Heading into the race two weeks ago in Kentucky, Erik Jones was in 17th, 13 points out of the playoff standings. But, as we head into Sunday’s Gander RV 400 at the Pocono Raceway, Jones is now 28 points to the good. He’s made up 41 points in two weeks as he went from a driver worrying about not just making the playoffs in 2019, but his future too, to now being solidly into the field.

That has Jones feeling really good about his chances moving forward.

“We can definitely get more aggressive with that gap,” Jones said following his third place finish last weekend in New Hampshire. “We’re getting close there to having almost a race on them; if we can have a couple more good weeks we’ll be there. Pocono is a good one.”

Jones, now makes a lot of sense to win this weekend’s race at the Tricky Triangle. We’ve had seven straight different winners on the season. The last four of those seven winners have been first time winners in 2019. Jones, can push it to five straight. Here’s why.

Jones, is arguably one of the hottest drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series right now. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has two straight third place finishes and was third in the June race at Pocono. Furthermore, Jones has five top eight finishes in his last seven starts on the season and four in five career tries on the Tricky Triangle as well.

That makes him a prime candidate to reach victory lane on Sunday afternoon.

Also, just look at those around him. Even if he doesn’t win, as long as he finishes strong like he’s been, he should pull further ahead.

Kyle Larson (+31) has three top five finishes in his last five starts on the season to go along with a runner-up in June of 2018. But, he has three finishes of 23rd or worse in his last four starts on the season.

Ryan Newman (+21) has five top 10 finishes in his last six starts on the season in his No. 6 Ford. He finished eighth in this very race last year but that was his lone top 10 in his last nine Pocono starts. 

Clint Bowyer (+17) has just one top 10 finish in his last six starts – 35th, 11th, 37th, 34th, 6th and 20th respectively on the season. He did finish fifth this past June but that his last top five on the year. He has two top 10 finishes in his last five Pocono starts.

Daniel Suarez (-17) has been good at Pocono (second, eighth last two starts) but not so much on the season with finishes of 17th, 24th, 40th, 8th and 19th respectively over the last five races.

Jimmie Johnson (-17) has just one top five finish in Pocono since his win in June 2013. He also has just three top five finishes all season with his last two finishes being 30th in each race.

Paul Menard’s (-60) only win came on a 2.5-mile track at Indy several years ago, but he has just one top 10 finish in his career at Pocono as that came back in 2012. He has also failed to score a top 10 finish in the last 11 races on the season. 

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Austin Dillon have both struggled with no top 10 finishes in their careers in Pocono and both having not been top 10 contenders for much of the season.

So, Pocono is a place where Jones could make up even more points.