Atlanta is quickly becoming one of Corey LaJoie’s favorite racetracks. In 205 career NASCAR Cup Series starts, the North Carolina native has exactly two Top-5 finishes in NASCAR’s premiere series. Both have now occurred on this 1.54-mile track.

Last year, LaJoie finished fifth in this very race. In the summer race, he was up front on the final lap battling Chase Elliott for the win. He’d crash out trying on a day that he led 19 laps in. This time around, LaJoie came from 31st to finish fourth in his No. 7 Chevrolet.

“It feels great. It’s like this taboo, second sucks. Fourth is great,” he says. “Fourth is great for our CELSIUS Camaro and our small team. Just a great points day. We started off the year, West Coast swing, really solid. To come back here, a bit of a crapshoot. To get another career best here…

“I don’t expect to show up and instantly win a race. You have to keep putting yourself in these positions, like Joey (Logano). “That is why he wins all the time, because he’s up front all the time.

“As I get myself some more confidence, race around these guys, these guys see me up there racing with them, our day is going to come.”

So far, he’s been up front way more. He was 16th in the season opening Daytona 500 and 14th a week later in Fontana. Now, a top 5 finish. That has him 14th in points heading to COTA.