GleamDash

CONCORD, N.C. — As he munches on burnt ends smothered in barbeque sauce, Corey LaJoie is smiling and jovial for this lunch on a weekday afternoon. Suddenly, though, there is a shift in the NASCAR Cup Series driver’s tone when a particular topic is broached: kickball.

LaJoie takes kickball very seriously, so much so that he formed a tournament around the sport with all the proceeds going to charity. That event, the Corey LaJoie Kickball Klassic, will take place Oct. 5 at Atrium Health Ballpark, the home stadium of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, who are the Single-A minor-league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.

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“It really has turned into one of my favorite days of the year,” LaJoie said. “I mean, there are some races — the Daytona 500, the Southern 500, the Bristol night race — that are like Christmas mornings, but so too is the Kickball Klassic. It’s just so fun to see how much fun everybody’s having. They bring their kids and families and just play a game that you’ve been playing since you were 7 years old.”

The first Kickball Klassic in 2021 raised $150,000 for charity. Last year, $200,000 was raised. The goal this year, LaJoie said, was to raise $300,000 for the YMCA, Samaritan’s Feet and NEGU, a nonprofit organization that supports children who are fighting cancer.

As it has for the past two installments, the format will consist of 16 teams in a round-robin “open” tournament in addition to a separate bracket for four celebrity teams. Among those slated to participate in the celebrity tournament are NASCAR drivers Bubba Wallace, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon, Michael McDowell, Chase Briscoe, Ryan Preece, Aric Almirola and B.J. McLeod; retired NFL players including Luke Kuechly, Jonathan Stewart and Bernard Pollard, and high ranking NASCAR executive Ben Kennedy, plus other assorted members of the NASCAR industry.

In advance of Kickball Klassic III, The Athletic asked LaJoie to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the key players for each of the four celebrity teams (sponsored by Built, Celsius, Clean Juice and Sheets, hence their names), along with the four team managers (Kurt Busch, Kyle Petty, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte). Here is LaJoie’s unbiased analysis of those who will take the field next month.

Team Sheets

Ryan Blaney: “One of the best all-around athletes on the field. He’s like a spider monkey on the field, jumping around, doing flips, catching balls, kicking homers. He’s a serious MVP candidate.”

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Kyle Larson: “Nobody can put the ball right up against the foul line like he can. Doesn’t know much of the mechanics or how things work, but he just puts the ball where it needs to be.”

Frankie Muniz, actor: “What he lacks in stature, he makes up for in Q Score. Cool guy with no ego; he’s not Hollywood at all. Has got wheels!”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: “Might be the best driver-athlete in the tournament. He’s fast and coordinated. Last year, he pitched very well, painting the black and not giving anyone much to kick. Workhorse on the mound.”

Bubba Wallace: “Without question the biggest smack talker. He’ll be under pressure to carry his team to a second consecutive championship. He’s an average athlete, which, for a race car driver, means he’s a good athlete.”

Manager Kurt Busch: “Extremely passionate. Known for not always handling losing the best, but has improved with age. He’s made a terrific transition from being a player to a coach. His knowledge is second to none. Great leader.”

Team Clean Juice

Chase Briscoe: “They must not play kickball in Mitchell, Indiana (Briscoe’s hometown). He certainly has a touch more athleticism than Tony Stewart — though that’s not saying all that much.”

Austin and Ty Dillon: “Both are sneaky athletes. Both are also fiery, competitive and play unafraid. You can tell Austin has a baseball background (he played in the 2002 Little League World Series) as his ‘ball IQ is high. Austin is shorter and more slippery, but Ty is bigger, taller and has a wider wingspan, which gives him an advantage. Ty is not a homerun kicker, but he puts the ball in play.”

Ryan Preece: “You get no B.S. from Ryan. Let’s just hope he keeps his feet on the ground.”

Jonathan Stewart, former NFL running back: “Quiet, unassuming with a great locker-room presence. He hasn’t lost a step since retiring from the NFL. His legs are the size of my torso.”

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Manager Jeff Burton: “In NASCAR, he was nicknamed ‘The Mayor,’ and it applies to kickball, too, because he’s always working the umps and politicking to get calls. He’s a player’s coach and always backs his players in any dispute.”

Team Celsius

Kurt Coleman, former NFL player: “Among the best, if not the very best player on the field last year. Dude hunts down balls in the outfield (just) like he played safety in the NFL — with an intimidating presence. A rock who carries his team. If you were drafting players, he may be the top pick.”

Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive: “Every time I talk to him about the tournament, he’s always wanting to take it to a different location. He has enviable leadership qualities and great vision. Big things are predicted for him, but is he ready to take the next step?”

Corey LaJoie: “Laser focused. I want to dominate and keep the trophy for myself. I wish I could go and have fun, but my only fun is winning.”

Michael McDowell: “You know how Deion Sanders puts a ‘L’ or ‘D’ on the jerseys of his captains, well McDowell has got a ‘D’ on his because he is the definition of a dawg. Absolute leader. Clutch. Despite never showing it publicly, he’s super competitive.”

B.J. McLeod: “The enforcer. The dude is just intimidating. He told me six weeks ago he set up a kickball field in his backyard so he could practice. No one is allowed to have spikes on the field except for B.J. There is an 85 percent chance he kicks the ball to the moon.”

Zane Smith: “Has lots of potential. We all know he’s a highly touted prospect, but we need to find out if he’s actually ready for the big time. Still needs to prove himself at the major-league level.”

Manager Steve Letarte: “Has a Rex Ryan-type personality; very personable. Doesn’t like to get dirty. Loves to be on camera, telling stories, which are often good.”

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Team Built

@NASCARCasm, Twitter personality: “Not the most athletic. No one will forget him falling on his face last year; he went splat like a mosquito hitting a windshield. Good locker room guy as he makes everyone laugh and everybody loves him. His knowledge of past events is impressive but doesn’t necessarily translate to success on the field. Gutty performance last year after taking a ball to the eye — which was quite comical. Has a nice haircut.”

John Crist, comedian: “Another comedian on the team, which helps keep things loose. Doesn’t have much athleticism, but was good in the field last year and made some big catches in the outfield. Carries himself like a professional. He’s tall, so he’d probably be good at tetherball — kickball not so much.”

Bob Pockrass, Fox Sports NASCAR reporter: “Knows the rulebook inside out, better than even the officials. Nothing slips by him. His intimidation rating is a 99. Only question mark is can he switch over to being a competitor and not the one covering it. There’s a big difference between tweeting about it and doing it.”

Dylan “Mamba” Smith, media personality: “High kickball IQ. Don’t discount that he’s played on both championship-winning teams. Is his back strong enough to carry this team? Because he’s going to have to.”

Manager Kyle Petty: “Likes to share stories of how he grew up playing kickball in the early 1970s on the playground inside some small short track where his dad was racing. Can sometimes say controversial things.”

(Photo of LaJoie: Jay Biggerstaff / Getty Images)

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