“Wasn't good enough” - Corey LaJoie reflects on filling in for Chase Elliott and finishing P21

In Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300, Corey LaJoie, filling in for a suspended Chase Elliott, evaded multiple collisions to finish 21st in the overtime race at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The opportunity for LaJoie to step in for Elliott at Hendrick Motorsports was a major break, but it did not go as planned. A power problem on the opening lap signaled the start of a difficult day for LaJoie. He had repeated setbacks and was never able to gain track position in the No. 9.

LaJoie spoke to Fox's Bob Pockrass after the race, stating that he wasn't satisfied with his performance.

"Yeah, it was just a tough day. It's a tough situation. These guys are pros...wasn't good enough this weekend...I would like to think that I would love to drive a better race car better than that this weekend, wouldn't say it's embossing but I got work to do..." he said

After hitting the wall in qualifying, LaJoie began 30th. Throughout the three-flag race, he alternated between the 24th and 28th spots. The first flag was for a one-hour-45-minute lightning delay. The second involved clearing the track of debris, and the third involved fixing the SAFER barrier at turn one.

Elliott returns to Sonoma Raceway in his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet while LaJoie will return to his No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

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“It’s been a wild week" - Corey LaJoie

Corey LaJoie drove Chase Elliott's No. 9 car at World Wide Technology Raceway after NASCAR suspended Elliott for one race for crashing into Denny Hamlin during last week's Coca-Cola 600. This enabled LaJoie to drive in the greatest machinery of his career, a Cup Series car.

Working with Elliott's crew gave Corey LaJoie a firsthand understanding of what makes Hendrick Motorsports so successful.

"I thought that I knew what we didn’t have at Spire Motorsports, but I had no idea, there’s tools that those guys have, intellectual properties specific to Hendrick Motorsports, that even some of the other teams don’t have," he said.

LaJoie spoke further about his "wild week."

"It’s been a wild week, I can get all sentimental … (about) my dad subbing in for Ricky Craven in 1998 (for Hendrick Motorsports) and all that sort of stuff. But at the end of the day, when I sit in that thing, I don’t know that NAPA is on it, or the No. 9 is on it," he said.

Corey LaJoie's experience with Elliott's crew is sure to benefit him when he returns to his Spire Motorsports Chevrolet following the race at St.Louis.