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Erik Jones Returns From Injury To Compete In Goodyear 400 At Darlington Raceway

by Hunter Thomas May 6, 2024 0 comments

DARLINGTON, S.C. – Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones will return to the driver’s seat at Darlington Raceway on Sunday following an injury he sustained at Talladega Superspeedway.

Jones was involved in a crash at Talladega back in April, where he fractured a vertebra in his lower back. While recovering, Jones sat out the NASCAR Cup Series races at Dover Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway, but he didn’t stay away from the track.

Jones attended the races in support of his team and cheered on Corey Heim who earned a 25^th place finish at Dover and a finish of 22^nd at Kansas. Throughout his recovery, the 27-year-old received a large amount of support from his fans.

“It means a lot seeing the outpouring of support over the last few days,” Jones posted on X. “Thank you to my fans for positive messages and well wishes. I’m 100% committed to my health and recovery, and your kind words have been amazing to see.”

In his third year piloting the No. 43 car, Jones has yet to crack the top-five in 2024, and he only has one top-10, which was an eighth-place finish in the Daytona 500. That being said, look for Jones to make a comeback this weekend in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway.

In his eight full seasons competing in the NASCAR Cup Series, Jones has faired very well at Darlington Raceway no matter if he was driving a Toyota or a Chevrolet. In 12 starts, Jones has won two races (2019, 2022) with both coming in the Southern 500. He also has finished in the top-five 41.7% of the time and in the top-10 66.7% of the races.

NASCAR has granted Jones a waiver, so he’s still eligible to compete in the NASCAR Playoffs. Jones sits 27^th in the standings, 102 points back from Bubba Wallace who currently holds the 16^th and final transfer spot. With a deficit that large, Jones will likely have to win a race to catapult himself into the Playoffs, which is entirely possible, especially at Darlington. Drivers who stay in the top-30 in the standings, can jump drivers in the points if they earn a win.

The Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway will broadcast live on FS1 at 3 p.m. ET.

Photo Credit: Hunter Thomas/TheFourthTurn.com