"I don't like to get upside down" - Corey LaJoie speaks out after harrowing flip at Michigan

NASCAR driver Corey LaJoie's car flipped on the backstretch while he was making a pass on Noah Gragson at the FireKeepers Casino 400 in Michigan. LaJoie's car flipped and slid on the asphalt before reaching the grass.

This marked the second flip of NASCAR's Michigan weekend, following a similar incident involving Kyle Sieg during Saturday's Xfinity race. LaJoie, running on the inside line, made contact with Gragson's left rear, sending the #7 Chevrolet airborne. The car flipped onto its roof, skidded across the asphalt and then hit the grass, triggering a barrel roll before finally coming to a stop.

Here's a look at the incident posted by NASCAR on X (formerly Twitter):

Corey LaJoie was able to safely pull down the net on his car window and make his way out. After returning from the infield care center, LaJoie shared his thoughts on the harrowing incident via an interview with Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass.

"I don't know if it was all arms of an angel or what it was, but that thing was up quick. Looking at the flags, that was into a headwind too, so maybe that. The liftoff speed I think was like 210mph with these cars. I don't know, I don't like to get upside down, I've done it twice this year," LaJoie said.

LaJoie has had a season full of struggles, continuously clocking in finishes outside of the top ten. Spire Motorsports announced their split with LaJoie during the Olympic break, leaving him without a seat for the 2025 season.

Corey LaJoie is a third-generation racer. He is currently P29 in the Cup Series driver standings with 327 points. His playoff chances this season are next to impossible and the #7 driver might have to settle for a move down NASCAR's ladder.

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Denny Hamlin suggests Corey LaJoie should make a move to the lower series and regain his confidence

Joe Gibbs Racing's #11 driver Denny Hamlin urged Corey LaJoie to join either the Xfinity or the Truck Series following his split from Spire Motorsports.

LaJoie has been at Spire for the last few seasons. However, the team is looking to find replacements for LaJoie for their #7 car from 2025 onwards.

In a recent episode of the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin suggested that LaJoie should move down to NASCAR's lower divisions. He said:

“It’s unfortunate for Corey. I understand why Spire made the decision, right? They felt like, you know, this is a performance-based business, and the performance hasn’t been what they hoped." [1:09:42]

“So, I think this is an opportunity for him to go back down, I think he should go back down a series or two, and win. It worked for John Hunter Nemechek, for him to build his legitimacy back up into the sport. Cole Custer. You know, both Cole Custer and John Hunter are both going to get back an opportunity in the Cup Series, but you’ve got to do it. You gotta show these people that you can win," Hamlin added. [1:11:36]