Written by Sean McKean
On the afternoon of July 25th, Spire Motorsports announced that Corey Lajoie would be leaving their Cup Series programme following the 2024 season.
Lajoie joined the team in 2021 after a stint with Go Fas Racing in their #7 car. Their only highlight was in the Daytona 500, where he achieved his first Cup top ten for the team in ninth.
With the introduction of the NextGen car, Spire and Lajoie took a big step forward at restrictor-plate tracks in 2022. This was shown in both Atlanta races which saw him score a top five in the spring and nearly win in the summer before a late crash with leader Chase Elliott.
The pairing built off that success for 2023, finishing a career-high fourth in the Atlanta spring and Talladega fall races. Lajoie also achieved a top ten in Daytona.
Although Lajoie started this year strong in fourth in the Daytona 500, his finishes have since plateaued. Furthermore, pressure from teammates Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith outperforming him within the team leaves Spire to drop their longest tenured driver from a Cup ride.
Lajoie, who currently sits 28th in the standings, has not officially announced his plans for 2025. However, rumours lean towards him either joining Spire’s Truck Series programme or taking over the #15 Rick Ware Racing machine.
A replacement for Lajoie has yet to be announced. The rumoured candidates are Kyle Busch – two-time champion currently with Richard Childress Racing – and Erik Jones – three-time race winner currently with Legacy Motor Club.
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