Tough Luck Continues for Jones

Erik Jones captured his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series pole of the season and led four times for 68 laps during Friday night’s WinStar World Casino 400 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth before experiencing electrical charging issues on his Special Olympics World Games Tundra. Jones surrendered the lead under caution on lap 84 when the over-the-wall crew changed the battery for the first time and after two subsequent trips down pit road to replace the battery again later in the race, including once under green-flag conditions, the No. 4 team was left with a disappointing 16th-place finish.

 

“We had a good Tundra all night,” Jones said. “It was just a matter of things not going our way. We’ll just keep pushing forward and keep bringing fast trucks to the track. If we do that, we’ll pick up the wins eventually. We’ll get everything back going right again, just been a few weeks of hard times but the finishes will come as long as you keep bringing fast Tundras.”

Matt Crafton picked up his third NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of 2015 and eighth of his career. Jones’ KBM teammate Daniel Suarez finished 0.569 seconds behind Crafton in the runner-up position. John Wes Townley crossed the stripe in the third position, while Johnny Sauter and Austin Theriault rounded out the top-five finishers. Justin Boston in the No. 54 Kyle Busch Motorsports Rok Mobile Tundra came home in the eighth spot.

 

The seventh race of the 2015 season featured five cautions for a total of 21 laps. There were 19 lead changes among nine drivers, including Jones who led four times for 68 laps.

 

With seven of 23 races on the 2015 schedule complete, Jones ranks third in the championship standings – 32 points behind points leader Matt Crafton. 

 

Jones will be back behind the wheel of the No. 4 Special Olympics World Games Tundra when the Truck Series resumes action on June 13 at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. Live coverage of the Drivin’ for Linemen 200 begins with the NCWTS Setup Show at 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1. 

KBM PR