Jones, who lined up a three-race deal this season within the Xfinity Sequence with Sam Hunt Racing, was helped by a pair of chaotic late-race restarts on Saturday to complete fifth at Portland Worldwide Raceway.
Jones was aggressive in his first begin with SHR earlier this season on the at Circuit of the Americas however received caught up in a late-race wreck and completed thirty fifth. He drove SHR’s No. 24 Toyota on the 1.97-mile, 12-turn highway course, on which Jones had made three earlier begins within the IndyCar Sequence.
On Saturday, two late-race restarts – one which collected six vehicles – proved helpful for Jones and allowed him work his method into sight of the leaders.
Ed Jones, Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota Racing Improvement Toyota Supra
Photograph by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
“We rolled off the truck fairly good. Clearly, follow is so quick, however we received a great really feel,” Jones, 29, mentioned. “Our automobile wasn’t the very best for qualifying – a single-lap run – however we felt snug that we had a great automobile in the long term, and it proved its case within the race.
“Began mid-pack and progressively labored our method up the sphere each stage to contained in the top-10 for the ultimate stage. For the final two restarts, it was all about going full assault. Once more, I’m nonetheless studying how one can aggressive to be.”
Jones, the 2013 Euro F3 Open Champion, is a highway course common who’s making the transition to inventory automobile racing following a profession in IndyCar, IMSA and FIA’s World Endurance Championship.
He’s the 2016 Indy Lights (now Indy NXT) champion and has collected three IndyCar podium finishes, together with third in his Indianapolis 500 debut. He additionally owns a third-place end within the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans within the LMP2 class.
Jones made his NASCAR debut final season, working the Truck race at COTA with Younger’s Motorsports. He completed thirty sixth after getting knocked out of the race on Lap 1 with a suspension subject.
Saturday’s end at Portland is much more vital as Jones will make his first-ever consecutive NASCAR begins. He’ll drive the No. 26 Toyota for SHR in subsequent weekend’s race at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
“It’s been an expertise, it’s nice to get a full race’s expertise in, and even higher, to be within the top-five,” he mentioned. “Simply thanks to the workforce and Toyota for serving to me put together for the weekend.
“Trying ahead to Sonoma in a couple of days’ time.”
