Bildnummer: 15007132 Datum: 10.11.2013 Copyright: imago/Icon SMI November 10, 2013: Kyle Busch, driver of the 18 M&MÕs Toyota (L) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. , driver of the 88 National Guard Chevrolet take a lap around the track before the 26th Annual AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, AZ. AUTO: NOV 10 NASCAR Motorsport USA – Sprint Cup Series – AdvoCare 500 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxONLY Icon466131110618500; Motorsport USA Nascar xcb x0x 2013 quer Image number 15007132 date 10 11 2013 Copyright imago Icon Smi November 10 2013 Kyle Busch Driver of The 18 Toyota l and Dale Earnhardt JR Driver of The 88 National Guard Chevrolet Take A Lap around The Track Before The 26th Annual Advocare 500 AT Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale AZ Car Nov 10 Nascar motor aviation USA Sprint Cup Series Advocare 500 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxONLY motor aviation USA Nascar x0x 2013 horizontal
Last to last weekend at the Martinsville Speedway, there was a coming together between Kyle Busch and Corey LaJoie. Busch was obviously unimpressed with LaJoie’s antics. In fact, he called the #7 driver a “pain in the d**k” and just like that, a new rivalry was born. Corey LaJoie didn’t make things better when he openly admitted on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio that his contact was intentional. Now, NASCAR spotter Brett Griffin has highlighted one big issue related to this.
Talking about Lajoie’s comments, Griffin mentioned on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, “I will assume that the integrity of the penalty is being looked at for over the course of the past week. We go back to Bubba Wallace, who was fined for saying he wrecked someone on purpose.
“You got fined for what you said, not what you did. Denny got fined and points for what he said, not what he did. So prove to me—I like Corey LaJoie a lot—I think he’s lost his f**king mind right here.”
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Should Corey LaJoie have been penalized like Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin?
In an ideal world, for the sake of consistency, LaJoie would have been hauled up after the confession. After all, it happened to Bubba Wallace and more recently, Denny Hamlin. So it was pretty surprising that LaJoie appeared to get away scot-free, even after his confession.
Griffin continued, “You’re literally two weeks removed from a guy losing points and money. Then you’re going to turn around and publicly say, that you did it on purpose? Trying to do this outcome.
“I said it on this show. I feel like, one of the reasons Denny got hammered was because he has a podcast. Guess I should have said, a podcast owned by Dirty Mo Media, because Corey LaJoie also has a podcast. His podcast is owned by who? NASCAR. So if he gets away with this, then I want a podcast on NASCAR. Then I can go say whatever I want.”
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However, while fans and experts talked about the Busch-Lajoie controversy all week long, Busch himself was busy preparing for Talladega—and it did not go in vain.
Kyle Busch managed to redeem himself on Sunday at Talladega
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The good news for Busch is that he made up for his disappointing and controversial Martinsville race. To be precise, he roared to his second win of the season at the Talladega Superspeedway, which is also his first at the superspeedway since 2008. This win has affirmed that the #8 Richard Childress Racing driver is one of the favorites this season. Whether this could spell a third Cup Series title and a first one with a new team, is anybody’s guess.
WATCH THIS STORY: “Condolences to His Family”: NASCAR Community Continues to Show Support After Tragic Death of Ken Block; Ross Chastain, Kurt Busch, Corey LaJoie and Others React