Erik Jones, driver of the No. 43 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, will miss the Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway after suffering a compression fracture in his lower back during a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. The crash occurred on Lap 157 when Jones and a handful of other Toyota drivers attempted to gain speed by drafting behind each other. However, Bubba Wallace, the driver directly behind Jones, began losing control and clipped the rear of Jones’ car, causing it to go sideways and slam into the wall at almost full speed. Jones was knocked unconscious and taken to UAB University Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured back.
In a video posted to social media, Jones said he expects to miss the Dover race this weekend and will be taking it week by week to see how things go. He also thanked Legacy Motor Club for their support and said he will be in Dover to support Corey Heim, who will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut in Jones’ place.
Legacy Motor Club co-owner Jimmie Johnson said in a statement that Jones’ health is the ‘number one priority’ and that they intend to give him the time it takes to recover properly.
‘I know Corey will do a great job behind the wheel for the CLUB,’ Johnson said. ‘In the meantime, our thoughts are with Erik and his wife Holly — they have our total support.’
Heim, 21, is a rising star in the NASCAR ranks and has won multiple races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He will make his Cup Series debut in the No. 43 Toyota on Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway.
