Corey LaJoie draws a parallel between CARS Tour wrecks to MLB icon Corey Seager's insight on levels of baseball 

Former NASCAR veteran Corey LaJoie reflected on his recent wreck in the CARS Tour by drawing a unique comparison to baseball. He shared MLB icon Corey Seager's take on newcomers struggling with major league pitching and likened it to racing alongside inexperienced drivers on fast tracks.

On Friday, May 16, LaJoie made his CARS Tour debut for the Window World 100 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. The race featured two other NASCAR regulars, Xfinity Series rookie Carson Kvapil and Truck Series driver Kaden Honeycutt.

Driving the No.12 Ford, LaJoie began the race outside the top 10 and, in no time, got entangled in a major pileup on lap 2, triggered by a contact between frontrunners Jake Bollman and Lanie Buice. Both LaJoie and Kvapil were involved in the incident but managed to escape the scrap with minor damages.

Reflecting upon his rocky start to the CARS Tour, LaJoie spoke to NASCAR reporter Steve Taranton and recalled a baseball anecdote from his high school friend and MLB icon, Corey Seager.

"A friend of mine, Corey Seager, went to high school with, when he was coming up to the majors, he said, "Man, it's harder to hit a single A, double A, triple A because you don't. The pitcher doesn't really know where they're throwing it." I feel like that's a little bit of the same analogy here. It's like a lot of these guys are darts without feathers. A lot of them are excellent short track racers but a lot of them there's probably a little bit too fast of a racetrack for them," he said via X/Steve Taranto [0:37 onwards]

Corey LaJoie faced further hurdles midway through the race when electrical issues struck his No.12 Ford, forcing him to retire from the event. The DNF placed him 28th in a 36-car field.

The CARS Tour, co-owned by NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. and former Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, usually runs both late model stock cars and pro late models on the same night and at the same venue.

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Corey LaJoie opens up on his chances for full-time NASCAR return

Corey LaJoie, currently competing part-time in the Cup Series with Rick Ware Racing, gave a candid account of his hopes for a full-time return to NASCAR. The 33-year-old left the grid in 2024 after parting ways with Spire Motorsports. This year, he joined forces with RWR and competed in one-off events at Daytona, Atlanta, and Bristol.

Speaking ahead of his CARS Tour debut, LaJoie opened up about his potential return to NASCAR.

"Hopefully we get this thing to turn in a 40-acre field. But you know, I’ve got connections on Sunday, but it’s got to be with the right group.....And if those opportunities come up, great. If not, then I’ll just keep hanging out with my kiddos,"he said via Frontstretch. [01:45 onwards]

Corey LaJoie took on a broadcasting role following his 2024 exit and currently hosts the NASCAR podcast, Stacking Pennies. Moreover, he's set to provide commentary for Prime Video during five events this year, beginning with the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25.