Can Erik Jones once more dance with 'The Lady In Black?'

Over the 74-year history of the Darlington Raceway, few drivers have successfully tangoed with “The Lady in Black.”

The lucky souls who have found their way to victory lane at NASCAR’s toughest track usually find it difficult to book another visit.

That’s not the case for Erik Jones, however, whose two Southern 500 wins make him a threat whenever the Cup Series visits NASCAR’s first superspeedway.

Jones and Legacy Motor Club may not have the speed or the resources of the top teams in the NASCAR Cup Series, but it was only two years ago that they broke through for a massive upset at Darlington.

That win in September of 2022 remains Jones’ third and most recent Cup Series victory, and since then, it’s been a tough road for both Jones and his team.

2023 saw a rebranding of Jones’ organization as a whole. Richard Petty’s team saw a number of mergers and name changes from the mid-2000s onward, and its rebranding to Legacy Motor Club in 2023 ushered in a new era for Jones and the No. 43 team.

Unfortunately, 2023 was a poor year for Jones on the racetrack. A mid-season announcement that the team would be leaving Chevrolet at the end of 2023 didn’t help, as any previously shared data would now be withheld.

A switch to Toyota in 2024 hasn’t helped the team’s results, however, and Darlington remains the final chance for both Jones and John Hunter Nemechek to win their way into the playoffs.

A back injury for Jones in April served as another hindrance, forcing the 28-year-old to miss the Cup Series events at Dover and Kansas.

The good news for Legacy Motor Club? Both of Jones’ Southern 500 wins came when Jones wasn’t considered a favorite. That’s the case again this year where, despite his past success at the track, his lack of speed has many fans doubting if he could pull another upset.

However, if there’s one thing the Darlington Raceway is exceptionally good at, it’s telling a story. A third Southern 500 triumph for Jones wouldn’t just break a winless streak of two seasons, but would also catapult the iconic No. 43 into the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the first time since 2014.