Driver will be on call in case ‘Rowdy’ can’t go full distance at Charlotte
Making his first start in a points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in the sport’s longest event, Kyle Busch will have a backup plan for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 (6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM).
Erik Jones will be on standby for Busch at Charlotte Motor Speedway should the driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota not be able to go the full 600 miles.
Erik will be on standby duty this weekend for @KyleBusch. As a precaution Erik will finish out happy hour on the 18 cup car.
— Erik Jones (@erik_jones) May 23, 2015
Jones even went out and logged some laps during final practice on Saturday but Busch’s intent is to run the full race just three months after suffering a compound fracture of the right leg and a broken left foot in a crash during the NASCAR XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway in February.
The fact that Jones will serve as a standby driver for Busch comes as little surprise. In his conference call with reporters last week to discuss his return to action ahead of a sixth-place showing in the Sprint All-Star Race, Busch said the 18-year-old would be on standby to fill in as necessary.
Three drivers took turns filling in for Busch in the 11 races he missed. Jones made one start at Kansas, while two-time defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton climbed in the No. 18 Toyota at Daytona and David Ragan made nine starts.
Jones got some seat time as well at Bristol, filling in for Denny Hamlin, who suffered neck spasms and decided as a precaution not to return to the race after a lengthy rain delay.
Sunday’s 600 mile race is the longest of the season and the 12th race on the Sprint Cup Series schedule.