Corey Lajoie Tag

By Matt Weaver, Special Contributor The NASCAR industry is an especially reactive one. For ways both good and bad, it knee jerks to everything from safety matters (generally good) to the (mixed results) endless competition related conversations across the ether on a weekly basis. This season alone has seen the last-minute knee-jerk to a lower downforce configuration for short tracks and road courses, following a winter banning the ‘Hail Melon’ and incorporating a universal choose rule. No motorsports sanctioning body in the world is as reactive to its competitors and audienceRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Atlanta Motor Speedway has become a NASCAR Cup Series venue Corey LaJoie can shine on a regular basis. Since the 1.5-mile circuit became a superspeedway last year, the Spire Motorsports driver has become a frequent contender for strong results. More so, being in the hunt for the win when it mattered most. Although LaJoie’s No. 7 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro didn’t lead a single lap compared to 19 laps last summer when he was two laps away from victory, he improved his career-best Cup result of fifthRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor After a three-week stint out west, the NASCAR Cup Series is much closer to home this weekend as it heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second superspeedway race of the season – Sunday’s Ambetter Health 400. Atlanta’s aging racing surface, which had been in place since 1997, held together as long as possible, but the 260 laps around the 1.5-mile track in July 2021 were the last on that particular surface as the track underwent a repave and reconfiguration for the 2022 season. The 24-degreeRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor HAMPTON, Ga. – They knew he was here. While the final rundown shows the No. 7 Chevrolet in 21st place, that doesn’t tell the whole story of the run by Corey Lajoie and Spire Motorsports on Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After finishing fifth at the track back in March, Lajoie was confident they could be a factor again this time around, even starting deep in the field in 30th place. By the end of the second stage, Lajoie had worked his way into the top-10Read More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service HAMPTON, Ga. – It was superspeedway racing with all the trimmings. “New” Atlanta Motor Speedway produced a fifth different 2022 winner—William Byron, who managed to keep an angry pack of drafting cars behind him for the final 10 laps of Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. In a race that produced 46 lead changes among 20 drivers—both track records—Byron crossed the finish line .109 seconds ahead of Christopher Bell and .145 seconds ahead of Ross Chastain. Bell, however, was penalized for passing below the boundaryRead More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor INDIANAPOLIS – Throughout Sunday’s Verizon 200 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, the curbing in Turn 6 was a point of concern, but when a debris caution set up a late race restart, those concerns took a drastic turn for the worse. After taking a pounding from the heavy stock cars and undergoing repairs during every caution, it was only a matter of time before the compromised curbing caused a major issue and a restart with five laps remaining in regulation became the tipping point.Read More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service In a stunning upset at the end of an action-filled, rain-interrupted Daytona 500, Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series victory after charging into the lead during a brutal multicar wreck in Turn 3 on the final lap. “I can’t believe it,” McDowell said. “I’ve got to thank God. So many years of just grinding it out, hoping for an opportunity like this. I’ve got to thank (team owner) Bob Jenkins for giving me this opportunity. I’m so thankful. Read More

By David Morgan, Associate Editor Storming toward the finish line in last year’s running of the Daytona 500, it was anyone’s guess on who would be hoisting the Harley J. Earl trophy as the victor. Suddenly, that was the least of worries for all those in attendance at the World Center of Racing when a violent crash broke out, sending Ryan Newman to the hospital and leaving fellow drivers worried about the fate of their comrade. Thankfully, Newman was released from the hospital a couple of days later, walking out handRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Corey LaJoie confirmed Friday on his private Twitter account that after two seasons with Go Fas Racing, he’ll be pursuing other options after the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series campaign. The 28-year-old Cup veteran said that while he felt its time to find a more competitive ride to better strengthen his value in the sport, the decision was mutual and will remain grateful being a part of the No. 32 Ford Mustang squad. “I’m sure most of you have seen the silly season news regarding the mutualRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer Alex “Bowman the Showman” ekes out Corey LaJoie by just 0.036 seconds in an entertaining GEICO 70 at virtual Talladega Superspeedway Sunday. It was no doubt quite the day for Bowman as his road towards victory had many bumps along the way. Not only he was collected in the big one on Lap 16, but also had to save fuel heading into overtime. Those thoughts were thrown out the window LaJoie turned race leader Ty Dillon coming to the tri-oval for the final time in theRead More