Jones heads to Chicago for first race as standings leader

For a driver who’s only 18 years old, Erik Jones carries a pretty hefty résumé.

His accomplishments include youngest driver to win a NASCAR national series race, most NASCAR national series victories before the age of 18 (5), a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and a key role in two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Owner’s Championships with Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Jones heads into Friday’s American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway (8:30 p.m. on FS1) with the latest title to his name – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings leader.

Following his victory in the last race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Aug. 30, Jones vaulted from third in the standings up to the top position. He now holds a three-point edge over two-time defending series champion Matt Crafton and a 15-point advantage over Tyler Reddick.

Jones has never raced at Chicagoland in a truck, but his two XFINITY Series starts at the 1.5-mile track – a win in June and a seventh-place showing last July – indicate he’ll likely run up front again.

“Chicago has always been one of my favorite places to go to,” Jones said. “I’ve actually never been there for a Truck Series race, but I’ve made two XFINITY Series starts and we were very fast at both of them. Any time you’ve been fast at a track, you look forward to the next time you get to go there.”