With Erik Jones’ seventh-place outcome at Nashville Superspeedway, the 29-year-old Michigan native has now wheeled the No. 43 Legacy Motor Membership Toyota to finishes of thirteenth or higher in three of the final 4 NASCAR Cup Sequence races. Within the case of Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400, although, the highest 10 might need been essentially the most convincing efficiency up to now for the crew.
How so? Let’s dive into the metrics.
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In keeping with NASCAR Insights — which analyzes a number of information factors and conceptualizes efficiency traits — Jones’ seventh-place outcome at Nashville was not only a stable end, but in addition a dominant one. Look no additional than the No. 43’s top-ranked Protection Score, which evaluates a driver’s capacity to carry their place when below stress. With such sturdy footing (or on this case, driving), Jones held robust in opposition to fellow Toyota pilots, together with Tyler Reddick and Christopher Bell, who completed ninth and tenth, respectively. Jones was the third highest-finishing Toyota Sunday, with Denny Hamlin (third) and Bubba Wallace (sixth) the one Toyotas to wheel forward of the No. 43.
The No. 43’s dominance didn’t cease at protection. A fifth-ranked Pace Score additionally performed an element, particularly because the race continued into the center and late parts; Jones completed fifth throughout Stage 2 and battled Joey Logano — who completed fourth — for second throughout the contest’s ultimate stage. Sixth-ranked leads to Passer Score, Restart Score and Pit Crew Score rounded out Jones’ statistical masterpiece, cementing his place inside the highest 10.
Such a well-rounded efficiency stands out much more when factoring in that Jones was the one driver to complete sixth or higher in all 5 statistical classes at Nashville. Though the top outcome wasn’t a race victory, there’s loads of upside if this elite efficiency continues, starting at Michigan Worldwide Speedway, Jones’ residence observe, Sunday (2 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
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“We didn’t have any errors,” Jones stated. “We had good pit stops. It simply is cleansing all the pieces up and persevering with to enhance on these automobiles. Like on the finish there, that was all we had. Our stability was fairly good, so we nonetheless have to get a bit of sooner. We’ve performed an amazing job. We’re getting there. We’re optimizing the velocity.”
Different notables from Sunday:
— After ending nineteenth or worse in all 5 metrics throughout the Coca-Cola 600, Logano completed ninth or higher in every class at Nashville.
— William Byron completed sixth or higher in 4 of the 5 metrics at Nashville; the No. 24 ranked twenty third in Pit Crew Score.
— Regardless of early-race woes, Kyle Larson rebounded to complete eighth, thanks partly to a fifth-ranked Restart Score.
