For the first-time since 2018, Erik Jones – a multi-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series — will return to Slinger Speedway to compete in the highly-contested SuperSeal Slinger Nationals on Tuesday, July 6 in Slinger, Wisconsin.
According to a report from Speed51, Jones, who currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Richard Petty Motorsports, will pilot a second Super Late Model entry for John DeAngelis, with the Byron, Michigan-native’s No. 4 serving as a teammate to the owner-driver in the event.
“It was sort of a last minute deal,” Jones said to Speed 51. “John got ahold of me and asked if I would be interested in running, so we got talking and were able to put the deal together in just a few days. John’s stuff has always been very competitive, so I knew it would be a good opportunity.”
Having a large role in making the effort possible, are the changes that were made to the 2021 NASCAR National Series schedules, placing both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series at Road America for the Fourth of July Weekend, making the less than 50-mile commute to Slinger Speedway for Tuesday’s event feasible for Jones.
The 25-year-old will be attempting his third Slinger Nationals, with his two prior starts in the event providing two totally different results. Running the 2016 Slinger Nationals, Jones battled throughout the entire event with Matt Kenseth – the driver that he would ultimately replace at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018 — finishing in the runner-up position.Two seasons later, Jones would return to Slinger Speedway for the 2018 edition of the event, which would end before the halfway point due to engine troubles.
An additional point of interest to Jones’ choice to return to the Slinger Nationals this year, is the added benefit of winning the event, which includes an automatic berth into the Camping World SRX Series event at Slinger Speedway the following Saturday (July 10).
However, a representative from Richard Petty Motorsports told TobyChristie.com: “Jones’ first priority is with the NASCAR Cup Series event at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Currently, there is no ‘game plan’. This is an Erik Jones Racing event, and if he wins they do not have a plan to run the SRX event that we are aware of.”
