'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Erik Jones, a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver, pilots the No. 43 Toyota Camry for Legacy Motor Club and recently finished his eighth season in premier stock cars racing division. The 2015 Truck Series champion Jones has been a part of the NASCAR series for over nine years and has competed in more than 360 races across all the national series combined.
Jones had his breakthrough with Joe Gibbs Racing in the 2018 Cup Series season at the Daytona track and finished inside the top five the following year in the esteemed Daytona 500 race. The Toyota driver took the checkered flag at 'The Lady in the Black' South Carolina track for the first time in 2019 and then in 2022. Additionally, he has garnered nine Xfinity wins and seven Truck Series wins.
In his storied career, Texas Motor Speedway has proven to be Erik Jones' best-performing track with an average finish of 12.3 in 13 starts. He has finished inside the top five three times, and in the top 10 seven times since his 2015 Cup Series debut. However, this season Jones only managed a P19 finish.
Trending
His second top-performing track is the Darlington Raceway, where he has won twice with an average finish of 13.2. Although the #43 driver couldn't finish inside the top 10 this year, he has amassed eight top 10s in 14 races.
Furthermore, Erik Jones has an average finish of 13.5 with five top fives at the Pocono Raceway and an average finish of 15.9 with four top fives at Bristol Motor Speedway. At his home track in Michigan, Jones has an average finish of 15.3.
"Reminds me of how I grew up racing": When Erik Jones made his feelings known for being comfortable at Darlington Raceway
In an August 2024 media interaction, Jones opened up on how racing has changed since the introduction of Next-Gen cars. He highlighted the key points that helped him dominate the track with a reputation of 'Track Too Tough to Tame'.
"There's maybe a bit more you can do there. Just because you're saving some tire and you're moving the line around so much, there's more options there than a lot of places that we go." [0:35]
"I don't know I've always felt comfortable at the track as soon as I got there for the first time in Xfinity, I really liked it. Reminds me a lot of how I grew up racing which is a lot more kind of racing the track and not necessarily racing your competitors as much. You're just kind of focusing on yourself and if you're taking care of your equipment and taking care of your car you know you're probably going to find yourself in a good position if your car's good that day," Erik Jones said.
After suffering a compression fracture in the lower vertebrae in the spring Talladega race, Erik Jones missed two weekends before returning for the 2024 Goodyear 400 race at Darlington Raceway.
Jones finished 28th in the final drivers' standings and managed only one top-five and one top-10 finish this season. His best result was at the playoff Talladega race where he finished fifth.
