Erik Jones completes 300th NASCAR Cup Series race in fifth

FORT WORTH — Erik Jones completed his 300th NASCAR Cup Series start Sunday with a fifth-place finish in the Wurth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The 28-year-old racer started 14th, earned stage points in Stage 1, and overcame multiple pit road penalties to earn his first Top-5 finish since Talladega last October.

“It was a sloppy day in a lot of ways. We had two pit road penalties, but just happy to come back from it and get a top-five,” Jones said.

“It would have been pretty disappointing to have a car this good, kind of our first car this year that’s been pretty strong to throw it away. I thought we were headed that way, but it turned out well.”

Jones made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in May 2015, filling in for Kyle Busch in the No. 18. He later made two starts in 2015, subbing for a suspended Matt Kenseth before joining the series full-time in 2017.

After his rookie campaign at Furniture Row Racing, Jones raced from 2018 to 2020 at Joe Gibbs Racing, earning two of his three wins with the team.

Jones joined Petty-GMS Racing in 2021, which later became Legacy Motor Club, piloting the No. 43 entry.

Jones became the 104th different driver in NASCAR history to hit the 300-start mark.

In his 300 career starts, Jones had amassed 2 pole, 3 wins, 38 Top-5 finishes, 90 Top-10 finishes, 828 laps led and two playoff appearances (2018 and 2019).

Lee Petty was the first driver to hit the 300-start mark in 1958 with his 13th start of the year at Old Dominion Speedway.

Daniel Suarez, who has 298 starts, is expected to hit the 300 start mark at later this month at the Coke 600.