NASCAR

NASCAR Xfinity Series Fans Respond To Brandon Jones Shedding Self-Doubt, Earning Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200 At Darlington Raceway

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By
Jeff Hawkins
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Jeff Hawkins Sports Editor

Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  

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Published05 Apr 2025

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xfinity brandon jones burns out at darlington (1)

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Brandon Jones faced self-doubt over the past several seasons. 

Winless in 98 consecutive starts, Jones heard critics attempt to dissect his skillset. Was he good enough? Jones answered his nay-sayers Saturday with a commanding performance at Darlington Speedway, claiming the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help A Hero 200. 

“All for my confidence,” Jones told CW, noting he wanted to reach “people who said I wasn’t capable of doing it.”  

Jones opened Saturday on the outside pole and raced with the lead pack for most of the event, maintaining pace with three Cup Series regulars: pole-sitter Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, and Ross Chastain. Elliott, who finished P2 in his lone Xfinity starts this season, was unable to overtake Jones over the final 13 laps. 

“This is huge,” Jones said. “We’re going to celebrate this big. 

“This race team has had it coming for a long time.”  

Xfinity points leader Justin Allgaier earned a P3. 

“I got to where I wanted to and I was just tight there,” Elliott said. “I couldn’t turn and finally started to turn a little better and started making some time on him with two or three to go, at that point, we were just out of time. It was a crazy day, a lot going on.” 

X (Twitter) users responded to Jones visiting Victory Lane for the first time since April 2022 at Martinsville and celebrating his second career win at Darlington …  

The Xfinity start at Darlington … 

Bell controled the early stages, but Jeb Burton utilized tire strategy rallied from a 14th starting position to overtake Allgaier on Lap 39 and claim the Stage 1 win …

Back in front during Stage 2, Allgaier extended his lead to 4.03 seconds over Christian Eckes. He went on to secure the 10 stage points …

A late victim last Saturday at Martinsville, Taylor Gray spun out after getting bumped by Daniel Dye. (Sammy Smith was nowhere close to the action this time.) The incident allowed the pack to catch up to Allgaier … 

After Chastain ran down Allgaier along Turn 1 and cleared what appeared to be one of the race’s top machines two turns later on Lap 100, Bell started closing in. Chastain and Bell eventually made contact and Jones took advantage of the opportunity … 

Jones made his own victorious contact …