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Erik Jones wins Xfinity race at Bristol

 
Published April 23, 2017

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Erik Jones claimed the tail end of back-to-back Xfinity series victories Saturday, at both Bristol Motor Speedway and on the season.

Jones also won at Texas Motor Speedway on April 8 and was the defending race winner at Bristol from last year.

With 20 laps remaining, Jones moved Ryan Blaney out of the lead to take over the top spot in Saturday's Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 that had a lengthy interruption for rain.

He later had to hold off Blaney on a three-lap shootout at the finish to earn the eighth Xfinity win of his career.

"Man, we were racing hard," Jones said. "I didn't know whether we had a winning car or not. It was a race I won't forget for a long time. It was just an awesome day for us."

Blaney finished second, the same result he has had in all three Xfinity races he has entered.

The race had some offtrack excitement when Ross Chastain and Jeremy Clements had a confrontation on pit road during the rain stoppage. Clements appeared to approach Chastain from behind to initiate a discussion, but when he grabbed Chastain, the driver turned and punched Clements. "Somebody grabbed me … and kind of pushed me," Chastain said. "I just turned around and saw who it was. I hope he realizes now that he can talk, we can talk, but you can't grab someone by the shoulders. That happened before and I said right then I wouldn't let it happen again."

INDYCAR: Will Power claimed the pole for the fourth time for today's Grand Prix of Alabama in Birmingham.