John Hunter Nemechek gets spun by Corey LaJoie during Busch Light Clash: 'I'll remember that'

The NASCAR Busch Light Clash has had plenty of green flag racing to start, but John Hunter Nemechek and Corey LaJoie didn’t keep it clean. Nemechek got sent spinning by LaJoie late in the first half of this race, just before the race break.

In his first start of 2024 with Legacy Motor Club, his new full-time gig, John Hunter Nemechek has done well. He qualified for the big race after practice in the rescheduled Clash. Nemechek was doing his best to hold his own when he got sent around the other way.

Here is the spin with Nemechek in the Dollar Tree Toyota going around.

Racing is a full-contact sport. 😳 pic.twitter.com/TQkYDinlkl

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 4, 2024

After LaJoie spun Nemechek, the Legacy M.C. driver was not happy. Frustrated, Nemechek told his crew chief “I’ll remember that,” about the incident with LaJoie.

Keep an eye on the 42 and the 7 car the rest of the way here folks.

"I'll remember that," John Hunter Nemechek says after contact with Corey LaJoie sends him around.

— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) February 4, 2024

John Hunter Nemechek is having a tough night all around. It is a warm welcome back to the Cup Series for the Legacy Motor Club driver. Making the main event was hard enough. He will be fighting for a top-20 spot in the Cup Series this season, hoping to make the top-16 and the playoffs.

I think that Nemechek had a good showing in this race. While he had trouble, got pushed around, had some bad moments – it is a learning experience. So, next time on a short track, he doesn’t do the same thing.

Once JHN gets comfortable, I think we will see him make strides this season. Since he left the Cup Series he has only improved himself and now he’s ready to show off his transformation in the top series of NASCAR.

John Hunter Nemechek thrown into the fire

If I’m Nemechek, I look around me at the other drivers in the Busch Light Clash and I’m happy. Then I see the ones who aren’t in the Clash and I get even happier if I’m him.

While John Hunter Nemechek isn’t a rookie in the Cup Series, he is a new addition this season. He also has no experience really in the Next Gen car. So, he might as well be a rookie. In my mind, his peer group includes Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar, and Zane Smith. I’d even put Noah Gragson in there, too.

Only one of those drivers was in the finale tonight along with Nemechek. Gragson and JHN earned their way into the Busch Light Clash in qualifying. They did what Hocevar and Smith were unable to do, not to mention Cup Series drivers who have been around for a while.

So, Nemechek got the rough end of the deal. LaJoie was letting him know he wasn’t going to get anything easy, even if he was fighting mid-pack. The Cup Series is so tough and every position is so important. This will end up being a great learning moment for Nemechek looking back on it.