Erik Jones Suffers Fractured Vertebra in Talladega Crash; Corey Heim Subbing for Legacy Motor Club

NASCAR driver Erik Jones suffered a fractured lower vertebra during Sunday’s Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, causing him to miss next weekend’s race at Dover Motor Speedway. Corey Heim will replace Jones behind the wheel of his No.43 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, co-owned by seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson who expressed that Jones’ long-term health is their top priority following the brutal crash in which he collided with John Hunter Nemechek and Bubba Wallace’s cars. After being released from the care center at Talladega, Jones reported pain to his back over team radios but has been discharged for further evaluation while Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman, Ty Gibbs, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, and Erik Jones raced during NASCAR’s Cup Series GEICO 500. At Talladega last Sunday, the fractured bone landed him in twenty place in Cup Series standings, leaving a break for recovery at home as doctors confirm his diagnosis of vertebrae damage following an accident with Nemechek and Bubba Wallace’s vehicles. Johnson affirmed that Jones will be present during Dover’s race day but would require sufficient time to recover fully before returning behind the wheel again, while Heim is set for a replacement drive at Legacy Motor Club’s #43 car this week as Jones rests his injury at home in Charlotte, North Carolina.