that in 2015, Danny married his long-term girlfriend Korie Fera in a typical Las Vegas-style wedding ceremony. They are six years deep into their marriage, but don’t appear to have plans of having children together.
Danny seems to be putting his business first, which has certainly paid off – the entrepreneur and reality TV star has an estimated net worth of more than $13 million, as of late 2022, however, he admits that all of that wouldn’t be possible if he didn’t have an expert team behind him. ‘I’ve collected great bikes and cars, but I’ve also collected some great people. I’ve got a strong group of guys,’ Danny said in his “Las Vegas Weekly” interview.
Right now, “Counting Cars” is in its 10th season, featuring Danny, Kevin, ‘Horny Mike’, Ryan and Shannon. In the newest season, the crew takes on new challenges, such as giving a new Harley Davidson model a ‘spooky’ makeover, and returning Danny’s 1962 Cadillac back to its old glory. They are also posting regular behind-the-scenes content on their TikTok account ‘@Counts_Kustoms’.
