Erik Jones will not participate in the upcoming race at Talladega this weekend. The race last Sunday at Talladega witnessed several crashes during the final stage following the first two stages. The most unfortunate incident of the day involved multiple Toyota cars crashing together while drafting. Jones’ decision to not lift off the gas pedal while the car ahead of him lost control resulted in a crash that involved several other drivers.
Jones suffered the most from the incident and was initially upset but later taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. He was discharged on Monday but will be unable to race at Dover on Sunday due to a fracture. Another driver will take his place in the No. 43 car for this race.
During a podcast discussing the race, a former Cup champion mentioned that Jones’ crash was particularly violent. He emphasized that the high speed of the cars (over 160 miles per hour) and the angle of the crash made it extremely challenging for Jones. The champion also stated that the Next-Gen cars have made these types of crashes more severe.
The final lap of the race at Talladega resulted in a major crash involving multiple cars. A reckless maneuver by Michael McDowell caused him to wreck and collect many other drivers. One of the drivers involved in the incident was also affected by a previous wreck earlier in the race. The severity of these crashes was highlighted by Kevin Harvick.
The comments from the former Stewart Hass Racing driver emphasize that the features of the Next-Gen cars play a significant role in the violent nature of these wrecks. It is important for NASCAR to investigate these claims and address any issues to ensure driver safety is not compromised.