Former Spire Motorsports driver Corey LaJoie was up against the odds to retain his seat in the Cup Series after being offloaded to Rick Ware Racing. In a rare mid-season swap, Spire Motorsports and RWR changed drivers. Justin Haley took command of the No. 7 Chevy on a multi-year deal, whereas LaJoie piloted the No. 51 Ford for seven races in 2024. With Stewart Haas Racing’s exit, there was a lot of movement in the Cup Series garage, but unfortunately, Lajoie didn’t fit in anyone’s plans.

Rick Ware Racing was seen as LaJoie’s last resort to continue full-time racing at the Cup level. But those hopes were shattered when the team announced that Cody Ware would drive the No. 51 Ford Mustang in 2025. This will be the third full-time campaign for team owner Rick Ware’s son, and he is eager to improve on his past performances.

Cody Ware returns to full-time racing with the No. 51 team

It was as if LaJoie was playing a waiting game with the rest of the teams preparing for the Clash and the Daytona 500 race. Cody Ware looked like an obvious choice with his dad, Rick Ware, at the team’s helm. LaJoie didn’t do himself any favors with another lackluster outing with an average finish of 23.722 and five DNFs. In reply, Ware, who only ran nine races, was able to register solid P4 results at Daytona in the fall race. He also had two top-20 finishes at Brickyard and Talladega.

“The NASCAR Cup Series is where every driver wants to be, and I’m grateful to be back full-time,” Ware said in a statement from the team. “I’ve improved as a driver, and RWR has improved as a team, and this is, by far, the best opportunity I’ve had in NASCAR. I aim to make the most of it and earn the respect of my competitors.” Cody Ware said this in a press release.

Things didn’t look pretty for Corey LaJoie from the get-go as Spire had invested a lot of time and resources for him to get better. But things certainly didn’t go according to plan, and a sharp decline in on-track performances was the final straw for the 33-year-old. Perhaps LaJoie was hopeful that RWR would use their second charter #15 car and retain his full-time ride for 2025. But, the team leased one of their charter to RFK Racing.

Rick Ware liked what he saw from his son in those nine races and is hoping that he will excel with another full-time opportunity. “Running a part-time schedule isn’t easy because it’s hard to develop consistency when you’re out of the car for weeks on end. But Cody made it work, and he and crew chief Billy Plourde developed a good rapport. It made sense to see what could come of their collective efforts when they’re working alongside one another week in and week out. A full season together provides the best chance for everyone to succeed.”

The big question now is what happens to Corey LaJoie? Will he accept his fate and move to the lower series, or will he run a part-time schedule? If we are to go by the rumor mills, he might be headed to a new broadcasting role with Amazon Prime.

Is Corey LaJoie taking a break from full-time racing?

Trending

1

“Don’t Need NASCAR”- Mike Wallace Warned Against Repeating His Children’s Mistakes Amidst Daytona 500 Fallout

2

NASCAR Rumor: Trackhouse Racing Spoil Dale Jr’s Surprise as Eagle-Eyed Fans Spot Key Detail

3

Rick Hendrick’s Huge Daytona 500 Favor to Dale Jr & Kelley Earnhardt Revealed by 10-Time Grammy Winner

4

How NASCAR Saved Carl Edwards From a Spiteful Driver After Pulling a “Mike Wallace” on the Vet

5

When Sponsor’s Revolt: NASCAR’s ‘Worst’ Driver Dragged to Court Over Shocking Issue

“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.” This was Corey LaJoie’s response after being sacked by his team, Spire Motorsports. At the time this didn’t make a lot of sense, but with RWR finally deciding on their full-time driver, there seems to be an indication of where LaJoie’s career might be headed.

A NASCAR rumor account, nascarrumornostalgia, posted another rumor on its Instagram account. The post claimed that LaJoie’s 2025 season will be restricted to a part-time schedule with the role of analyst lined up with Amazon Prime Video. The driver was regularly featured on the Stacking Pennies podcast, where he better resonated with the NASCAR community through his content over racing.

Prime Video is making its debut with NASCAR in 2025 and has already announced that Adam Alexander, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Steve Letarte will be their broadcast team. So, LaJoie’s stint could be restricted to a different role. What would that look like? It is indeed hard to guess at the moment, but this silly season rumor could turn out to be true.