Alumnus JR Jones Puts College of Engineering and Iconic Razorback Logo in Spotlight for Friday Night Event
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (April 7, 2025) – The pursuit of excellence, a hallmark of NASCAR, TRICON Garage (TRICON), the University of Arkansas and the College of Engineering will all come together Friday, April 11, when TRICON driver Brandon Jones races under the University of Arkansas colors and iconic Razorback logo in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
Brandon Jones, twenty-eight, son of College of Engineering alumnus JR Jones, a 1982 graduate in mechanical engineering will pilot TRICON’s No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in the famous Bristol night race. Jones’ sponsorship donation to the University of Arkansas continues his support of the College of Engineering’s pursuit of excellence and the University’s strategic plan: Vision 2035.
JR Jones was inducted into the college’s Hall of Fame in 2019, is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Mechanical Engineering and the college’s Founders’ Circle. He is an emeritus member of the college’s Dean’s Advisory Council.
“We’re all thrilled that Brandon will be representing the College of Engineering and the University of Arkansas, and we’ll be cheering for him to take the checkered flag and come home safe,” said Kim Needy, dean of the College of Engineering. “JR is a longtime friend of the college, and we appreciate this high-profile way of sharing the message that Brandon, NASCAR, the college and university share the characteristics of champions.”
The full-time Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Xfinity Series driver is competing in the Truck Series for seven events with TRICON Garage after his trophy winning truck race performance at Pocono in 2020. Jones captured a 12th-place finish at Homestead-Miami (FL) Speedway on March 21 and is slated to return to the No. 1 entry for Rockingham (NC) Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Pocono (PA) Raceway.
Jones returned to JGR this season for the second time in his career quickly capturing his sixth Xfinity Series win at Darlington (SC) Raceway last Saturday. The Georgia native is now well positioned to secure a seventh career Xfinity Series playoff appearance in his 10th full-time season in the series.
“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel with TRICON and Toyota at Bristol,” said Brandon Jones. “It’s one of my favorite tracks, and I’m grateful for this opportunity. What makes this race even more meaningful is having the University of Arkansas College of Engineering on board as my sponsor. My dad is an alum, and we have deep family roots in Arkansas. I was lucky enough to grow up in the area, so representing U of A this weekend is something I’m really proud of.”
Since making his NXS debut in 2015, Jones has built a reputation on consistency and competitiveness as along with his six victories, he has scored 41 top-fives, 120 top-10s, 12 pole awards and 942 laps led across his over 300 starts in the series. In Jones’ first stint with JGR from 2018 to 2022, the 28-year-old earned playoff appearances in all five seasons with the team including a career-best finish of sixth in the championship standings in 2020, a season in which he also scored a career-high three victories.
The truck race from Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 on Friday, April 11 at 7:30 P.M. ET, with radio coverage provided by the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
About TRICON Garage
TRICON Garage is a professional racing organization fielding five full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entries. Serving as the flagship Truck Series partner of Toyota Racing Development, the team plays an integral role in the NASCAR development ladder. Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, TRICON has quickly established itself as the premier home for cultivating the next generation of motorsports industry professionals. Actively involved in three different industries – racing, fabrication and transportation, the team operates out of three buildings totaling 60,000 square feet.
About the University of Arkansas
As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.
About the College of Engineering
The University of Arkansas College of Engineering is the state’s largest engineering school, offering graduate and undergraduate degrees, online studies and interdisciplinary programs. It enrolls nearly 4,500 students and employs more than 150 faculty and researchers. Its research enterprise generated $46 million in new research awards and $48 million in research expenditures in Fiscal 2024. The college’s strategic plan, Vision 2035, seeks to build the premier STEM workforce in accordance with three key objectives: Initiating lifelong student success, generating transformational and relevant knowledge, and becoming the destination of choice among educators, students, staff, industry, alumni and the community. As part of this, the college is increasing graduates and research productivity to expand its footprint as an entrepreneurial engineering platform serving Arkansas and the world. The college embraces its pivotal role in driving economic growth, fueling innovation and educating the next generation of engineers, computer scientists and data scientists to address current and future societal challenges.
About University Advancement
University Advancement advances the mission of the University of Arkansas by raising private gift support from alumni, friends, parents, foundations, corporations, and other institutional supporters. Working in philanthropic partnership with academic leaders and volunteers, Advancement team members are determined to advance the people, work, and impact of the greater whole at the University of Arkansas.
Source: TRICON Garage
