Young Erik Jones is Driving an Amazing Journey in NASCAR History

Photo - Sarah Glenn/Getty Images

Photo – Sarah Glenn/Getty Images

Setting Himself Apart, Teenage Prodigy Erik Jones Is Sports’ Latest Rising Star 

Young athletes have been the talk of the sports world the last week.

Notably, 21-year-old golf phenom Jordan Spieth won The Masters and 22-year-old NBA All Star Anthony Davis put his New Orleans Pelicans team in contention for a Western Conference Playoff berth. Even 23-year-old baseball player Mike Trout, already a three-time All Star and winner of the 2014 American League MVP award, kicked off his season in the sport in which he is widely recognized as the best player.

And who knows, once Erik Jones hits his early 20s, he might have that kind of stature in his sport. 

But for now, the 18-year-old NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular and recent NASCAR Xfinity Series winner is enjoying his journey up the NASCAR ladder and into history.

Last weekend’s winner Erik Jones became the first driver in NASCAR national series history to win five national series races before the age of 19. The historic win breaks his tie with Chase Elliott of four wins, for the most national series wins by a driver under the age of 19.

In fact, there have only been 14 races won by drivers under the age of 18 — and Jones now has 35% of those victories.

The Xfinity Series victory was for Jones, just his ninth start. His talent is indisputable with him out-dueling NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr. on his way to the checkered flag..

Although Jones’ win at Texas was the fifth of his NASCAR national series career it was just his first in the Xfinity Series and driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Jones also has posted four wins in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

In three Xfinity starts this season he has posted an average finish of 6.0.

Breakdown of Erik Jones NASCAR national series wins:

Series  Track                Driver’s Age                             Date of Race

NXS       Texas               18 years 10 months 11 days      4/10/2015

NCWTS Phoenix            18 years 5 months 8 days          11/7/2014

NCWTS Las Vegas        18 years 3 months 28 days        9/27/2014

NCWTS Iowa                 18 years 1 month 11 days          7/11/2014

NCWTS Phoenix            17 years 5 months 9 days          11/8/2013

 

Jones ranks third in the Camping World Truck standings, with just six points between him and the points leader, Matt Crafton. He has two top-five and three top-ten finishes in the first three races of the season.

Spieth may have talked about winning The Masters when he was 14 years old, but Jones told his uncle he was born to race at the ripe age of 3.

The journey for Jones continues with the next Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Watch the Drive to Stop Diabetes 300 on Fox Sports 1, on Saturday, April 18th at 1:30 pm ET. Pre-race coverage begins at 1 pm ET.