News: Late-Race Penalty Drops Jones to 15th at Monster Mile
Box Score Info:
Date: October 6, 2019
Event: Drydene 400 (Race 30 of 36)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Track: Dover International Speedway (1.0-mile concrete oval)
Format: 400 Laps (Stages: 120 laps / 120 laps / 160 laps)
Start/Finish: 8th/15th
Point Standings: 16th
Race Winner: Kyle Larson
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin
Stage 2 Winner: Martin Truex, Jr.
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-120)
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 121-240)
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 241-400)
Additional Notes
Next Race: Teams now head to Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 13, 2019. The race is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN Radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
Date: October 6, 2019
Event: Drydene 400 (Race 30 of 36)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Track: Dover International Speedway (1.0-mile concrete oval)
Format: 400 Laps (Stages: 120 laps / 120 laps / 160 laps)
Start/Finish: 8th/15th
Point Standings: 16th
Race Winner: Kyle Larson
Stage 1 Winner: Denny Hamlin
Stage 2 Winner: Martin Truex, Jr.
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-120)
- Erik Jones and the No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry team started Sunday’s Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway from the eighth position and finished the first stage in ninth.
- Looking to tackle the Monster Mile on Sunday, Jones and the No. 20 team rolled off from the eighth spot, but battling a tight-handling Camry early in the race, dropped outside the top 10 in the opening laps.
- With the stage continuing under a long green-flag run, the No. 20 team made their first scheduled stop of the race on lap 76 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Once the field cycled through stops, Jones was scored 10th.
- Firing off a little better following the pit stop, the No. 20 Camry gravitated to the tight side as the stage continued.
- The caution waved on lap 120 to end stage one with Jones in the ninth position. The team called Jones to pit road for four tires, fuel and another set of adjustments.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 121-240)
- Jones started stage two from seventh and ended the stage in the same position.
- Restarting the race on lap 127 for stage two, Jones was able to maintain his position in the top 10 before making a scheduled green-flag stop on lap 184 for four tires, fuel and a round of adjustments. Once the field cycled through stops, Jones was scored fifth.
- The caution waved on lap 240 to end the stage and Jones radioed crew chief Chris Gayle that the No. 20 was a “handful.” The team called Jones to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires, fuel and adjustments. With a fast stop by the No. 20 team, Jones gained several spots on pit road to advance to fourth for the start of the final stage.
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 241-400)
- Jones started the final stage from fourth and finished the race in 15th.
- Continuing under a long-green flag run, Jones slipped to eighth before making a scheduled green-flag stop on lap 321 for four tires, fuel and adjustments to help with the tight-handling conditions. Unfortunately, Jones was penalized for speeding on pit road and had to make a pass through penalty down pit road. With the penalty, the No. 20 team dropped from the lead lap to two laps down in the 16th position.
- As the race remained green for the remainder of the 400 lap race, Jones was able to gain one spot to cross the finish line in the 16th position.
Additional Notes
- Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex, Jr. finished second, Denny Hamlin fifth and Kyle Busch sixth.
Next Race: Teams now head to Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 13, 2019. The race is scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN Radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
