Erik Jones, No. 43 Allegiant Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Las Vegas Motor Speedway Stats
NCS Starts: 12; Poles: 1 (Fall 2018); Best finish: 8th (Spring 2018 & Fall 2022); Top-10s: 4
NXS Starts: 2; Best start: 2nd (2016); Best finish: 3rd (2016); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 1; Laps led: 7
NCTS Starts: 2; Best start: 13th (2014); Best finish: 1st (2014); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 2; Laps led: 19
2023 NASCAR Cup Series Season Stats
Starts: 32; Best start: 8th (COTA) ; Best finish: 3rd (Kansas); Top-5s: 1; Top-10s: 7; Laps led: 24; Points position: 27th
About Allegiant: Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is an integrated travel company with an airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places and experiences that matter most. Since 1999, Allegiant Air has linked travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and industry-low average fares. Today, Allegiant’s fleet serves communities across the nation, with base airfares less than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. For more information, visit us at Allegiant.com.
Last time around: In his last attempt at the 1.5-mile tri-oval, Erik Jones qualified 22nd and fell a lap down during the later stages of the race. Jones earned the free pass on lap 265 as the caution came out and was back into contention, seen running just outside of the top-15 with 20 laps to go. Unfortunately, Jones was collected in the overtime chaos but still managed to come home with a respectable 19th-place finish despite being collected in the wreckage.
Playing his Cards right: In 2014, Jones picked up his second win of the season in the NASCAR Truck Series. This marked his first win in the truck series on a mile-and-a-half track. Despite having an error on pit road, Jones worked back to the front to take the lead with just under 20 laps to the checkered flag. He led for 19 laps and almost all of these came when it mattered most as he held off his then-teammate Bubba Wallace, marking a milestone 35th victory for his former truck team, Kyle Busch Motorsports.
1.5-Mile: In his most recent attempts at 1.5-mile tracks, specifically Kansas and Texas, Jones has exhibited remarkable speed and competitiveness. At Kansas, he earned an impressive third-place finish, marking his highest of the season. Meanwhile, in Texas, Jones was a standout performer, spending most of the race in second place, trailing only Kyle Larson, while maintaining an almost three-second lead over the third-place car. Unfortunately, his day was cut short in Texas as he was involved in a wreck on the front stretch, ending the race 22 laps shy of the checkered flag for the No. 43 team.
Pole Sitter: Jones clinched his second career Cup Series pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, as he led the field green for the 2018 South Point 400. Jones displayed impressive speed by clocking the fastest lap time of 28.705 seconds while reaching a speed of 188.121 miles per hour. This marked his first pole position of the year and his 17th top-10 start during the 2018 racing season.
Dave at Vegas: Crew Chief Dave Elenz has a noteworthy record of 11 career Xfinity Series starts during his tenure with JR Motorsports. His track record includes six top-five’s, eight top-10’s, and six laps led. Additionally, Elenz has coached five drivers to an impressive average finish of 8.1 in races spanning from 2015 to 2021, with six laps led. In his three NASCAR Cup Series starts alongside Jones, Elenz and the team have achieved one top-10 finish.
Learning from the Bossman: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner, Jimmie Johnson, has a remarkable history at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with a track record that includes seven top-five finishes, ten top-10 finishes, and 595 laps led. Johnson holds an impressive average finish of 11.6 across 22 starts. Johnson’s performances have solidified his status as a dominant force at the 1.5-mile asphalt tri-oval. Johnson holds the record for the most wins, having four trips to victory lane. Notably, three of these victories came consecutively from 2005 to 2007, capturing the checkered flag once again in 2010.
Quoting Erik Jones: “I am really looking forward to Vegas. Our mile-and-a-half package has been really good most of the year, especially in the last half of the season. Texas was a good day for us with a lot of speed, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out for us in the end. I think our Vegas car has been given a lot of extra effort and preparation to make sure that we are bringing a really good piece. So, I am excited to get out there and see it play out. I like the track a lot, I am really looking forward to Vegas.”
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
