Jones and the Legacy Motor Membership group have been already off to a tough begin when it was introduced in Could that LMC would transfer from the Chevrolet to Toyota camp on the finish of the 12 months.
Such adjustments and the interim transition interval that comes with it usually don’t assist a group that’s making an attempt to enhance its on-track product.
Following the Charlotte race on Memorial Day Weekend, Jones and his No. 43 group bottomed out at thirty first within the Cup standings after a Thirty second-place end.
Fairly than quit, LMC continued to work more durable and the outcomes over the previous 5 races have mirrored the hassle.
With Jones’ ninth-place end Sunday at Pocono Raceway, he has now completed eleventh or higher in 4 of his final 5 races and no worse than sixteenth.
Whereas the development doesn’t make a possible playoff berth any simpler to return by – he would nonetheless want a victory to make the 16-driver subject – it has supplied some much-needed optimism.
“Clearly, we want we have been combating for that playoff spot – we’re in a must-win. However we’d like some extra velocity to get right into a successful place on tracks like (Pocono),” Jones stated. “Daytona is clearly going to be a chance, however we’d like one other step going to a spot like Michigan coming as much as contend for wins.
“We’ve made massive features – we went from a twenty fifth place group to a top-12 group, I’d say, proper now. Simply hope we will discover a option to take that subsequent step.”
The 27-year-old native of Byron, Michigan, had a reasonably constant efficiency on Sunday.
After beginning twenty fourth, Jones was capable of end tenth in Stage 1 and because of taking part in some good pit technique, discovered his means into the top-ten on the finish of the race.
“I assumed we had some good velocity. We capitalized lots on technique and a few alternatives to stand up to the highest there on the finish,” Jones stated. “We had some restarts go our means and completely happy it performed out for us.”
Jones hopes a go to to his hometown monitor of Michigan Int. Speedway in two weeks will present one other alternative for a powerful run – and even an elusive win.
“Michigan has been one other one, traditionally, like Pocono that’s been good for us. We ran good there final 12 months,” he stated. “Hopefully, we will carry some velocity and issues we realized right here that I believe we will in all probability get higher on our No. 43 Chevy to go to a giant monitor like Michigan.
“We’ll see the way it performs out, however I’m pleased with the place we’ve been going.”
