Erik Jones basks in another Southern 500 triumph at Darlington. (Photo: Blake Ulino | The Podium Finish)
DARLINGTON, S.C. – Sometimes, it does not hurt to be a bit lucky and good in NASCAR Cup Series racing as Erik Jones and his No. 43 FOCUSfactor Chevy team can attest.
After all, with 23 laps remaining in Sunday night’s Cook Out Southern 500 at the 1.366-mile Darlington Raceway, Jones found himself in the second spot, preparing for a riveting restart in Row 1 against Kyle Busch, his former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team owner.
Just a chance to compete for a second crown jewel victory at Darlington was like getting the perfect chocolate chips for a batch of cookies. However, once the cookies came out of the oven, the first race of this year’s Cup Playoffs fell in Jones’ favor.
Before Jones joined the fray, it was a wild and perplexing night for many of this year’s Playoffs field. Namely, it was an evening that Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe and Ross Chastain would like to forget.
In the early going, Kyle Larson found himself in a spot of trouble when he suspected a potential engine failure with his car. On Lap 79, he brought his car to his pit stall as his crew diagnosed the power issue.
As Larson rejoined the field, he fell to 35th and three laps behind leader William Byron. The possible engine issue apparently resolved a few laps into his on track return with some mid race breaks falling his way.
Meanwhile, Elliott and Briscoe tangled on Lap 114 around Turn 2. Elliott’s No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevy team tried their best to repair their damaged car before the 10 minute Damaged Vehicle Policy or DVP clock expired, resulting in a 36th place finish.
A frustrated Elliott did not mince words about his early race DNF.
A frustrating evening left Elliott being short but precise on words. (Photo: Blake Ulino | The Podium Finish)
“Broke something on the right rear,” Elliott said.
When asked what he’d need to do moving forward at Kansas and Bristol, he responded, “Run better than we did today.”
Harvick, the 2014 Cup champion, was heading to a decent result before an exhaust issue ended his evening on Lap 274. Exiting his No. 4 Busch Light Retro Ford, which engulfed in flames on both sides, he expressed his displeasure over the strange situation.
“I’m sure it’s just crappy parts on the race car like we’ve seen so many times,” Harvick said in disgust. “They haven’t fixed anything. It’s kind of like the safety stuff. We just let it keep going and keep going. The car started burning and as it burned the flames started coming through the dash. I ran a couple laps and then as the flame got bigger it started burning stuff up.
“And I think right there you see all the brake fluid that was probably coming out the brakes and part of the brake line, but the fire was coming through the dash. What a disaster for no reason. We didn’t touch the wall. We didn’t touch a car and here we are in the pits with a burned up car and we can’t finish the race during the playoffs because of crappy ass parts.”
More misfortune found Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 Cup champion who pursued his second 500-miler crown jewel win. An issue with the water pump prompted Truex out of the race, a microcosm of his frustrating 2022 season.
It’s been a trying time for Martin Truex Jr. (Photo: Blake Ulino | The Podium Finish)
“Just mad. Upset, angry,” Truex said. “We deserve better and no matter what we do this year it seems wrong. When we run good, stuff goes wrong and when we run bad, nothing happens.
“Just one of those years that we can’t get anything to go our way. It’s about the fifth time I should have won this race and I’ve only won it once so pretty pissed off.”
Kyle Busch, the most dominant driver of the 73rd edition of this storied race, saw chances at locking in a Round of 12 Playoffs spot disappear due to an engine failure prior to the restart.
It was a helpless feeling for the two-time Cup champion as he led on six occasions for 155 laps. Instead of locking his way into the next Playoffs round, he fell to 11th and eight points above the cutoff line.
“Engine broke. Just unfortunate circumstances for us tonight,” Busch said. “The guys did a great job and brought a really fast M&M’s Toyota Camry. Just real proud of the effort. All the stuff the guys have done and gone through – just all the news and everything that’s going on all year.
“They’ve dug in and never given up and continue. Just had a great car and don’t have anything to show for it. That’s what I really, really hate about it.”
Although Busch was not sure how to feel after the shocking situation, he offered an earnest, optimistic outlook, as he said, “The sun will come up tomorrow.”
While Busch drove his No. 18 M&M’s Toyota into the garage area, Jones prepared for a pivotal restart. With 22 laps to go, Jones took the lead from Busch but he had a determined and fast Denny Hamlin ready to pounce.
For the final laps to the finish, Hamlin battled an equally dogged Tyler Reddick before taking the second spot once and for all.
From there, Hamlin tried his best to get past Jones in a reversal of last year’s Cook Out Southern 500 with Kyle Larson. Rather than being the leader, Hamlin played the role of the chaser against Jones.
Jones, who placed eighth and ninth in Stages 1 and 2, held a pretty wheel and was as cool as “Texas” Terry Labonte. Unlike Labonte, he did not have to wait 13 years for a second Darlington crown jewel race victory.
That Jones Boy rocketed his No. 43 Chevy like a cool customer. (Photo: Blake Ulino | The Podium Finish)
In this case, Jones gave Byron, Michigan about 43 different reasons to celebrate as he captured his third career Cup win and first since the 2019 edition of the Cook Out Southern 500.
The 26-year-old Petty GMS Motorsports racer bested Hamlin by 0.252 seconds to the stripe.
Following a well executed burnout along the frontstretch, Jones celebrated his feel good win in front of the sold out crowd. Suffice to say, Jones loves the Palmetto State’s uniquely shaped speedway.
“I just really like this track,” Jones said after his victory. “There’s tracks as a driver that you’re really comfortable at, feel really good about, and Darlington is one of those places for me. Here, Bristol, there’s a handful of tracks in the Cup Series for me that I know going into it, if the car is close and good, we can have a shot to win.
“This weekend was no different. I knew we had a good car coming into it. I knew we had made some good gains and had a shot to go and run up front. I’m blessed to win this race twice.”
Naturally, Jones, as cool as the other side of the pillow in the late Stuart Scott’s idiom, did not view Sunday night’s win as one of redemption. A third career Cup win had the Michigander reflecting on what his latest achievement meant from a historical perspective.
No. 43 was No. 1 at Darlington. (Photo: Blake Ulino | The Podium Finish)
“There’s guys that have never won this race, very successful guys, but such a cool trophy,” he mused. “I kept that one in my house for a long time the last time I won it just to see those faces and those names.
“That’s pretty special for me to be on, and I’ve been a big fan of the history of the sport for all my life, as a kid growing up and even until today. But just love this place, love the racing here. I love this race specifically.”
Stage 1 Top 10 Finishers
Byron-Hamlin-Ky. Busch-Bell-Truex Jr./Chastain-Reddick-Jones-Blaney-Wallace
Stage 2 Top 10 Finishers
Ky. Busch-Truex Jr.-Blaney-Logano-Byron/Bell-Bowman-Suárez-Jones-McDowell
Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Top 10 Finishers
Jones-Hamlin-Reddick-Logano-Bell/McDowell-Keselowski-Byron-Wallace-Bowman
