Jones "was doing all I could to hang on" to score career-best finish

Sunday’s Axalta 400 was perhaps the rookie’s best race of his young career from start to finish and some late-race pit strategy paid off handsomely.

On the race’s final caution with 15 of 160 laps remaining, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski remained on the track and did not pit while Jones was the first driver off pit road after taking just two new tires.

After the restart with 13 laps remaining, Busch and Keselowski eventually fell to the wayside, while Ryan Blaney and Kevin Harvick rocketed up front with their four new tires. Jones, however, was able to hold serve and finish third for his first top-five of the season.

Even though he didn’t think his No. 77 Furniture Row Racing Toyota had the speed needed to win, Jones said he thought he still had a chance as he watched the battled unfold between Blaney and Harvick.

“I was hoping they were going to get side-by-side like (Blaney) and (Kyle Busch) did and we were able to close that up on them and have a shot there. I could never quite get up there,” Jones, 21, said. “I was busy holding off (Keselowski) and (Kurt Busch).

“I was doing all I could to hang on. (Harvick) had four tires and I knew he was going to get up there. I was hoping I could sneak up there and get around (Blaney) and (Kyle Busch) while they were battling, but I just wasn’t close enough to do it.”

"Gratifying" result

Sunday’s race was just the second this season that both Furniture Row cars finished in the Top 10. Jones’ teammate and series points leader, Martin Truex Jr., ended up sixth.

“Just happy that we finally get a finish that we deserve. We ran top-five most of the day and had good strategy and it worked out,” Jones said. “It’s exciting, happy we had a fast race car. Wish we had a little bit faster one and then we could have gone up there and raced for it, but definitely a good day for us.”

Jones is now 16th in the series standings and remains well within striking distance of making the NASCAR playoffs on points, although a victory – which would ensure his participation – seems much closer at hand.

“It’s just gratifying. You stick with it and stick to your guns and know what you have and keep doing the same thing week-in and week-out and sometimes it’s tough to do that,” Jones said. “You hope it’s going to come back around and I got the finish I felt like we deserved.”