Jones and the Legacy Motor Club organization faced challenges from the beginning, especially after the announcement in May that LMC would switch from Chevrolet to Toyota by the end of the year.
Such changes and the interim transition period that comes with it typically don’t help a team that’s trying to improve its on-track product.
After the Charlotte race during Memorial Day Weekend, Jones and his team, driving the No. 43 car, dropped to the 31st position in the Cup standings following their 32nd-place finish.
LMC persevered instead of quitting, putting in more effort, and the outcomes of the previous five races have demonstrated this dedication.
Jones achieved a ninth-place finish at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, marking his fourth top-11 finish in the last five races and maintaining a consistent performance of no lower than 16th place.
The enhancement does not make it any simpler to secure a potential playoff spot – winning a race is still necessary to qualify among the top 16 drivers. However, it has brought a welcomed sense of optimism.
“We obviously desire to compete for a playoff spot, as we are in a situation where winning is crucial. However, in order to achieve a favorable position on tracks such as Pocono, we require additional speed. While Daytona presents an opportunity, we must also make further progress to be competitive at upcoming races like Michigan and have a chance at victory.”
“We have achieved significant progress – we have transformed from a team ranked 25th to now being among the top 12 teams. Currently, our main aspiration is to discover a method to advance even further.”
On Sunday, the individual from Byron, Michigan, who is 27 years old, displayed a relatively steady performance.
Starting from the 24th position, Jones managed to secure the 10th place in Stage 1. Through implementing effective pit strategies, he successfully advanced into the top-ten by the conclusion of the race.
“I believed that our speed was impressive. We effectively utilized strategic decisions and seized several chances to reach the top position towards the conclusion,” Jones expressed. “We were fortunate with a few restarts and I am pleased with how things unfolded for us.”
Jones is optimistic that his upcoming visit to his hometown track, Michigan Int. Speedway, will present another chance for a successful performance, or perhaps even a long-awaited victory.
“Michigan has consistently been a favorable track for us, much like Pocono. We performed well there last year,” he stated. “With any luck, we can utilize the speed and knowledge gained here to enhance our performance in the No. 43 Chevy at the expansive Michigan track.”
“I am content with the direction we have been heading, and we will observe how things unfold.”
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