That didn’t take long. The United Rentals 300 has gotten off to a controversial start. Like Friday night’s Truck Series race, a multi-car wreck occurred at Daytona International Speedway during the commercial break in the Xfinity Series opener. In Lap 5, Brandon Jones got turned right from the bottom lane after making contact with Jesse Love, which caused a domino effect, sending him into Carson Kvapil before slamming into the wall.

Early wrecks were inevitable, as every driver was hoping to quickly gain track positions in the season opener. However, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones was particularly unlucky in the Xfinity Series season opener.

Early drama at Daytona International Speedway

The Xfinity Series season has officially begun. Controversies were inevitable at Daytona International Speedway, especially because every driver was hoping to hit the ground running at the 2.5-mile oval. However, few predicted there would be drama as early as Lap 5 when Brandon Jones got loose after the No. 20 Toyota Supra’s right rear made contact with Jesse Love’s No. 2 Chevy Camaro. The incident resulted in Jones losing control of his car, and with the grid running two-wide, it caused a chain reaction in the race.

Unfortunately, JR Motorsports’ rookie Connor Zilisch along with Harrison Burton, Brennan Poole, and Daniel Dye, were caught in the crossfire, with all their cars suffering damage to varying degrees. It’s not surprising to see a ‘Big One’ so early in the 120-lap race, as every driver was hoping to gain track positions early on to maintain their advantage at the United Rentals 300.

Despite six drivers being involved, it looks like Brandon Jones and Daniel Dye suffered the most damage. Both the racers were forced to retire early because of the Lap 5 incident, a gutting start to their Xfinity Series season. Meanwhile, Brennan Poole, who qualified for the race in 18th place, managed to escape an early retirement, but the No. 44 Chevy had a heavily damaged hood which resulted in debris falling on the track, bringing about a second caution after 20 laps.

The United Rentals 300 is living up to the expectations when it comes to the drama and controversy that befits a season-opener. With the stakes high and the anticipation even higher, drivers and teams were hoping to channel their competitive spirit to get a result at one of the most iconic venues in the motorsports world. Victory at the United Rentals 300 does not only give bragging rights but automatically secures a playoff spot. With the season just beginning, it’s an advantage every team would want to have to ease the pressure.

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Jones disappointed after being forced to retire early

Expectations were high from Brandon Jones. Why would they not be? The Toyota driver competes for a top-tier organization such as Joe Gibbs Racing and managed to finish inside the ninth at Daytona International Speedway in last year’s season-opener. He also ended the 2024 BetMGM 300 as runner-up at Charlotte Motor Speedway, highlighting his racing prowess on superspeedways. However, his season has begun on a less-than-ideal note, and the 27-year-old couldn’t help but express his disappointment.

Sharing his thoughts about the Lap 5 incident with Jesse Love, Jones candidly said, “It’s unfortunate, that’s way too early to get out of this race. The momentum got choked up in the bottom lane and tried to back out and avoid getting into our teammates, it’s just not a good place to get pushed off the corner.”

While finishing rock-bottom at Daytona International Speedway wasn’t exactly what he had in mind going into the season-opener, it’s a reality the racer is being forced to accept under the circumstances. However, the No. 20 Toyota driver will look to make amends at Atlanta Motor Speedway next week to get his 2025 campaign up and running. In a sport defined by fine margins, setbacks are an inevitable reality for NASCAR drivers. It remains to be seen if Jones bounces back in the weeks ahead, or wilts under the pressure going forward.