The Coke Zero Sugar 400 was always set to deliver high-octane drama, and it didn’t disappoint when chaos erupted on Lap 60 at Daytona International Speedway. In a heart-stopping moment, Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro made contact with Noah Gragson’s No. 10 Ford Mustang, triggering a catastrophic chain reaction. The track turned into a battlefield as over 16 cars were caught in the wreck, with an estimated four drivers who were entangled in the carnage, being forced to retire.

Among the casualties were big names like Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Preece, and Noah Gragson, all forced to bow out early, leaving fans in shock and disbelief.

Denny Hamlin pins blame for Daytona wreck

The multi-car collision came in the second stage of the race when LaJoie’s Chevy shoved the left rear of Gragson’s Ford. What followed was complete chaos, as Ross Chastain, John Hunter Nemechek, and Noah Gragson were seen flying all over the track, resulting in massive consequences throughout the grid. Points were won and lost because of that incident, changing the way the regular season championship and playoff battle will be approached at Darlington Raceway.

After being checked at the infield care center, Denny Hamlin was asked about his view regarding the incident that forced him to retire early. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver was surprisingly calm and went on to say, “Well, Stage 1 everyone was kind of going all out there because we’re inside that fuel window where we’re able to run 100% and get to the end of the stage. Then Stage 2, obviously a little fuel saving going on which causes a little stack up. Just seemed like some guys wanted to go, some guys didn’t and it just caused a little contact there.”

However, Hamlin also left little doubt about who he blamed for the accident at Coke Zero Sugar 400.

NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estepp uploaded a tweet after the collision that read, “Man…. don’t tell me the No. 7 [LaJoie] caused it,”  to which the 43-year-old racing veteran responded, “7 caused it.”.

Denny Hamlin’s frustrations are understandable; after all, he has been docked 75 points this week along with 10 playoff points after Toyota Racing Development dismantled his engine after the race win at Bristol. A DNF in the penultimate race of the season was the last thing he needed.

In contrast, Chase Elliott refused to point fingers at Corey LaJoie, claiming that he hadn’t seen the incident to be sure about what led to the multi-car collision. His No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro was forced to retire after sustaining heavy damage, which was the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s first DNF of the season so far. Elliott was ranked 2nd heading into the race at Daytona International Speedway, just 10 points behind leader Tyler Reddick. The result will undoubtedly be a major blow to his aspirations to finish as the regular season champion before the playoffs begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Fans express fury at Corey LaJoie for causing a multi-car wreck at Daytona

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Seeing some of their favorite drivers being forced to retire early because of the multi-car incident on Lap 60 left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths, and they didn’t hesitate to express their frustration towards Corey LaJoie on social media. The 32-year-old is without a Cup Series seat for next season, having been released by Spire Motorsports when results didn’t meet expectations.

Taking into account the role LaJoie played in the wreck, a fan highlighted it as the reason why he won’t find a seat for the 2025 season. The fan wrote on X, “Corey Lajoie YOU are NOT getting a ride next season”

Echoing that sentiment, another fan shared his views that LaJoie doesn’t have a future at NASCAR’s highest level. The fan wrote, “Corey Lajoie is A**!! GET OUT OF THE CUP SERIES!” The North Carolina native has already endured two DNFs in 25 races so far, and a fan cynically highlighted LaJoie’s inability to race cleanly without causing a wreck. Another fan wrote, “Corey Lajoie don’t cause a wreck challenge: Impossible”

A fan even vented out his anger at the Spire Motorsports driver, expressing some harsh words about his quality as a racer. The fan said, “Corey Lajoie should never drive a goddamn race car ever again!!!!! HES DOGS**T”.

Remembering LaJoie’s violent flip during the race at Michigan International Speedway, someone wrote, “Corey Lajoie strikes again”.

The race ended with the driver finishing 34th on the grid, his third-lowest finish in the Cup Series so far. However, all it takes is one lucky victory at Darlington to secure a place in the playoffs. While the probability of that happening is unlikely, stranger things have happened in NASCAR.

What are your thoughts about the multi-car wreck at Daytona International Speedway? Let us know in the comments!