LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Mar. 4, 2018)
Box Score Info:
RACE: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series – Pennzoil 400
TRACK: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
DRIVER: Erik Jones
CAR: No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry
START: 9th
FINISH: 8th
LAPS: 267/267
POINTS STANDINGS: 19th
Post-Race Highlights:
· Kicking off NASCAR Goes West at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Erik Jones and the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry team scored the ninth starting position for the Pennzoil 400 and after 267 laps, crossed the finish line in the eighth position to earn the team’s first top-10 finish of the season.
· Under sunny skies, the third race of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season got under way with Jones quickly settling in to the top 12. As stage one continued under a long green-flag run, crew chief Chris Gayle called Jones to pit road on lap 39 for the team’s first green-flag stop of the day. Needing more security with the handling of the No. 20 Sport Clips Camry, the team changed four tires, added fuel and made an adjustment. The stage continued under green until lap 80 when the caution flag waved to end the stage. Continuing to improve on the No. 20 Camry, Jones made his second stop of the day on lap 83 for four fresh tires, fuel and adjustments.
· Stage two went green on lap 88 with Jones in the 13th position. Making his way in to the top 10, Jones was again forced to pit under green with the rest of the field for a routine stop on lap 121. Returning to the track, Jones cycled back around to the 11th position. The second caution of the race was displayed on lap 160 to end stage two. Reporting that the Sport Clips Camry was a little too tight, Jones made his way to pit road for another routine stop and restarted the race on lap 166 from the 10th position.
· With stage three green and less than 100 laps left in the race, things began to heat up on the track with the first caution for an on-track incident happening on lap 176. Jones again made a routine stop to continue improving the No. 20 Sport Clips Camry. The race restarted on lap 182 with Jones in the 11th position and within one lap, the caution was again displayed for a multi-car incident. Gayle opted to leave Jones on track during the caution with the Sport Clips team restarting the race on lap 194 from the ninth position.
· Settling in for another long green-flag run, the Sport Clips team was running eighth when the final round of pit stops began on lap 218. Gayle called Jones to pit road on lap 225 for the team’s final stop of the race. Jones returned to the track and once the field cycled through pit stops, the Sport Clips team was scored in the top 10.
· Over the closing laps, Jones was able to gain a few positions to finish the race in the eighth position, earning the first top-10 finish of the year for the No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Camry team.
· Kevin Harvick won his second consecutive race followed by Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex, Jr. and Ryan Blaney to round of the top five.
· For round two of NASCAR Goes West, teams will unload at ISM Raceway for the Ticket Guardian 500 (k) on Sunday, March 11, 2018.
Post-Race Thoughts: Erik Jones:
How was your race?
“It was a decent day for us. This Sport Clips Camry was really fast. Just never had the track position we needed or wanted to run up front. Good to get a top-10 and good to get us more points to get us back in a good points spot after Daytona and starting out behind. We'll be going to Phoenix and will keep going after it.”