LONG POND, Pa. — Restarts get wild at Pocono Raceway. Sometimes, they get too wild.
That was the case between Corey LaJoie and Kyle Busch on a lap 121 restart in Sunday’s (July 14) NASCAR Cup Series race, as a blocking match between the two heading into turn 1 saw LaJoie spin Busch right into oncoming traffic; the resulting accident collected more than a half-dozen cars.
LaJoie got a great launch on the restart, and he immediately darted to the inside of Zane Smith past the start/finish line. LaJoie then set his sights on Busch, but the No. 8 car blocked, and the two made contact.
By this point the field was five-wide, and Busch held his line heading into turn 1 after the initial collision with the No. 7 car. Based on his onboard camera, LaJoie then appeared to turn right heading into the turn, which spun Busch into the grass and back up into traffic.
Both sides were heated on the radio following the collision. LaJoie and members of the No. 7 crew felt that Busch wrecked himself and blocked one too many times.
Busch’s car owner Richard Childress, meanwhile, went scorched earth on LaJoie following the incident.
Busch was out of the race and had the first opportunity to share his side of the story.
It was a side he chose not to share.
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” Busch said.
Busch later said that he saw LaJoie on his inside and that he was trying to keep him at bay.
“You have mirrors and cameras and everything else, so you try to get in front of the run that’s coming,” Busch said. “I was trying to get in front of that run, and sometimes, some [drivers] don’t lift. Kamikaze.”
When asked about the restart, LaJoie said that he had a run and that he didn’t want to be the guy stuck in the middle heading into turn 1.
“I got a big push from the No. 16 (AJ Allmendinger),” LaJoie said. “When you are 20th back there, it’s in the hornet’s nest and you’re seven-wide into [turn] 1. If you’re not the guy on the bottom, somebody else behind you is going to jam it in there and put you freaking middle, right?”
In regard to the contact with the No. 8 car, LaJoie said that he held the wheel straight and that Busch spun after trying to block him a second time.
“I had a bit of a run; No. 16 gave me a big shot,” LaJoie said. “I got to the left rear of the No. 8, and he blocked it once. And I just kind of held the wheel straight, and I was almost anticipating our bumpers kind of lining up and giving him a little bit of a shove. But when he blocked it the second time, it just turned him across my nose.”
And while he admitted that plenty of drivers would have hurt feelings following the incident, LaJoie remained adamant that nothing he did was overly aggressive.
“I’m sure he’s mad,” LaJoie said. “I’m sure there were guys that got caught up that were mad, but I didn’t feel like it was a bonehead move. I had a run, I got to the left rear, he blocked me twice and the second time he spun out.”
Stephen Stumpf is the NASCAR Content Director for Frontstretch and is a three-year veteran of the site. His weekly columns include “Stat Sheet” and “4 Burning Questions.” He also writes commentary, contributes to podcasts, edits articles and is frequently at the track for on-site coverage.
Can find on Twitter @stephen_stumpf.
The in-car camera looked like hard racing to me. I’m shocked it ruined Busch’s car though. Seems like the front and rear suspensions are made of glass.
Lajoie is a hack. What has he ever been successful in?
Wow. He’s had his moments.