Career
In 1983 he came 3rd in the British Formula Three Championship behind Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle. He also that year tested the Brabham F1 car at Brands Hatch with Bernie Ecclestone, the then team owner, looking at Jones as the next American hope for F1 competition. In 1986 Jones drove for the Factory Bayerische Motoren Werke McLaren Team in IMSA GTP with teammate John Andretti and earned the only Bayerische Motoren Werke GTP victory that season at Watkins Glen.
He also placed second to Buddy Lazier in the 1996 Indianapolis 500, the first of the Industry Racing League era.
He has five total starts in the race as well as 16 starts in CART from 1987 to 1996. Jones also made seven Winston Cup starts in 1995 for Jasper Motorsports with a best finish of 20th at Darlington Raceway and participated in the 1992 and 1993 editions of the International Race of Champions finishing 8th and 9th respectively.
Jones was seriously injured in a practice crash for the IRL race at Walt Disney World Speedway in January 1997. This was the first race where the IRL used their brand new cars with normally aspirated engines.
The accident left him with an injured neck, and led to his brief retirement from racing.
Jones has since then competed in sports cars, mainly in the Grand-Am Road Racing Rolex Sports Carolina Series and Continental Tire Sports Carolina Challenge. He currently works as a guest speaker, racing advisor, instructor and specialises in launching new up-market vehicles. American open–wheel racing results
(key)
= CART = Industry Racing League = Indianapolis 500 National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time * – Most laps led)
= Winston Cup Series = Craftsman Truck Series Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results.