Second generation driver Corey LaJoie will be returning to Concord Speedway in Friday night’s Pro All Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model race.
LaJoie, who has raced in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and scored victories in Late Model Stock Car racing, most notably at Rockingham Speedway, will be racing with Jamie Yelton and the Fat Head Racing team. For the 23-year-old driver from Kannapolis, North Carolina, it’s an exciting opportunity to get seat time while returning to one of his favorite tracks.
“I’m excited about it a lot especially going to Concord. It’s one of the coolest tracks around. I was excited about getting behind the LFR house car but this opportunity arose with Jamie and we don’t have our car built so it gets me back behind the wheel of a racecar and helps Jamie make his product look good for sure.”
Yelton says it’s a good opportunity to see how his young Super Late Model team stacks up against some Super Late Model racing heavyweights.
“We made it all work, made it all come together,” Yelton said. “I think Corey’s got a lot of talent. I’m confident. We’ll see how our SLM program stacks up against everybody else.”
The Fat Head Racing team has put up respectable results which includes a win with David Garbo, Jr. in one of the World Series of Asphalt races at New Smyrna Speedway (Florida).
“We ran really really well at New Smyrna,” Yelton stated. “I’ve had a lot of interest in the Supers, a lot of high profile drivers showed interest in the program.”
LaJoie and Yelton, both ultra-competitive, could make for the perfect pairing in Friday night’s race. Both have a lot of confidence and both go to the track with the expectations of delivering nothing short of a victory.
“Me and Jamie both go to the racetrack to win,” LaJoie remarked. “That’s the plan. Jason Stanley does a great job with the Supers. I’ve never won in a Super. Every time I jump in one of those things, I learn quite a bit. I’m excited to go to Concord, glad the place has opened back up and hopefully we can put on a good show.”
While LaJoie is excited to return to Concord, he also finds himself without a lot of opportunity to advance up the ranks of NASCAR racing. He has made starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series, but those starts were not with teams that you would expect to find in victory lane. LaJoie says it all comes down to one thing…
“I haven’t had money to get in a good opportunity,” LaJoie explained. “There are a handful of guys who have things going right, who have a good situation. Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson and that’s about it. Chris Buescher’s getting good opportunities, but he’s done it the hard way. Seems everyone has a good opportunity, whether they have money or the plans works. I’ve had neither. I’ve never had the opportunity in a good car to prove I can run with those … The only right path there is is bringing money. To get in the door you have to have money.”
Friday night’s 125 lap PASS race at Concord Speedway will be the first race on the half-mile oval since 2013.