Jones, who drives the No. 43 Toyota for Legacy Motor Membership, was initially launched from the infield care middle following a multi-car wreck late within the race however returned on his personal complaining of ache in his again.
He was ultimately transported to a neighborhood hospital and identified with a compression fracture forcing him to sit down out this week’s race at Dover.
“To be trustworthy proper now, I’m feeling fairly good. As a driver, in all probability any driver, they wish to simply hop again in. I’d like to say that I may get again in and do it proper now,” Jones, 27, mentioned Saturday at Dover.
“Is that potential? I don’t know. I don’t understand how I would actually really feel within the automotive, particularly a spot like Dover. I get fairly sore at night time and once I’m not transferring round. My vary of movement is a bit restricted proper now, however the soreness has light away.
“It was fairly dangerous earlier within the week, and I used to be simply resting. By yesterday and at the moment, I’m feeling higher and higher.”
John Hunter Nemechek, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, AdventHealth Toyota Camry and Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, Household Greenback Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Truck Collection common Corey Heim is filling in for Jones within the No. 43 this weekend at Dover and can probably accomplish that once more subsequent week at Kansas if Jones continues to sit down out. After that, the plan is “week to week.”
With simply over 30 laps remaining at Talladega, a push into the nook involving John Hunter Nemechek and Bubba Wallace unsettled the group of Toyotas that had pit collectively earlier. The bump from behind began a chain-reaction crash that noticed Jones’ automotive hooked head-on into the surface wall.
The wreck collected 4 of the seven Toyotas within the group, knocking Jones, Wallace, Nemechek and Denny Hamlin all out of competition.
Jones instantly complained about again ache over his workforce radio however was initially checked and launched from the infield care middle. He later returned and was transported to a hospital in Birmingham, Ala., the place he underwent additional analysis. He was discharged later that night time.
“It damage once I crashed,” mentioned Jones, who described the impression of his wreck as almost 70gs. “I’ve by no means damaged a bone in my life, so I didn’t even know what that will really feel like. I acquired out of the automotive alone and I used to be feeling higher. Clearly, adrenaline goes, and I’m pumped up nonetheless.
“Received to the care middle, instructed them what was incorrect, my again was hurting. They usually poked and prodded throughout me as they usually do. And I mentioned all the things felt okay. And I instructed them a number of occasions, it was feeling similar to muscle pressure to me.”
As soon as Jones acquired again to his bus and altered, he realized there is likely to be one thing extra incorrect.
“Went again immediately and mentioned, ‘Look, I believe there’s in all probability extra incorrect right here than what I used to be letting on to you guys. It’s actually beginning to trigger me some ache.’ And so then we made the choice to move (to the hospital),” he mentioned.
Defending the Subsequent Gen automotive
Jones mentioned he believes the wreck and harm “may have been lots worse” and credited the security of the Subsequent Gen automotive.
“I believe NASCAR has gotten a few of a nasty rap this week. The Subsequent Gen automotive will get a nasty rap. And on the finish of the day, I believe the automotive did its job,” he mentioned.
“So far as coming again, I believe it’s week-to-week. My harm is thankfully on the delicate aspect, so we are going to simply should see how it’s therapeutic up, how I’m feeling – once more, I’m feeling higher and higher on daily basis.
“I’ve an appointment subsequent week, and form of will decide from there.”
