Top Dog: Erik Jones
This season has featured breakthrough runs and notable strings of strong performances from several underdogs.
Todd Gilliland has been one of the most consistent drivers in the garage, Carson Hocevar has carried Spire Motorsports as a rookie, and Justin Haley is deserving of most improved driver for his performance with Rick Ware Racing.
As the NASCAR Cup Series traveled to the Pocono Mountains for the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday (July 14), it hit me that Erik Jones has not been covered here much as of late.
Jones hasn’t necessarily had several poor showings, but he also hasn’t been spectacular. However, he finally returned to his groove at Pocono, scoring a 14th-place finish.
Jones was on the move quickly, climbing into the top 10 in the first stage after starting 23rd. With a couple of drivers pitting before the stage conclusion, Jones was able to hold on and grab a stage point in 10th.
The momentum didn’t stop there. For the first time in ages, it feels like, the No. 43 was a consistent presence in the top 10, once again staying out at the end of the second stage to finish fifth. It was the first time this season Jones has finished in the top 10 in both stages.
As the saying goes, cautions breed cautions, and that was once again the case at Pocono. Lurking just outside the top 10, Jones struggled on a couple of the restarts, forcing him to battle back and reclaim the lost ground.
A 20-lap sprint to the finish allowed the Byron, Mich. native to settle into his rhythm and capture his second top 15 in four weeks and sixth such result of the season.
While Legacy Motor Club has certainly not achieved expectations this season, Jones continues to persevere, a trait that has served him well in the latter half of the season in previous years.
How Does It Compare?
Unfortunately for Jones, a top 15 was not enough to top most of the runs in the last five events at Pocono.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned his best finish at “The Tricky Triangle” last season in seventh, while Michael McDowell outdid that by one spot in sixth in 2022. Ryan Preece also scored a top 10 in that tenure, finishing eighth in the first race of the 2021 doubleheader.
Jones’ run was on par with a 13th-place run by Daniel Suarez in the second race of the 2021 doubleheader and Stenhouse’s 15th-place run in the second race of the 2020 doubleheader.
Notable Underdog…
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