Corey LaJoie carted to care center after exhausting race at COTA
It was an exhausting day for many drivers during Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA), including Corey LaJoie.
LaJoie laid down next to his No. 7 Chevrolet on pit road for a good chunk of time after the race. He eventually came to his feet but had to be carted off to the infield care center for treatment. NASCAR provided an update on LaJoie’s status, saying he has been evaluated and released from the infield care center.
LaJoie spent much of the afternoon not racing for the win, but involved in multiple on-track incidents, the first being on Lap 1. He made contact with Bubba Wallace, who had to go to pit road after the two made contact. LaJoie, meanwhile, fell from P5 to P18.
LaJoie brought home a 25th-place finish at COTA.
William Byron dominates at COTA
William Byron notched his second victory of the season at COTA, leading 42-of-68 laps from the pole position.
“It was fun for sure,” Byron told Brett McMillan of Performance Racing Network. “Just super thankful for this team. It’s pretty amazing what we’ve done but we’ve gotta keep going. Nothing’s guaranteed.”
Byron is the first repeat winner this season, something he’s done now three seasons in a row. He is the first driver since Jeff Gordon in 1997-1999 to be the first repeat winner in three straight seasons, per Trey Ryan.
Gordon had high praise for Byron after the race.
“What a weekend for him [Byron],” Gordon told Regan Smith after the race. “He’s so smooth and just never put a foot wrong all weekend and that’s what it was going to take there at the end to beat [Christopher] Bell because Bell obviously had the fresher tires and had a fast race car and was coming hard. I was just keeping my fingers crossed, no cautions and no slips.
“William, just amazing job. The confidence that he and this team have, you’ve been seeing it these last couple of years. But to see them really get this season started off right with the Daytona 500 and now this big win. Yeah, they’re on their way to another great season and couldn’t be more thankful for the hard work those guys are putting in.”
Byron held off Christopher Bell, who made a charge at Byron in the final 10 laps but fell one lap short.
“It seems another lap I would’ve got there for sure,” Bell said. “Passing was gonna be difficult. I needed him to make a mistake and he didn’t.”