LaJoie focusing on safety over rekindled NBS career

HAMPTON, Ga. -- Two-time Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie knows he can still be competitive, but only if he lands a competitive ride.

At 45, he realizes that's not going to happen, which is why he's concentrating his efforts on traveling around the country, instructing short-track racers on the benefits of safety improvements.

Still, LaJoie has a few regrets, especially after driving Kevin Harvick's championship-winning machine in a few practice sessions last season.

"Driving Harvick's car last year proved to me I can still do it," LaJoie said. "But I can't do it driving a golf cart compared to these guys.

"I miss a good car. I don't miss driving my [butt] off to go slow, and that's what you do. Good cars are easy to drive. Bad cars are not."

But when the Busch Series evolved from short tracks to superspeedways, LaJoie found himself facing extinction. About that time, he grew his racing seat business to the point where it commands a large percentage of the market.

"About '03, when the thing flip-flopped from experience to youth, I said, 'I'm in trouble,'" he said. "Thank God I built the business to fall back on but I've got to get it to where it needs to be. I've got a lot of work to do."

Since Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001, NASCAR has taken the lead on driver safety. But LaJoie said short tracks have been slow to follow that example, which is one reason why he's undertaking the Safer Racer Tour.

Drivers like Ken Schrader and Johnny Benson, who also own short tracks, have expressed interest in having LaJoie visit their facilities. During LaJoie's news conference at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, Schrader applauded LaJoie's efforts, saying he made safety improvements to his dirt car after having it inspected by LaJoie.

What LaJoie hopes to do is show drivers in lower divisions how important it is to use the correct safety equipment: well-fitting seats, seatbelts and helmets with head and neck restraints. He estimated that less than 30 percent of the cars racing in the United States meet minimum safety requirements.

"When they come through, I want to stand there when they get inspected," he said. "I want to hand them a sheet that I inspected their car and I'll give them suggestions. (Continued)