Joey Logano recently addressed the issue of preventing cars from flipping during NASCAR races. With a series of back-to-back flipping incidents grabbing attention, this topic has become increasingly significant as NASCAR gears up for the playoffs.
One notable incident occurred during the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, where Corey LaJoie faced a terrifying flip on the backstretch. While attempting to pass Noah Gragson, the two cars collided, leading to a dramatic turn of events.
LaJoie’s vehicle struck Gragson’s left rear, causing the #7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to soar into the air. The car flipped onto its roof, skidded along the track, and eventually came to rest on the grass after a barrel roll. In an interview with Fox Sports’ Bob Pokrass, Logano shared his insights on how to mitigate such incidents ahead of the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
“I believe the floor design under the car acts like a big pan that catches wind, almost like a kite, and we’ve seen this happen frequently with the current model. Until that changes, I don’t see a way to keep the cars grounded. One of the best solutions might be to revert to the previous splitter design,” he explained.
We may not have excelled at keeping the old car grounded consistently, but wow, we’ve witnessed more cars taking flight here lately than ever before. It seems like the only solution is to address this issue directly. Adding more weight to the car isn’t the answer; that’s definitely not the way to go. So, it appears that the best course of action is to remove the diffuser.
NASCAR has adopted the Next Gen car, previously referred to as the Gen-7 car, which was introduced by the governing body in 2022. Reports indicate that these Next Gen cars feature enhanced aerodynamics and downforce. However, the recent incidents of cars flipping have raised concerns, despite the technological advancements.
Corey Lajoie shared his thoughts after experiencing a frightening flip at Michigan, marking his second such occurrence this season. Fortunately, he emerged without injury and reflected on the event.
“I can’t say if it was divine intervention or what, but that car went airborne in no time,” LaJoie remarked in an interview with Fox Sports’ Bob Pokrass. “Considering the flags, we were facing a headwind, which might have played a role. The liftoff speed for these cars is around 210 mph. Honestly, I’m not a fan of being upside down; this is the second time it’s happened to me this year.”
LaJoie’s flip was just one of the recent incidents during the Michigan race weekend. On Saturday, Kyle Sieg, a driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, encountered a similar fate during the final lap of the Cabo Wabo 250, going airborne and landing on his roof.
