LaJoie, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Team Score Hard-Fought 21st-Place Result

• Corey LaJoie, a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series for Spire Motorsports, filled in as the driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at WWT Raceway, taking the place of Chase Elliott, who was serving a one-race suspension.

• The 31-year-old driver started the race in the 30th position and gradually improved throughout the scheduled 300-mile event to score a 21st-place result.

• Next weekend, Elliott will return behind the wheel of the NAPA Chevrolet at Sonoma Raceway, where he led 26 laps and earned a top-10 finish last season.

Corey LaJoie filled in as the driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at WWT Raceway, taking the place of Chase Elliott, who was serving a one-race suspension. LaJoie, a full-time competitor in the NASCAR Cup Series for Spire Motorsports, started the race from the 30th position. On the second lap, a caution flag was waved, and he was scored in 35th place. The team decided to pit for fuel only, but before the race could resume, the presence of lightning in the area forced a temporary halt. Once the weather cleared, the field went back to racing. LaJoie steadily improved his position throughout the remainder of the first stage, taking the green-and-white checkered flag in 30th on lap 45.

During the stage break, crew chief Alan Gustafson called LaJoie to pit road for four tires, fuel, and an air-pressure adjustment to improve the balance of the No. 9 Chevrolet. LaJoie, a native of North Carolina, started the second stage in the 24th position and was running in 30th place when a caution flag was waved on lap 91. The team made another pit stop for four tires, fuel, and a chassis adjustment in an ongoing effort to enhance the handling of the NAPA Chevrolet. LaJoie restarted from the 27th position on lap 102 and managed to climb as high as 24th before ultimately finishing the second stage in 25th place.

Under the stage-ending caution, the team made a quick pit stop for fresh tires, fuel, and an additional chassis adjustment to help the No. 9 machine’s handling. LaJoie took the green flag for the final stage in the 24th position on lap 148. He was in 27th place when a yellow flag was waved due to an incident on lap 175. The No. 9 crew brought the NAPA Chevrolet in for a pit stop, opting to reverse the previous adjustment while also getting four new tires and fuel. With just 57 laps remaining, LaJoie restarted from the 24th position and initially dropped back to 28th before working his way forward to 26th when another caution came out with only 43 laps remaining. Following a swift pit stop by the No. 9 team, LaJoie resumed the race from the 25th position and battled within the top 25 through a series of cautions. After pitting for four tires and fuel, he restarted in 28th place with just 23 laps remaining. LaJoie advance to 24th before an incident prompted a red flag. Once the race resumed, he fiercely fought for position. The final caution occurred with only five laps remaining, leading to overtime. LaJoie lined up just inside the top 25 and surged ahead to finish 21st when the checkered flag was waved.

Start / Finish: 30 / 21

Next Race: Sunday, June 11, Sonoma Raceway
How to Watch or Listen: 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN or SiriusXM

NAPA: @NAPARacing
Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott
Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick
No. 9 Team: @Hendrick9Team