A restart mishap with 40 laps to go caused a significant crash in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, further hindering Kyle Busch’s playoff hopes.
Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet made contact with Busch’s No. 8 Chevy as the field spread out and then tried to funnel into Turn 1 during the final stage of the Great American Getaway 400. The collision sent Busch’s car skidding through the infield grass and back into traffic, involving AJ Allmendinger, Harrison Burton, Ryan Preece, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Busch, stuck in the longest winless stretch of his Cup Series career, saw his playoff chances dwindle further with a 32nd-place finish. Starting from the back due to an oil leak discovered by his Richard Childress Racing crew, Busch ended with his fifth DNF in the last seven races.
When asked about the contact with LaJoie, Busch chose to thank his sponsors, adding, “That’s just racing these days. It’s what happens.”
LaJoie, who finished 19th despite a Lap 96 pit-road speeding penalty, said he wouldn’t change his actions if given the chance.
“You’ve got to take the run,” LaJoie said. “I don’t want to wreck anyone, but if Kyle only blocks once, we both make it through the corner. The second block he attempted did him in and a few others. It’s hard to run 19th; you have to be perfect.”
Busch entered Sunday’s race 98 points behind the playoff cutoff. After the race, he is now 102 points back with only five regular-season races left.
LaJoie insisted there was no malice in the contact.
“Kyle and I have raced around each other long enough to know we’re not going to smash into each other on purpose,” LaJoie said. “I’m not sorry about it. If the roles were reversed, the same thing would’ve happened.”
Preece (30th), Burton (31st), and Stenhouse (33rd) were all sidelined by the crash.
“It’s always erratic. That’s what we do now,” Burton said after being checked at the infield care center. “These cars are so close, and track position is so important, you have to race aggressively. The best guys manage to be smooth and consistent at that level.”
