Corey LaJoie and Ryan Newman clashed in a dramatic moment with 50 laps remaining in the Virginia is for Racing Lovers 150 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event at Richmond Raceway, resulting in a controversial crash. Newman, who was leading at the time and positioned on the outside of the front row for the restart, was suddenly hit from behind by LaJoie. This collision forced Newman’s car into the outside retaining wall, causing significant damage and ending his race early in 16th place.
Newman Reacts to the On-Track Collision
Reflecting on the crash, Ryan Newman acknowledged the challenges of Modified racing. He stated,
“I spun my tires a little bit but it’s Modified racing and you kind of have to expect some of that,”
attributing part of the incident to race conditions. He added,
“Corey didn’t expect me to spin it, I guess, because he drove right through me.”
Newman expressed frustration over losing a strong position, explaining,
“It’s unfortunate. We took a car that qualified eighth and was leading the race with 50 (laps) to go. I had a good strategy and, like I said, I spun the tires, but I wasn’t the only guy who spun my tires on the restart. So, I got drove through, got up into the fence, knocked the radiator out of it and we’re done.”
Reflecting on his potential to win if the crash had not occurred, Newman was clear:
“We were leading, we had a car capable. We were one of the five cars on the lead lap at the time. So yeah, we were capable of winning. That’s why it really, really sucks.”
LaJoie Expresses Regret Over the Contact
After recovering from an earlier transmission problem during first practice, Corey LaJoie finished the race in fifth place. Regarding the collision, LaJoie admitted his regret, saying,
“I would have loved to cut him (Newman) a break, but it just happened so quickly.”
He described the moment in more detail:
“He spun ’em. I hit him and tried to get off him, but I think I hit him in the left rear bumper square enough to where it bit and hooked it right. I feel terrible. He had a good day going and I hate to wreck that. I hate to wreck him, I hate to wreck anybody.”
Implications of the Crash as the Season Progresses
The clash between Corey LaJoie and Ryan Newman has intensified tensions following a night filled with high stakes at Richmond Raceway. For Newman, a former NASCAR Cup Series driver with his last Cup victory dating back to 2017 at Phoenix, the incident abruptly ended a promising run that might have seen him return to victory lane. On the other hand, LaJoie’s ability to rally to a fifth-place finish, despite earlier mechanical setbacks, highlights the unpredictable and fierce nature of Modified Tour racing.
This crash offers a clear example of how quickly fortunes can change in NASCAR and reflects ongoing challenges around aggressive competition on restarts. The fallout from this event is likely to influence future on-track strategies and interactions between drivers as the season continues.
