Photo Credit: Noel Lanier/OnPitRoad.com
Coming off of a career best second place finish last weekend at Michigan, Erik Jones put on a performance for the fans in Bristol, TN, but for the second straight weekend he came up short of the victory. Without a doubt, Jones had his best race of his career tonight leading 260 laps. But, as the laps wound down experience triumphed the rookie as Kyle Busch found his way around Jones for the lead and the eventual race victory. However, it’s not putting down the rookie driver from Byron Michigan and gives him a little extra boost of confidence heading into the final two races of the regular season starting with Darlington in two weeks.
“Darlington is going to be tough for us. Darlington is tough for anybody, I have only been there once and it doesn’t really fit how I drive or my style of racing. It is something that I have been learning, these low grip tracks rash tires really bad.” Jones told OnPitRoad.com in post race media availability in the media center. “I haven’t figured out a hundred percent in these race cars what you need. I do think we will run well, I just think it’ll be a little more of a challenge then say when we come to Bristol where you know I feel comfortable and confident in what I need in the race car and feel like I can tell Chris exactly where I need the car to go. Darlington will be a challenge.”
After a challenging Darlington, the series heads to Richmond and with more experience Jones is confidence heading into Richmond Virginia.
“Richmond will be good. I think we had a fast car there in the spring, we just cut a tire there on the lap five or something”, said Jones. “We just need to have a good race at Richmond I feel like I’ve learned a lot there the last few times I’ve been there and run a lot better.”
