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Fans Gang Up on Notorious Corey LaJoie, Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott Kicked Off Daytona
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.
Fans express fury at Corey LaJoie for causing a multi-car wreck at Daytona
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. Writing on X (formerly known as Twitter), the fan said, “Corey Lajoie don’t cause a wreck challenge: Impossible”
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.
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 which read, “Man…. don’t tell me the No. 7 [LaJoie] caused it”, to which the 43-year-old racing veteran responded by saying, “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 that 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 in his aspirations to finish as the regular season champion before the playoffs begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
A former Ferrari engineer has criticised the decision to bring in Lewis Hamilton and thinks the Brit’s presence will mean “a lot of potential for drama”.
At the age of 40, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton will form a formidable driver partnership with Charles Leclerc. His big switch comes at the expense of Carlos Sainz, who has performed well for the Italian squad but who was axed so they had room for their blockbuster new signing.
But not everyone of a Ferrari persuasion is convinced that it will go well. Ernest Knoors, who spent many years as an engineer at Maranello, specialising in power units, worries that Hamilton’s presence could do more harm than good for a team that is finding its groove under Frederic Vasseur.
“A big name like Hamilton also brings a lot of politics and if politics within Ferrari are not managed well, then there is a lot of potential for drama,” he told Formule1.nl. “Hamilton has the tendency that if things do not work out, he turns his whole car upside down and starts experimenting.
“Ferrari believes very much in the big personalities and will follow him. But Hamilton is just someone you have to guide a little bit and not give the freedom to rebuild the whole car, because then it will go completely wrong. So I do not know if it is such a smart move, but of course it is nice for the sport.”
News of Hamilton’s planned move broke on February 1, coinciding with football’s Transfer Deadline Day. That the back pages of many newspapers were dominated by the decision of Hamilton to swap Mercedes for Ferrari was testament to the magnitude of the announcement.
Sainz was not surprised as he had been informed by his team of the plan ahead of it being made public. But the Spaniard responded well with two victories to date this season and five further appearances on the podium, on the way to what looks likely to be a fifth-placed finish in the championship – two spots and 54 points ahead of Hamilton.
Sainz has signed for Williams next year and, after several years of running at the front of the grid, will focus on his new challenge of helping restore one of the grid’s most historic teams to its former glory. But Knoors believes he should have been kept on by Ferrari instead.
The Dutchman added: “I see Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari more as a PR move. With all due respect, Hamilton is not going to take that Ferrari from P6 to P1. He will get the most out of it, but what Ferrari has to do is make that car faster. And if you make that car faster, you can easily drive at the front with the current line-up.
“Besides, as a team you have to look further on the horizon. If Hamilton becomes champion in the coming years, he and Ferrari will become immortal. But if you want to build a team with talent for the next five years, are you going to build on Hamilton? No, because he will really be finished after two or three years. That is why I would have kept the very strong line-up that Ferrari has now.”
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Chase Elliott had a front-row seat for one of NASCAR’s most bizarre moments of the 2024 Cup Series season. At the start of Stage 2, the pace car dove onto pit road in front of Elliott; however, it was a tad too late. The pace car made contact with the sand barrels at the entry of pit road and caused a red flag for cleanup.
Initially, there was some speculation on the NBC Sports broadcast, even from the No. 9 team, that Elliott made contact with the pace car. Fortunately, the pace car didn’t slide across the No. 9 car’s nose, but it undoubtedly provided one of NASCAR’s craziest red flag moments in recent memory.
Below, you can listen to Elliott and the No. 9 team react to the pace car crashing into the sand barrels on pit road at Phoenix during Championship Weekend!
Reflecting on the recent retirement of 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt didn’t mince words about the toll NASCAR takes on its drivers. Speaking candidly, the two-time Daytona 500 winner admitted that the pressure to perform every week left him feeling miserable for most of his racing career—a sentiment he believes is shared by many of his peers.
“Right or wrong, racing made me a miserable person 90% of the time,” Earnhardt confessed. “And him too. I mean, ask Kyle Busch, ask anybody—unless you’re winning, you’re not happy.”
For these elite drivers, the sport is a relentless grind. A podium finish might bring temporary relief, but anything short of victory is often a source of frustration. The immense effort poured into preparation and execution rarely feels like it pays off unless the checkered flag is theirs.
Earnhardt highlighted the mental toll of falling short, explaining how the relentless focus on winning can overshadow the joy of simply competing. Even a solid performance feels hollow compared to the euphoria of a win.
“Unless you’re winning, you’re not happy at all,” he said. “You’re okay with a good run, but for the most part, all the effort it takes just to run good—it doesn’t weigh out.”
For drivers, the stakes are sky-high every week. Sponsors, fans, and teams demand nothing less than excellence, leaving little room for error or personal satisfaction in anything less than a dominant performance.
Earnhardt also shared insights into his friendship with Martin Truex Jr., who recently announced his retirement. While the two often spend time hunting together during NASCAR’s off-season, Earnhardt noted that the stress of racing even creeps into their leisure activities.
“When I’m with him during hunting season, it’s always in the back of his mind,” Earnhardt said. “It’s that stressful part of the year when he’s as miserable as he’s going to be.”
Now, with Truex stepping away from the track, Earnhardt looks forward to seeing a lighter, happier version of his long-time friend. Without the weight of weekly competition hanging over him, Truex might finally be able to relax and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he cherishes.
“It’ll be fun to see him loosen up,” Earnhardt added.
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