LaJoie, Kennington race way into Daytona 500 field – Nascar

LaJoie finished 18th in the first of two Can-Am Duel races, emerging as one of the four drivers for non-chartered teams not already qualified for the 500. Kennington was 15th in the nightcap, taking the final transfer spot by half a car-length.

Brendan Gaughan and Elliott Sadler, both full-time NASCAR XFINITY Series drivers with one-off Daytona 500 rides, previously clinched berths in Sunday’s Coors Light Pole Qualifying as the two fastest drivers for non-chartered teams. Reed Sorenson and Timmy Hill failed to make the 40-car field.

LaJoie, son of two-time XFINITY champion Randy LaJoie, hasn’t made a NASCAR premier series start since 2014 and has just 20 national series appearances in his career. He indicated that his journey back to the Monster Energy Cup stage came with plenty of lobbying, including a ringing vote of confidence from seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson.

“That’s amazing,” LaJoie said. “And it’s not even just my family tonight, it’s every person that’s helped me get to this moment. It’s huge. It’s been a hard road and I’ve still got a long way to go, but it starts Sunday.”

LaJoie, in his first start for BK Racing’s No. 83 team, nudged Sorenson’s No. 55 Toyota out of position to clinch a starting spot after contact in the 49th of 60 laps in Duel 1. Sorenson’s Premium Motorsports entry collected Paul Menard’s No. 27 before slamming into the inside retaining wall, knocking him from the race.

“It looks like he turned us, just like I thought,” Sorenson said. “I guess he felt like he did what he had to do to make the race, so I hope he’s proud of that part of it.”

RELATED: Sorenson reacts to wreck, contact from LaJoie

Said LaJoie: “I’m sure he wasn’t happy. I wouldn’t be happy either, but he’s going to be drinking margaritas on the beach on Sunday and I’m going to be racing in the Daytona 500. That’s just the way it is. I’m sure he’s not going to give me any breaks the next time we race, either. It’s just part of it. I do feel bad and it probably looked intentional, but it certainly wasn’t.”