"There's a middle ground": Corey LaJoie sees Xfinity as the model after Chandler Smith's tough Darlington exit

Corey LaJoie has weighed in on the extreme Truck and Cup Series differences following a tough exit for Chandler Smith at Darlington Raceway this Saturday (August 30). He gave Xfinity Series as the ideal middle ground model when reporter Matt Weaver asked fans on social media whether they wanted a setup that lets drivers keep going unharmed or a car that ends the day after hitting the wall.

The Truck Series playoffs opened on a sour note for Smith, who showed competitive speed and led 10 laps at Darlington. But his day ended early after the No. 38 Wheelers Ford F-150 had a minor brush with the wall.

"Want a vibe check. Do we want a car that punished you for hitting the wall or do we want a more forgiving platform that lets you drive away from the contact without consequence," Weaver asked on X.

LaJoie replied to Weaver's question and highlighted the Xfinity Series as being the middle ground between fragile trucks and rigid Cup cars.

"There's a middle ground. With how tight the fender openings are and how offset the tails are, truck bodies are too fragile. Cup bodies, bumpers and suspension are super rigid. Xfinity cars are about right because you lose a little performance with some contact but not a day killer," Corey LaJoie wrote.

Corey LaJoie

@CoreyLaJoie

@MattWeaverRA There’s a middle ground. With how tight the fender openings are and how offset the tails are, truck bodies are too fragile. Cup bodies, bumpers and suspension are super rigid. Xfinity cars are about right because you lose a little performance with some contact but not a day

Meanwhile, Smith was not too concerned about his finish and remained confident in his performance at Bristol and New Hampshire to claw back a place in the next playoff round. The Front Row Motorsports driver, who is ranked ninth in the points standings, also hoped for changes to the Trucks similar to Xfinity cars in the near future.

"Would've been 6th" - Corey LaJoie after late penalty at Darlington

Corey LaJoie made his third Truck Series start of the 2025 season at Darlington. The Spire Motorsports driver started in ninth place and moved up to sixth position during Stage 2. However, his race unraveled in the final stage when he was handed a restart violation penalty with just 10 laps remaining. This knocked him out of contention for a top finish and he ended the day in 20th.

"Would've been 6th, got handed a bogus restart penalty with 10 to go. On to Bristol," Corey LaJoie wrote on X.

Corey LaJoie

@CoreyLaJoie

Would’ve been 6th, got handed a bogus restart penalty with 10 to go. On to Bristol.

LaJoie took over after rookie Andrés Pérez de Lara left Spire for Niece Motorsports. He made his first start in the No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado at Richmond Raceway, where he finished in fifth.

LaJoie was earlier supposed to drive the No. 07 truck for nine races, including the final eight races of the season, before the points and rides were switched following de Lara's departure.