TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY | RACE RECAP
TALLADEGA, Ala. - (April 21, 2024) -- A wild race at Talladega saw a tough finish for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB teammates Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek. Tyler Reddick won the wild finish. Here is how the race played out.
JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK | No. 42 ADVENTHEALTH TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
START: 20TH
FINISH: 33RD
POINTS: 22ND
42 RECAP: After starting 20th under threatening skies, John Hunter Nemechek ran in the middle of the pack characterized by the typical Talladega-style three by three by-three wide racing for the first 10 laps. He and teammate Erik Jones linked up and ran nose to tail throughout the first green flag run.
At Lap 20, the field had settled in for the duration, and Nemechek was running in the 30th position. Green flag pit stops began at Lap 42 and Nemechek pitted with some of the leaders for fuel only. The No. 11 of Denny Hamlin spun out coming to pit road and tagged the No. 42 causing minimal damage to the Toyota Camry XSE. Nemechek said the handling was loose as the stage wound down. Crew chief Ben Beshore decided to work on the car during the stage break on Lap 60 where Nemechek finished 30th. The team pitted at Lap 61 for four tires, adjustments to tighten up the car, a full tank of fuel and repairs to the left side rocker panel from the contact with Hamlin.
Shortly after the start of Stage 2, Nemechek drafted straight up to the top-10, the team topped off at Lap 65 with a handful of other cars. Taking the lead by Lap 72. Prior to this race, Nemechek had only ever led one lap in his NASCAR Cup Series career. He led the way until Lap 94 when the No. 11 passed him. He pitted for three seconds of fuel at Lap 110 with ten to go in Stage 2. Nemechek finished the second stage in the 29th position. The team pitted at Lap 121 for an extended pit stop for four tires and fuel, and to work on the left side rocker. They topped off with fuel with one lap to go and took the green to start the final stage on Lap 126 in 35th place.
The first caution flew on Lap 132 while Nemechek was 26th. The team pitted for four tires and fuel on Lap 135 and again on Lap 138 to top off the gas and check for right-side damage. The field went green on Lap 139 and Nemechek was 34th.
Nemechek proved strong and led a career-high 20 laps throughout the race. The team had a planned pit stop on Lap 153 for fuel only. On Lap 157 a multi-car accident sent Nemechek to pit road with damage. The No. 42 returned to the track after repairs, made minimum speed and finished 33rd.
ERIK JONES | No. 43 FAMILY DOLLAR TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
START: 28TH
FINISH: 35TH
POINTS: 20TH
43 RECAP: Erik Jones and the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE started 28th for this weekend's contest at Talladega Superspeedway. Jones was quiet during the opening stage and reported being a bit free, but the car was not bad. The 500-mile race quickly turned into a fuel-saving battle, and Jones took a trip down pit road on Lap 46 for fuel only. He cycled out 14th after a brief stall coming out of the pit box. Jones struggled to make forward progress following the pit stop, finishing Stage 1 in 20th.
After Stage 1, Jones reported to crew chief Dave Elenz that the balance was free and bouncy through turns three and four. During the stage break, Jones came to the pit road for a fresh set of tires and fuel and a light air pressure adjustment to adhere to the bouncing.
Jones began Stage 2 in 14th and ran a portion of the race inside of the top 15. With 15 laps to go in the stage, Jones and the team pit for a quick splash of fuel to make it to the end of the stage. The No. 43 came off of pit road seventh with under 10 laps to go. Jones finished Stage 2 in 15th.
The No. 43 headed down pit road during the stage break for a full-service pit stop, four tires, and an extended stop to fill up on fuel to gear up for the last 66 laps of action. The No. 43 started the final stage 26th, running a quiet race while pitting for fuel with the rest of the Toyota entries. Unfortunately, No. 43 was collected in a wreck on lap 157, ending his day. He was credited with a 35th-place finish.
Jones was evaluated and released from the Talladega infield care center but returned shortly after. He was then transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and was released at approximately 11:30 pm CT to return home to North Carolina.
NEXT RACE: The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Dover Motor Speedway next weekend. Race coverage next Sunday is on FS1, with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)
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ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice "Maury" J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty "The King" serves as Club Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.
