UPDATE (12:50 am ET): Following a crash at Talladega Superspeedway in Sunday’s GEICO 500, Erik Jones was transported to UAB College Hospital in Birmingham, Ala. As of 11:30 p.m. CT, Jones was evaluated, launched, and can return residence to North Carolina this night.
A bunch of seven Toyota Racing drivers had been the primary to hit pit highway with 36 laps remaining, making their ultimate inexperienced flag cease for gasoline earlier than the tip of the race.
Tyler Reddick was main the group in a single-file line when a nasty push coming into Flip 3 despatched Jones head-on into the within wall. His Legacy Motor Membership teammate John-Hunter Nemechek was additionally concerned.
23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin suffered important harm within the crash, and solely Nemechek was in a position to proceed. Together with Reddick, solely Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs escaped the melee.
The incident began when Nemechek acquired into the again of Wallace coming into Flip 3 on lap 154 of 188. Wallace acquired into the right-rear of Jones, hooking him up into the wall. Nemechek couldn’t keep away from and his broken No. 42 Toyota got here again down the monitor, gathering Hamlin as effectively.
Jones complained about again ache on the radio, however was checked and launched from the infield care heart.
“I am just a little sore, however I will be alright,” mentioned Jones. “No. 23 (Wallace) was pushing … we had been pushing and shoving, I acquired sideways into (Flip) 3, tried to collect it up and acquired actually arduous into the wall. Onerous hit, however I am alright. In case you’re gonna be dumb, you gotta be robust.”
Nevertheless, he later returned to the infield care heart after being initially launched. The 27-year-old was the transported to a neighborhood hospital for additional analysis. He has since been launched.
Jones completed thirty fifth in his first DNF of the 2024 season. He leaves Talladega nineteenth within the common season standings. NASCAR is taking the broken No. 43 automobile again to the R&D heart with the intention to assess how effectively it dealt with the affect.
Christopher Bell was eradicated in an earlier incident, leaving simply three of the unique eight Toyotas nonetheless within the race.
The wreck was unlucky for Toyota, however the warning additionally vaulted the remaining trio to the entrance of the sector. Reddick ended up capturing the checkered flag in a chaotic end that noticed Corey LaJoie flip the other way up. Michael McDowell was turned from the race lead after throwing a double block on Brad Keselowski.
