Why Corey LaJoie crashing Kyle Busch at Pocono is completely inexcusable

The NASCAR Cup Series is the premier stock-car racing league in the world. Thirty-six times out of the year, 36 of the best drivers in the world prove their worth by battling it out on some of the best racetracks in the world.

On Sunday, Corey LaJoie proved the exact opposite of that at the Pocono Raceway with a move that simply can't be excused or explained.

With 40 laps to go in Sunday's race, the field took the green flag for a restart. Kyle Busch, who restarted 15th, threw a block on LaJoie as the pack roared down the front stretch.

With LaJoie slightly out of line, the easy thing for the NASCAR veteran to do would be to slightly ease off, tuck in behind Busch, and go through turn one.

Unfortunately, LaJoie misjudged his position, hooking Busch in the left rear and sending the No. 8 car spinning into turn one and into oncoming traffic. Harrison Burton, Ricky Stenhouse and Ryan Preece were also collected, among others.

While it's never easy for a driver to back off on a restart, LaJoie clearly came up the track and turned Busch in a move that can't be excused, especially from a veteran.

"When you're 20th back there, it's a hornets nest," LaJoie said to Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass. "If you're not the guy on the bottom, someone behind you is gonna jam it in there and put you in the middle."

"I had a bit of a run. I got to the left rear of the No. 8 and he blocked it once, and I just kinda held the wheel straight. When he blocked the second time, it turned him across my nose."

While Busch clearly blocked LaJoie once, the camera inside of LaJoie's No. 7 car seems to clearly show LaJoie moving up the track before hitting Busch.

LaJoie is no longer the lovable underdog, but an experienced driver with an improving team. If he doesn't show clear improvement when paired with legendary crew chief Rodney Childers next season, it could be all she wrote for his Cup Series career.