“We were fast all day long,” Erik Jones after losing the Talladega Cup Series race in the final lap

“We were fast all day long,” Erik Jones after losing the Talladega Cup Series race in the final lap

Erik Jones

Erik Jones who sports the No.43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 competing for full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Petty GMS Motorsports ended up losing the Geico 500 at Talladega giving up his lead in the last lap to Ross Chastain of Trackhouse Racing.

Erik Jones has had a rollercoaster ride this season so far starting off with a DNF at Daytona 500 and coming back strong with a P3 at the Auto Club Speedway and then achieving two top 10s, two top 15s, and three top 25s with another DNF at the Pennzoil 400 and he currently stands 17th with 231 points in the Cup Series standings.

Erik Jones managed to keep his lead until the last lap until he was forced to stay wide defending HMS No.5 Kyle Larson from taking the mantle and eventually Chastain stayed and pushed through the inside for the victory in the final moments of the race. Erik Jones finished the Geico 500 at a disappointing 6th at the end.

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“Just the last lap, it’s typical here,‘‘ says a disheartened Erik Jones

Erik Jones’s No.43 Chevy Camaro ZL1 on the Talladega Superspeedway

Erik Jones was left devastated at the end of the race as he lost his lead in the final lap and he said that it was quite distinctive adding that he had been close most of the time and he wished that he had stayed on the inside but couldn’t quite keep his lead as the other cars were too quick.

“Just the last lap, it‘s typical here, I‘ve been close here so many times in this race and the fall race. Looking back, I wish I‘d stayed in the bottom but didn‘t realize they were coming with that much speed,” said a heartbroken Erik Jones.

He further added saying that he was trying to guard his lead from the HMS No.5 but eventually Chastain slipped through, he added saying that he would be delighted to get the No.43 a victory thinking to himself that today was probably that day but it turned out to be otherwise. He finally concluded by saying that he was content with staying in the lead and also said that they were quick and had the tempo to finish it out but couldn’t quite acquire the win at the end of the day.

“Tried to defend the 5 (Larson), but was too far ahead already, and obviously, it opened the door for the 1 (Chastain), just would really love to get that 43 to Victory Lane and thought today might be the day,” said Erik Jones.

“We were fast all day long, had speed and especially being out front there at the end I know we had a shot, just couldn‘t quite close it out,” concluded Erik Jones.

With such a close loss, Erik Jones has surely learned something, and hope he reverberates that in his upcoming outings.

Also read: “Holy cow, we didn’t do anything,’’ Ross Chastain on achieving his second Cup Series victory at Talladega in a final lap stunner