Corey LaJoie's car flipped multiple times during a crash last weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Now, the veteran driver has provided a new look inside the cockpit.
LaJoie posted a video on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that showed him behind the wheel during Monday's rain-postponed race at the two-mile track. The camera angle showed LaJoie steering while racing Noah Gragson for position.
The video then showed the moments as the car flipped through the air and landed on its roof. The SAFER barrier could be seen in the background at one point in the video as the upside-down car made contact with it. The video then showed the moment when the No. 7 went into the infield grass and flipped again.
“Hey, can I ride in the passenger seat with you?” - fans pic.twitter.com/2Ahe9yvS67
— Corey LaJoie (@CoreyLaJoie) August 21, 2024
Numerous details stood out from this video. One is the amount of dirt that flew into the cockpit through the window net as the No. 7 slid into the infield grass. It briefly obscured the view before bouncing around as the No. 7 continued to flip.
The other prominent detail is how LaJoie prepared for contact with the grass. He let go of the steering wheel while sliding upside down. He then grabbed the visor of his helmet and held it closed for the remainder of the crash.
Shortly after posting the video on X, LaJoie went on SiriusXM's "On Track" to discuss the slow-motion video and his experience.
"It's almost like an out of body experience," LaJoie said about his crash. "I was like, 'Yep, I remember exactly that happening.' I wish I didn't have to.
"...It's never fun, especially because I hadn't gotten upside down from a go-kart all the way up until Talladega this year and now I'm one strike away from being out when it comes to flipping over a Cup car this year."
Photo credit: USA Network
NASCAR took LaJoie's car back to the R&D Center after Monday's race so that the car could undergo further evaluation.
NASCAR hasn't released any information regarding its findings, but LaJoie listed a potential cause for why his car flipped so easily.
He, like nine other drivers in the field, had the new lift system installed on his stock car that track crews can use to jack up the rear of the car two or three inches if there are flat tires.
"I have a theory -- I probably need to go to the R&D Center and just see if my theory might be accurate about those air jacks potentially letting the right-rear tire droop and the car getting up and getting to a platform where the lift-off speed is slower," LaJoie said.
"We haven't seen one flip like that by itself in a while."