Though Legacy Motor Club announced that Erik Jones has been cleared to return to racing by doctors and by NASCAR, the team convinced Jones it would be in his best interest to
sit out Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway (3 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Jones suffered a compression fracture in a lower vertebra when his No. 43 Toyota rocketed into the Turn 3 wall during a four-car accident on Lap 155 at Talladega on April 21.
He missed last Sunday’s race at Dover, where NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series driver Corey Heim finished 25th in relief.
Heim will continue in that role on Sunday. The plan is for Jones to return May 12 at Darlington, where he has scored two of his three NASCAR Cup Series victories.
Team co-owner Jimmie Johnson helped convince Jones that a cautious approach was best, given the high-speed nature of 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway.
”Yeah, I don’t envy his position, but I really do appreciate his willingness to hear us out,” said Johnson, who will compete on Sunday in his second straight Cup event in the
No. 84 Legacy Camry. “It’s not a fun process, and as far as he’s concerned, he should have never missed a race. He’s just eager to do it. I’ve played hurt before, so I get it
and have seen both sides of it.
“My concern is that we’re at a fast track and an impact like that could happen again, and is his body really ready for that? And that’s kind of the question he came to his own answer on and realized that it’s probably early.
“There’s a lot of other bits and pieces to that, but ultimately, he feels great and is moving around really well. He was able to get in the gym and exercise, but to really take
a shot like you can at this place, it’s just early.”
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