DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Erik Jones and Legacy Motor Club can't change the past; all they can do is move forward after a surprising disqualification at Martinsville Speedway.
This won't be easy for Jones, considering that he lost six spots in the standings due to the disqualification, but he believes that the team will ultimately be in a better place as the season progresses.
"I would be shocked if we ever had something happen like that again," Jones told media members Saturday at Darlington Raceway. "So, I think we kind of know what happened, and, you know, hopefully, it will be buttoned up for the next one."
Last weekend's race at Martinsville is not the first time that Jones lost his points to disqualification. Back in 2019, he finished fourth at Richmond Raceway while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, but the No. 20 failed post-race inspection due to an issue with rear wheel alignment.
Instead of leaving the Virginia track with 42 points, Jones only gained one. This was a major issue for Jones, considering that the disqualification was in the playoffs. It put him in a must-win position heading to the elimination race at the Charlotte Roval, where he finished last due to a crash.
"It's only three times ever I've been probably thrown out somewhere," Jones said. "One other one has been in Cup, so that's not ideal."
Last weekend's race at Martinsville was a different situation for Jones. The No. 43 team struggled during the short track race and ultimately finished 24th. Although Jones scored six points during the opening stage.
The 24th-place finish with the stage points gave Jones 19 points. This total dropped to one point after the disqualification for the No. 43 failing post-race weights.
Certainly, this was a difficult situation for Jones and Legacy Motor Club, but the veteran driver didn't respond by throwing his team under the proverbial bus. It would not help the situation, and Jones knows that he is less than perfect.
"It's two-sided. I mean, it's an area everybody pushes," he said. "We obviously went too far, but at the end of the day, we're in it together.
"There's days I make mistakes, and there's days the team makes mistakes, and unfortunately, Sunday was one of those days. So, just have to work to fix it, make sure it doesn't happen again, and just learn from it."