Corey LaJoie Hunting for Atlanta Redemption After “Inexperienced” Fumble Benefited Chase Elliott

Spire Motorsports has come a long way from being a small team. The organization has ballooned into a force to be reckoned with, especially after filling the shoes of Kyle Busch Motorsports. They have moved into a new race shop, enhanced partnerships, added engineering, and so forth. Their bright and talented driver Corey LaJoie might just answer their racing prayers this year. But he has got a tough competitor: Chase Elliott.

Corey LaJoie came off an impressive 4th-place finish at the Daytona 500. The 3rd generation racer is eager to show off his drafting prowess after enrolling at two difficult superspeedways- Daytona and Atlanta. But the upcoming Atlanta race is dominating his mind at the moment. LaJoie had a close shave to victory on the same track two years ago, when Chase Elliott outsmarted him.

LaJoie hoping to snatch the Atlanta crown from Chase Elliott

Corey LaJoie is heading into the Ambetter Health 400 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway with his head held high. The 2022 fiasco saw him leading 19 laps before Chase Elliott eliminated him with a bump-and-run before seizing the checkered flag. But Lajoie is optimistic about this year.

In a recent interview with Fox, LaJoie shared his high hopes. “I don’t think any situation is the same. The characters and the players and the point of the racetrack, how much run you have will never be the same.”

LaJoie hinted at Elliott’s aggression to which he fell prey. “I have relived that lap, couple of years ago here at Atlanta when I tried to get to Chase’s right rear…it was probably like a one-half step over the line of what would not be considered dirty. But nonetheless, he did what he had to do to win.”

Yet LaJoie also admitted the gap in experience that may have hindered him from a career-first win. “You know, with the experience here at Speedways, there are things that I’m gonna do different. Preferably be the one in front. It’s much easier to defend than be on the offensive on the last lap.”

In 2022, Atlanta witnessed wrecks that sealed LaJoie’s fate. Toward the end of the race, a major crash entangled Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, and Joey Logano, which led to a restart. Then with three laps to go, right when LaJoie got a good lead, Elliott turned up. The latter cut him off, and LaJoie had nowhere to go except smashing the outside wall.

Now Chase Elliott is also approaching the Atlanta race with high hopes, considering that it is on his home turf.

Chase Elliott is harnessing confidence from his hometown

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Chase Elliott carved out a special place in his family album when he won the Atlanta race in 2022. He and his father, Bill Elliott, are the only Georgia-born drivers to win at Atlanta. The only other father-son duo to achieve glory at the 1.54-mile track are Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 

After snagging the trophy, Elliott expressed his homely sentiment. “To win at your home track is a really big deal for any race car driver,” Elliott said. “This is obviously home for me, and home for a lot of great fans who made a lot of noise for me today.”

Read More: Grateful Chase Elliott Tips the Hat for NASCAR’s Decision to Uphold the Olympic Break

Recently he reiterated his emotions while speaking to Alex Weaver, NASCAR host and reporter. “You know a guy wins his home track it was always like a neat thing to witness and watch. I didn’t have the family at the track but got to go home and hang out with some friends.”

The Atlanta race may witness another dramatic face-off between Corey LaJoie and Chase Elliott. Who do you think will take home this year’s trophy?