News: Erik Jones Caught in Big One at Daytona, Finishes 35th and Ends Playoffs Hopes
Date: August 29, 2020
Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 26 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile Oval)
Format: 160 laps (3 Stages: 50 laps / 100 laps / 160 laps)
Start/Finish: 20th/35th (Running, Completed 151 of 164 laps)
Race Winner: William Byron
Stage 1 Winner: Joey Logano
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1 – 50)
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 51 – 100)
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 101 – 160)
ERIK JONES, No. 20 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 35th
You were very displeased with Tyler Reddick in the car for that move. What do you think he did wrong?
“I mean, he (Tyler Reddick) wasn’t clear. Kyle (Busch) let him in, number one, to not cause a wreck and then he ran into the wall and wrecked everybody behind him. It’s frustrating. He had way too much speed to try to make that move up the hill with the grip that is left in the tires. We had a lot of laps on them. It’s unfortunate. He wrecked us a Pocono, and then to have this happen, you know, two times making racing moves that were not going to work out. Unfortunately, it was to the determent of us today. The Auto-Owners Camry was pretty fast. We were up front. I think we were running third when we got wrecked, so we had a shot. We needed to win -- we were there, we just didn’t get it done.”
Additional Notes:
Up Next: The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Darlington Raceway on Sunday, September 6, 2020. The race broadcast will begin at 6:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC, MRN radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 26 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway (2.5-mile Oval)
Format: 160 laps (3 Stages: 50 laps / 100 laps / 160 laps)
Start/Finish: 20th/35th (Running, Completed 151 of 164 laps)
Race Winner: William Byron
Stage 1 Winner: Joey Logano
Stage 2 Winner: Joey Logano
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1 – 50)
- Erik Jones and the No. 20 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry team started the race at the Daytona International Speedway from the 20th position and finished stage one in second place.
- For the final regular season race, Jones rolled off from the 20th position and moved in to the top 10 on lap seven.
- The caution flag waved on lap 20 for the scheduled competition caution with Jones in the fourth position. Opting for fuel only, Jones and the No. 20 team restarted the race from fourth on lap 24.
- Making his way to the lead on lap 29, Jones battled for the stage win before coming up one position short to finish the stage in second when the caution waved on lap 50. Crew chief Chris Gayle called Jones to pit road for four tires, fuel and an adjustment.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 51 – 100)
- Jones started the second stage from the second position and finished the stage in 23rd place.
- Restarting the race from second on lap 55, Jones was able to again take the lead on lap 55 before making a green-flag pit stop on lap 66 for fuel only.
- The caution flag waved on lap 100 to end the stage with the No. 20 team in the 23rd position. Gayle again called Jones to pit road for four tires and fuel.
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 101 – 160)
- Jones started the final stage from the 17th position and finished the race with a 35th-place finish.
- The race restarted on lap 105 with Jones in the 17th position.
- Making his way back in to the top 15, Jones made his second green-flag stop on lap 126 for fuel only. Once the field cycled through stops, Jones was scored seventh.
- The caution waved on lap 143 with Jones in the 17th position. Opting to stay out, Jones restarted the race from 13th on lap 147.
- Unfortunately, Jones was involved in the first “Big One” on lap 151 when Tyler Reddick attempted to clear Kyle Busch for the lead and caused a multi-car accident. The damage to the No. 20 team was too severe for Jones to continue and ended his day with a 35th-place finish.
ERIK JONES, No. 20 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 35th
You were very displeased with Tyler Reddick in the car for that move. What do you think he did wrong?
“I mean, he (Tyler Reddick) wasn’t clear. Kyle (Busch) let him in, number one, to not cause a wreck and then he ran into the wall and wrecked everybody behind him. It’s frustrating. He had way too much speed to try to make that move up the hill with the grip that is left in the tires. We had a lot of laps on them. It’s unfortunate. He wrecked us a Pocono, and then to have this happen, you know, two times making racing moves that were not going to work out. Unfortunately, it was to the determent of us today. The Auto-Owners Camry was pretty fast. We were up front. I think we were running third when we got wrecked, so we had a shot. We needed to win -- we were there, we just didn’t get it done.”
Additional Notes:
- Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin finished third, Martin Truex Jr. finished fourth and Kyle Busch finished 33rd.
Up Next: The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Darlington Raceway on Sunday, September 6, 2020. The race broadcast will begin at 6:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC, MRN radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
