“It’s going to trickle down”: Corey LaJoie points to domino effect from NASCAR’s potential changes for Talladega

Corey LaJoie recently discussed possible modifications to the Next Gen cars that NASCAR may implement, particularly for the upcoming race at Talladega next week. Following an incident where his #7 car went airborne and landed on its roof after spinning on the backstretch at Michigan, the 33-year-old mentioned that although decisions are yet to be finalized, he anticipates that minor adjustments suitable for Superspeedways could also influence tracks like Michigan or Bristol.

Corey LaJoie had been driving the #7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports since 2021 but he is now transitioning to Rick Ware Racing to pilot their #51 Ford starting from the Kansas race this Sunday.

According to Bob Pockrass, NASCAR is contemplating the addition of an air deflector on the right side of the windshield. In a conversation with a Fox Sports reporter, LaJoie shared insights on this development following the driver meeting, saying:

"They're really trying to chase and raise that lift off speed quite a bit and they think with that. They've seen in the data and the wind tunnel that it raises. Liftoff speeds like 40 miles an hour. It seemed as though drivers did not generally did not wait. I can make a concession and say, 'Okay, let's run these potentially, just at speedways'. But then again... It's going to trickle down everywhere else like we saw though- right side of rear windshield fin on a Bristol last week."

The most recent modifications to the Next Gen car were implemented in August 2024, just before the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona International Speedway. During that period, NASCAR introduced a new right-side rear-window air deflector designed to raise the liftoff speed during the initial phase of a spin, thereby reducing the likelihood of the car becoming airborne in order to the scary accidents on the Superspeedways.

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Corey LaJoie addresses Spire swap with Justin Haley

Corey LaJoie recently expressed his gratitude on his Stacking Pennies podcast, thanking Spire Motorsports and its owner Jeff Dickerson for their support as he transitions to Rick Ware Racing mid-season. He commented,

“Lot of grace from Spire and [Jeff] Dickerson to allow me to go do it. I think that them allowing me to go to the 51 helps me and my career progress, further it goes."

However, according to reports, Rick Ware Racing's Robby Benton has not committed to extending Corey LaJoie’s contract beyond the remainder of 2024. Benton noted that the upcoming seven-race stint with RWR will provide the team an opportunity to collaborate with LaJoie and evaluate the potential for a multi-year contract.

Corey LaJoie will enter the Kansas Speedway for the first race of the Round of 8 with an average finish of 25.2 of 15 starts.