The pursuit of excellence is a hallmark of NASCAR, the University of Arkansas and the College of Engineering, and they will all come together Friday, April 11, when TRICON driver Brandon Jones races under the U of A colors and iconic Razorbacks logos in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.

Brandon Jones is the son of College of Engineering alumnus JR Jones, a 1982 graduate in mechanical engineering, who generously donated Friday night’s series sponsorship. Jones is executive chairman and longtime CEO of Rheem Manufacturing, a world leader in water heating and HVAC equipment. He was inducted into the college’s Hall of Fame in 2019 and is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Mechanical Engineering and the college’s Founders’ Circle supporting strategic plan Vision 2035. 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.”

Coverage of the race begins at 6 p.m. CDT Friday, April 11, on Fox Sports 1, with racing at 6:30 p.m.

A full-time Xfinity Series driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, Brandon Jones is competing in the NASCAR Truck Series for seven events with TRICON Garage after his trophy winning truck race performance at Pocono Raceway in 2020. Jones captured a 12th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Forida on March 21 and is slated to return to the No. 1 entry for Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina, Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway.

Jones returned to Joe Gibbs Racing this season for the second time in his career, quickly capturing his sixth Xfinity Series win at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina 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.”

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 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. 

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.