Corey LaJoie makes first Daytona 500 with help from Jimmie Johnson text

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Corey LaJoie needed a text from reigning NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson before he could nudge his way into the Daytona 500 entry list.

"I politicked really hard," LaJoie said after he finished 18th in the first Can-Am Duel on Thursday to secure a spot in his first Daytona 500. "I didn’t feel like I was making a lot of headway with it, so I texted Jimmie Johnson. I said, 'Hey, if a seven-time champ some two weeks removed from winning a championship can (send) a text it can carry some weight.' He said, ‘Yeah, no problem.' "

LaJoie, 25, said Johnson talked to BK Racing and two days later he had a part-time ride, which included a shot to quality for Sunday’s season-opening race. LaJoie has a 14-race deal with BK Racing with Dustless Blasting as the primary sponsor.

With 11 laps to go, only Reed Sorenson stood in his way. Well, at least before LaJoie nudged Sorenson’s rear bumper. The bump sent Sorenson hard into the wall in a collision that also gathered in Paul Menard.

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"I think that’s a pretty crappy thing to do, but I guess that's what he felt like he needed to do," Sorenson said after he was released from the infield care center. "People can get hurt when you do stuff like that. I don’t appreciate it very much."

LaJoie said he totally understood Sorenson’s frustrations, but he had no regrets.

"I just had to beat him and didn’t want to be sipping margaritas on the beach on Sunday," LaJoie said. "If that was my mom, I’d spin her out to make the Daytona 500. I won’t be (on) Reed Sorenson’s Christmas card list."

Sunday will mark LaJoie's third career Cup start and 21st overall among NASCAR’s three national touring series. He’s the son of former Xfinity Series champ Randy LaJoie and a former development program driver for Richard Petty Motorsports.

PHOTOS: 2017 Can-Am Duel races