News: Strong Run for Jones Ends with 34th-Place Finish Following Late-Race Accident at Talladega Superspeedway
Box Score Info:
Date: October 13, 2019
Event: 1000Bulbs.com 500 (Race 31 of 36)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile Superspeedway)
Format: 188 Laps (Stages: 55 laps / 55 laps / 78 laps)
Start/Finish: 11th/34th (Completed 162 of 188)
Point Standings: 16th
Race Winner: Ryan Blaney
Stage 1 Winner: William Byron
Stage 2 Winner: Clint Bowyer
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-55)
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 56-110)
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 111-188)
ERIK JONES, No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What happened to take you out of the race?
“It looks like the 1 (Kurt Busch) turned the 24 (William Byron) and kind of caused that wreck, so it’s unfortunate. We had a really fast car today. It’s one of the best superspeedway cars we’ve brought as far as single car and pack speed. It’s disappointing. The DEWALT Camry was definitely a contender, I thought, for a win today. We battled back from a lap down and got right back to the front. It’s unfortunate. We’ve just been on a bad streak and we haven’t been able to shake it. Hopefully next week at Kansas - it’s been a good track to us - we can get things back going again.”
Additional Notes
Next Race: With five races remaining in the 2019 season, teams now head to Kansas Speedway on Sunday, October 20, 2019 for the Hollywood Casino 400. The race is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN Radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
Date: October 13, 2019
Event: 1000Bulbs.com 500 (Race 31 of 36)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Track: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile Superspeedway)
Format: 188 Laps (Stages: 55 laps / 55 laps / 78 laps)
Start/Finish: 11th/34th (Completed 162 of 188)
Point Standings: 16th
Race Winner: Ryan Blaney
Stage 1 Winner: William Byron
Stage 2 Winner: Clint Bowyer
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-55)
- Erik Jones and the No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry team started Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway from the 11th position and finished stage one in 35th.
- With rain scattered around the area, the 1000Bulbs.com 500 got under way Sunday afternoon with Jones rolling off from 11th and making his way in to the top five early in stage one.
- As the field started making green-flag stops, crew chief Chris Gayle called Jones to pit road on lap 35 for fuel and an adjustment before sending Jones back on track.
- The first caution of the race waved on lap 36 and the team opted to leave Jones on track to restart the race from sixth on lap 40.
- With five laps remaining in the stage, the right-rear tire on the No. 20 went flat forcing the team to make an unscheduled stop. Jones returned to the track in the 35th position, one lap down to the leaders, where he remained when the caution waved on lap 55 to end the stage.
- As NASCAR waved the caution at the stage break, rain started at the track and NASCAR was forced to display the red flag. The rain continued throughout the afternoon and NASCAR made the decision to postpone the remainder of the race to Monday afternoon.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 56-110)
- Jones started stage two from the 36th position and ended the stage in 24th.
- Before the race returned to green-flag conditions on Monday afternoon, the No. 20 team made a pit stop for four tires, fuel and to assess any damage caused by the blown tire early in stage one. Happy with the DEWALT Camry, Jones returned to the track to restart the race on lap 62 from the 36th position as the first car one lap down.
- Running with the lead pack cars, Jones was able to get the “lucky dog” to return to the lead lap when the caution waved on lap 106.
- The stage remained under yellow-flag condition to end stage two on lap 110 with Jones in the 24th position. Gayle called Jones to pit road for four tires and fuel during the stage break.
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 111-188)
- Jones started the final stage from the 15th position and finished the race 34th.
- Back on the lead lap and with a fast Camry, Jones was able to stay in line and moved up to as high as second early in stage two before being shuffled through the field.
- The caution waved on lap 131 for debris with Jones scored 21st. Opting for left side tires and fuel, Jones restarted the race from seventh on lap 137.
- Maintaining his position in the top 15 as the field raced two and three-wide, Jones made his final stop of the race for right-side tires and fuel during the lap 152 caution. Following the stop, Jones restarted the race from 13th on lap 157.
- Moving in to the top five, Jones was caught in an accident on lap 162 when the car in the low line was spun in to the top line and Jones had nowhere to go. Unable to continue in the race due to damage to the DEWALT Camry, Jones was credited with a 34th-place finish.
ERIK JONES, No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What happened to take you out of the race?
“It looks like the 1 (Kurt Busch) turned the 24 (William Byron) and kind of caused that wreck, so it’s unfortunate. We had a really fast car today. It’s one of the best superspeedway cars we’ve brought as far as single car and pack speed. It’s disappointing. The DEWALT Camry was definitely a contender, I thought, for a win today. We battled back from a lap down and got right back to the front. It’s unfortunate. We’ve just been on a bad streak and we haven’t been able to shake it. Hopefully next week at Kansas - it’s been a good track to us - we can get things back going again.”
Additional Notes
- Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin finished third, Kyle Busch finished 19th and Martin Truex, Jr. finished 26th.
Next Race: With five races remaining in the 2019 season, teams now head to Kansas Speedway on Sunday, October 20, 2019 for the Hollywood Casino 400. The race is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN Radio and SIRIUS XM Channel 90.
