It is not a good year to be Corey LaJoie. The former Spire Motorsports veteran has derailed from a course to success multiple times. Ranging from a scary wreck threatening his well-being in Michigan to losing his four-year-old team’s confidence, several challenges came hurtling LaJoie’s way. And his journey got no better as we cruised through the end of the season. He finished a miserable 33rd in points.

Little on-track success visited the No. 7 Spire Motorsports team in 2024. Although Corey LaJoie started off with a bang with a top-five finish in Daytona, he rolled down a steep hill soon after. A seven-race streak of worse than 20th persisted till Texas. The closing three races of the season were all mired deep in the 30s. Yet LaJoie has no time to reflect on his struggles – as his 2025 aspirations look dim.

Slim survival chances for Corey LaJoie

Not only was 2024 a dismal season but also the worst one for Corey LaJoie in recent years. Ever since he joined Spire Motorsports in 2021, LaJoie has improved his performance. 2023 was his best season, finishing a career-best 25th in points and posting career highs in 2 top-fives, 3 top-tens, 66 laps led, and average finish (20.8). However, Spire also revamped itself from a fledgling single-car team on a limited budget in 2019 to a burgeoning three-car team in 2024. It bought a $40 Million charter, purchased Kyle Busch Motorsports, and also entered into a high-profile partnership with Gainsbridge as part of its growth.

So when Corey LaJoie was not able to keep pace with this rapid development, Spire cut ties with him in June. At the time of his ejection, he had just a single top-ten in 22 races. The son of Randy LaJoie, a two-time Xfinity Series champion, swapped places with Justin Haley for the last seven races of the year. However, the No. 51 Chevy time at Rick Ware Racing benefited little from LaJoie – he finished worse than 32nd in four out of those seven races. So at the end of 2024, even Rick Ware Racing has not officially signed LaJoie for 2025 – president Robby Benton confirmed that the deal was only for 2024.

On top of that, Rick Ware Racing itself may follow in Stewart-Haas Racing’s footsteps. Rumors along these lines were in circulation last week, with possible buyers entering the rumor mills as well. Although an old team, RWR has never fetched a win in its almost 300 starts. This possibility should be enough to worry Corey LaJoie for his racing future. The Stacking Pennies podcast host himself dropped an ominous message in a recent episode. “I have so many cool opportunities behind the wheel but also not behind the wheel to take into consideration of the next chapter of life is.” So maybe LaJoie has run out of options behind the wheel?

What we are certain about is that a Spire Motorsports rookie has pushed LaJoie to his downfall.

Outsmarted by a young speedster

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When the 2024 season kicked off, expectations wrapped Corey LaJoie in a cocoon. He was the most veteran driver inside Spire Motorsports, who would lead two rookies – Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith. Yet the narrative changed as quickly as the drop of a hat. The four-time Craftsman Truck Series race winner blew LaJoie out of the water, clinching 6 top-ten finishes this year. The rift was visible early in the season when both drivers raced inside the top 15 throughout the Las Vegas race. But while Hocevar could secure a 15th-place finish, LaJoie faded after a late spin which he blamed on damage due to Hocevar’s aggressive driving. He ended 32nd in that race which he called his “best day” at the racetrack.

By the end of the season, Carson Hocevar completed stealing the last bit of sparkle from Corey LaJoie’s ride. The former finished 21st in points, and secured the Rookie of the Year award after ousting his nearest rival, Josh Berry, by 107 points. Hocevar pointed out how nobody expected much to come from the No. 77 car, which had finished 32nd in points in 2023. “I feel like we went through two or three years of progression where nobody expected anything from the 77, and then people were shocked to see the 77, and then people were not shocked anymore because they just expected us to be up there.” Not only did he overturn the car’s fortunes, but also sealed LaJoie’s fate in Spire.

Evidently, Corey LaJoie had a bumpy exit from Spire Motorsports this season. Now, his racing career hangs in the balance as no clear path is visible.