Erik Jones cleared to return by NASCAR but will sit out Kansas race after back injury at Talladega

By The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Erik Jones was cleared by doctors and approved to return by NASCAR on Thursday, but his Legacy Motor Club team will hold him out of this weekend’s race at Kansas Speedway to allow him more time to recover from his crash at Talladega. Jones sustained a compression fracture in a lower vertebra during the wreck. Corey Heim will drive the No. 43 Toyota in Sunday’s race. Jones plans to be in attendance at Kansas and help crew chief Dave Elenz before returning to the driver’s seat at Darlington Raceway, where he has two NASCAR Cup Series victories.