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Debate

Did Andretti Global just ruin Corey LaJoie's career, or is this a blessing in disguise?

Spire Motorsports has sacked Corey LaJoie as part of their revamp for 2025. It comes as a shock to many, as LaJoie has been instrumental in the growth of the team since the very beginning. Besides LaJoie’s sacking, Spire Motorsports also signed the decorated crew chief of Stewart-Haas Racing, Rodney Childers. And, now there are some speculations of Childers being the reason why LaJoie has been taken off the team.

However, this is not the only speculation. In a recent video by Andretti Global, President JF Thormann talked about their interest in expanding into NASCAR. It was only last year when Andretti’s major partner, Gainbridge, signed a multiyear sponsorship deal with Spire Motorsports. Could Spire be their ticket in? Fans are also speculating something else.

Is Andretti-Spire a possibility team for 2025?

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Spire Motorsports is on a mission to make big changes ahead of the 2025 season to increase their chances in the Cup Series. The first one is the exit of Corey LaJoie because of his poor performance as he struggled all his time with Spire Motorsports. Although his best finish in the Cup Series, which finished 4th, has come with Spire, he’s been winless in the 4 years he’s been with the team. In the 2024 season, LaJoie sits far away from the playoff line in the 28th position and has only one top-5 finish.

In their statement, Spire Motorsports said, “One thing we all know is this is a performance-based business, and it just hasn’t been there for several reasons. All those reasons are factored in when it comes to making a decision of this magnitude.” With championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers coming in again, they would be hoping to get a strong contender in the #7 car.

As Corey LaJoie’s replacement hasn’t yet been announced, there is another rumor floating about the reason for his exit. In a recent video, Andretti Global’s President JF Thormann talked about their willingness to enter NASCAR. He said, “We’re the only ones that compete in the amount of series that we do. And then the ambition that Mike still has, we still have to close the loop obviously with Formula 1, that’s well-documented and hopefully NASCAR.” 

There are rumors that their entry into NASCAR could be through Spire Motorsports. As the team’s sponsor, Gainbridge is a major partner with Andretti. This gave Marco Andretti a seat with Spire Motorsports in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Seris. He’s also raced in Xfinity at the Charlotte Roval in 2022.

What’s your perspective on:

Did Andretti Global just ruin Corey LaJoie's career, or is this a blessing in disguise?

Have an interesting take?

As Thorman previously mentioned, Andretti Global is competing in several motorsports. They are not just competing but are also successful in all of them, including, the NTT IndyCar Series, Indy NXT, Formula E, IMSA Sportscars, Super COPA, and Australian Supercars. Andretti’s are not exactly new to NASCAR. Their journey began with the legend Mario Andretti (father of the team’s owner), who made a few NASCAR starts and famously won the Daytona 500 in 1967.

Mario’s nephew, John, also entered NASCAR, racking up 393 Cup Series races and two victories. The racing legacy continued with Mario’s grandson, Marco, who joined NASCAR and is competing part-time in the Truck Series. Could Marco be eyeing the #7 seat? Was it why LaJoie was booted? Nothing is official as of now. However, fans are going crazy over an Andretti-Spire team, a possibility in NASCAR.

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Fans come up with a new connection for Corey LaJoie’s exit

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After the recent video announcement of Andretti’s president. Entering the Cup Series by buying a charter seemed like the most logical option, to some fans. Some fans speculated if they were buying a charter and if LaJoie was taken out to make space for the owner, Michael Andretti’s son (Marco). One fan wrote, “What if the reason Corey got sacked is because Andretti is buying the charter? This possibility seems close to reality due to the Gainbridge angle. One fan, thinking along the same lines, wrote, “I think Gainbridge/Andretti had a lot to do with him losing that ride.”

While buying a charter is one way they can get in, the other way is partnering with an existing team in the Cup Series like Spire Motorsports. The team is already revamping, so this can be a great option for them. One fan who doesn’t think they are taking the charter way in wrote, “It’s semi realistic that Andretti had something to do with it, but probably not buying a charter.”

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The possibility of having an Andretti and Spire partnership in the Cup Series has made fans excited. Having the legendary name of Andretti is a plus for Spire. One fan wrote, “On a serious note I would be a huge fan of this as Spire is my second favourite team in NASCAR and Andretti is my favourite team in Indycar and IMSA. Having a legendary name like Andretti with the money and tools of an upcoming team like Spire is a dream come true.” Another excited fan wrote, “Andretti-Spire Motorsports!”

Is this the reason for Corey LaJoie’s exit? Only time will tell. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.