News: Erik Jones Finishes 33rd at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Following Mid-Race Accident
Date: July 5, 2020
Event: Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 (Round 16 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile Oval)
Format: 160 laps (3 Stages: 50 laps / 100 laps / 160 laps)
Start/Finish: 23rd/33rd (Accident, Completed 73 of 140 laps)
Race Winner: Kevin Harvick
Stage 1 Winner: William Byron
Stage 2 Winner: Kevin Harvick
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1 – 50)
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 51 – 100)
ERIK JONES, No. 20 STANLEY Security Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 33nd
That was a really hard hit, Erik. It looked like it took your breath away. What did you feel?
“The STANLEY Camry was pretty quick. We were kind of just trying to move to the front and get some track position and I guess we had a right front go down. I felt it pop, and I was kind of along for the ride. It was a pretty hard hit. It’s a shame. The STANLEY Camry was fast. I think we just needed to get up front a little more and we could have contended. It’s a shame; it’s kind of the story of our season. We’ve just had a rough year, and things are just not going our way. Hopefully, we can just turn it around, keep bringing fast cars and have things turn around for us.”
Additional Notes:
Up Next: The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Kentucky Speedway on Sunday, July 12, 2020. Coverage of the race will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, PRN radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
Event: Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 (Round 16 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile Oval)
Format: 160 laps (3 Stages: 50 laps / 100 laps / 160 laps)
Start/Finish: 23rd/33rd (Accident, Completed 73 of 140 laps)
Race Winner: Kevin Harvick
Stage 1 Winner: William Byron
Stage 2 Winner: Kevin Harvick
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1 – 50)
- Erik Jones and the No. 20 STANLEY Security Toyota Camry team started the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the 23rd position and finished stage one in second place.
- With a random draw setting the field for Sunday’s race, Jones and the No. 20 Toyota Camry team rolled off from the 23rd position and made their way to 16th before the competition caution waved on lap 12. With the handling a little free, Jones pitted during the caution for four tires, fuel and a small air-pressure adjustment. With a multi-car accident on pit road, NASCAR displayed the red flag for clean-up and to tend to an injured pit crew member.
- The race resumed on lap 19 with Jones in the 15th position.
- Moving up to 11th, Jones and crew chief Chris Gayle made the decision to stay out under the lap 40 caution and opt for valuable stage points. The race restarted on lap 46 with Jones scored in the second position.
- Maintaining his position, Jones was able to cross the finish line in the second position when stage one ended on lap 50. Gayle called Jones to pit road for four tires, fuel and another small adjustment.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 51 – 100)
- Jones started the second stage from the 16th position and finished the stage in 32nd.
- Restarting the race on lap 55 for stage two, Jones was able to move from 16th to 10th over the next five laps.
- Unfortunately, with no indication, Jones blew a right-front tire on lap 73 and with no control of the steering, hit the outside wall. The damage sustained to the No. 20 Toyota Camry ended the day with a 33rd-place finish.
ERIK JONES, No. 20 STANLEY Security Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 33nd
That was a really hard hit, Erik. It looked like it took your breath away. What did you feel?
“The STANLEY Camry was pretty quick. We were kind of just trying to move to the front and get some track position and I guess we had a right front go down. I felt it pop, and I was kind of along for the ride. It was a pretty hard hit. It’s a shame. The STANLEY Camry was fast. I think we just needed to get up front a little more and we could have contended. It’s a shame; it’s kind of the story of our season. We’ve just had a rough year, and things are just not going our way. Hopefully, we can just turn it around, keep bringing fast cars and have things turn around for us.”
Additional Notes:
- Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch finished sixth, Denny Hamlin finished 28th and Martin Truex Jr. finished 38th.
Up Next: The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to Kentucky Speedway on Sunday, July 12, 2020. Coverage of the race will begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, PRN radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
