Date: July 11, 2019
Event: Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 (Race 13 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series
Location: Kentucky Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval)
Format: Three Segments; 35 laps/35 laps/80 laps
Start/Finish: 27th/23rd (Accident, completed 64 of 150 laps)
Winner: Tyler Ankrum of DGR-Crosley Racing (Toyota)
In his fourth start for Kyle Busch Motorsports this season, Brandon Jones was leading the Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway, when contact from another vehicle sent him into the wall, which caused terminal damage to the No. 51 Soleus Air machine on lap 64. On Thursday morning, Jones posted the 11th-fastest time in first practice and the fourth-fastest time in second practice for the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series. Thursday afternoon, Jones nearly spun in his single-lap qualifying attempt, but was able to make the save and earn the 27th starting position.
After the green flag flew on Thursday evening, Jones quickly began to make his way through the field, making short work of getting to the front. By the end of the second stage, the No. 51 Tundra was solidly inside the top-10 in the eighth position. Unfortunately, as the second stage was coming to an end, Jones was leading when the No. 98 vehicle put him into the wall, ending his night in a fiery crash on the front stretch.
Stage One Recap:
- Jones qualified the No. 51 SoleusAir/Menards Tundra in the 27th position.
- By lap 17, Jones had marched into the top 10.
- He reported that his Tundra was chattering tight and hard to turn in the center and exit of the corners.
- Jones finished the first 35-lap stage in eighth.
- Crew chief Rudy Fugle called the No. 51 to pit road following the first stage to change two right side tires and make adjustments.
Stage Two Recap:
- Jones began the second stage in third following a quick pit stop by the No. 51 pit crew.
- On the restart for Stage Two, Jones navigated to the second position, as a caution for an incident came out almost immediately.
- Jones was able to take the lead on a subsequent caution period and on the final restart before the stage conclusion, Jones was in the lead, and the No. 98 of Grant Enfinger made contact, sending him into the wall, and ending his night early.
- Ultimately, Jones finished 23rd, completing 64 laps.
Brandon Jones, driver of the No. 51 Soleus Air/Menards Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
What happened with you and Grant Enfinger on track?
“I’d be curious to know what he (Grant Enfinger) said. It’s tough. I’ve raced with Grant really hard. He races hard, but I don’t know. I asked him if he was upset about the restart. I waited really, really late to go, but that’s just me playing games. We’ve got to try to get the lead there. It was pretty cool that we got it. They’ve all been racing hard. A lot of wrecks early. I hate it. We had Soleus Air here. It’s their hometown. We had a really, really fast Toyota Tundra. It was looking like a repeat of Chicago with a better finish than what we had there too. I get one more with these guys. I hate for Rudy (Fugle, crew chief) and all them. They build great trucks every single week. They’ll keep coming and we’ll keep performing and we’ll get there.”
Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 Recap:
- Tyler Ankrum won the race with Stewart Friesen, Harrison Burton, Ross Chastain and Dylan Lupton rounding out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured five cautions for 33 laps and 10 lead changes among seven drivers.
How Jones’ KBM Teammates Fared:
Todd Gilliland, driver of the No. 4 Toyota Tundra, finished 17th
Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 18 Toyota Tundra, finished third
Gander Trucks Owner Championship Standings:
The No. 51 team leaves the 13th race of the season ranked first in the Truck Series Owner’s Championship Standings, 12 markers ahead of second place, No. 98.
Next Race:
Christian Eckes will return to the No. 51 Tundra in two weeks at Pocono Raceway, on Saturday, July 27. Live coverage of the Gander RV 150 begins at 1:00 p.m. EST on FS1.
