The NASCAR Cup Series season opener is less than a month away. While the full-time drivers’ grid has been fixed, the part-timers are still drawing speculation. That is because of the eclectic line-up we are expecting for the Daytona 500. It includes seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves. But one person that fans do not expect is Corey LaJoie.

Dismay set in for the former Spire Motorsports driver last year in July. After fielding the No. 7 Chevrolet for three years, LaJoie found himself out of a ride. Joining another team seemed to be on the cards for a while, but even that disappeared. Despite the overwhelming loss, LaJoie dropped an optimistic post.

Corey LaJoie smiles at his haters

Well, the third-generation journeyman did a few things to irk NASCAR fans last season. Corey LaJoie improved his performance each year since joining Spire in 2021. 2023 was his best year, as he clinched 3 top-tens and 2 top-fives while leading for 66 laps. Yet in 2024, he took a step back – recording only 1 top-five and 3 top-tens while incurring multiple DNFs. Then during the Pocono race, LaJoie drummed up scrutiny for clipping Kyle Busch’s rear bumper and making him spin into traffic. These things cut back the fanbase’s sympathy for him when Spire let him go in July.

Corey LaJoie fielded the Rick Ware Racing No. 51 Ford in a mid-season swap with Justin Haley. But while Haley got signed for the No. 7 Spire ride, LaJoie lost his RWR ride to Cody Ware. However, the ‘Stacking Pennies’ podcast host proudly revealed that he is cooking a plan. In a snazzy new video dropped recently, LaJoie can be seen playing with a cool helmet. Then he scrolls through articles about him online, and at the end throws a wink at the audience. The Instagram reel carried this meaningful caption: “I love the internet. 😉 #stackingpennies”

Smiling in the face of disaster is no mean feat. So probably, Corey LaJoie already has caught wind of a new and fresh opportunity around the corner. Earlier in January, a fan was curious about his career prospects, to which Bob Pockrass dropped a dismal note. Yet hints about a nascent plan were also alive: “Corey LaJoie is still working on his 2025 plans but not expected to be full time in the RWR No. 51 in 2025.” LaJoie finished his Spire Motorsports chapter on a note of profound gratitude. “We will finish the remainder of 2024 strong, continuing to deliver for my partners, my guys who work hard to build good cars, family, fans & friends who have supported me since day one in the Cup Series…I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store for my family next.”

And even the NASCAR community is excited to see what Corey LaJoie is gearing up for.

Fans bubble with eagerness

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However much criticism that Corey LaJoie had to bear with, the fact cannot be denied that he is an experienced racer. He has competed in the Cup Series for a decade and accumulated a wealth of experience. LaJoie helped Spire Motorsports grow from a single-car team on a limited budget to a three-car program with bustling ambitions. So a fan approved of LaJoie’s incoming plans: “I mean the man has driven cup cars and probably will this season too. On top of that, he makes a hell of a safe seat with his dad. That’s pretty dope In itself.”

Others started dropping guesses about Corey LaJoie’s next destination. In recent news, NASCAR stripped Mike Wallace of his eligibility to drive in the Daytona 500. So MBM Motorsports is hunting for a replacement – who better to fill in for Wallace than LaJoie, who finished 4th in the 2024 Daytona 500? That is what a fan thinks: “So he’s got a ride that he’ll share soon, or he’s going all in with the podcast. I kinda hope that he can make a deal for that 66 since Wallace is out.” 

Somebody else drew a parallel with Matt DiBenedetto, who left Rackley W.A.R. at the end of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Then he suddenly announced his comeback to the 2025 Xfinity season under Viking Motorsports. So one fan quipped: “Like Matt Dibenedetto but not exiting the room as quietly.”

Others are simply pumped up to find out where Corey LaJoie is headed next. Despite a big group of haters booing him, LaJoie also has a big fanbase – after all, his ‘Stacking Pennies’ show is a treat for race fans. So no matter what he does, be it a Daytona 500 entry or a limited schedule in a lower series, these people are excited. One fan wrote, “🫣🤩 let’s goooooo.” Somebody else genuinely wants LaJoie to win in a race car after years of losses. That would be a tribute to his racing roots: “Whatever you do, get in a situation that has the potential to rack up some wins. No more field filler teams! Your fans are here!”

Evidently, Corey LaJoie has a larger fanbase than most people expect. They are rooting for his new motorsports plans this year, whatever they may be.