Corey LaJoie finally broke his silence after being let go from Spire Motorsports, effective after the 2024 season. In a special episode of Stacking Pennies, LaJoie reflects with co-host Ryan Flores about what happened at Spire and tries to make sense of an uncertain future. Is LaJoie done driving a race car?
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LaJoie did not go into much detail about what happened at Spire and why they let him go, but he did go into detail about how he has been handling it mentally.
One thing is for sure when listening to this podcast. LaJoie has absolutely nothing lined up for 2025 and beyond.
However, he’s not panicked about it in any way, and he seems to be okay with whatever direction his life takes him, whether that is in the race car or out of the race car. He will lean on his faith for guidance on where to go next. However, he still believes he can bring value to a race team.
I feel like I’m top-15 guy any given Sunday, particularly on road courses, particularly on Speedways. We can give ourselves chance to win, and I feel like I can still give any team that would be willing to talk a chance to win as well. But, also, if that’s not in the cards, if that’s not where the Lord wants me, that’s not where he’s going to put me because it’s going to be blatantly obvious what the next thing is in store for my life. Whether that’s racing on Sundays or coaching t-ball on Wednesdays Mooresville, and both are not bad options.
Corey LaJoie
This is a realistic way for LaJoie to look at his current situation. The reality is that he was let go, does not have an exceptionally impressive driving resume, and there are not a lot of Cup Series seats available. It’s a real possibility that he won’t get an opportunity like this again, and he’s at least growing to accept that.
However, one place that many people have looked for LaJoie to find a ride is in the lower series like Xfinity or Trucks. Drivers like John Hunter Nemechek and Justin Allgaier have done so and have found great success, but LaJoie, while not against the idea, doesn’t seem optimistic that a ride will open up for him there for one major reason: funding.
There’s a lot of things outside my control there. I’m telling you, between 18 and 23 years old, there are 10 people that have more than $3 million to go buy a seat anywhere. The rides that are valuable are going to get bought by guys with money. Whether it’s a Cup car. Whether it’s a Truck. Whether it’s Xfinity, you know, you start going down the list. That’s been a question that I’ve had to answer about this time or later every single year for the last seven years.
Corey LaJoie
Funding plays a major role in every race car driver’s career. If a driver doesn’t bring funding, good results don’t always offset that, and bad results mean a career death sentence. Racing isn’t cheap; to make ends meet, drivers often need to foot part of the bill through good sponsorship.
It doesn’t sound like he brings as much funding as other drivers. He has obviously put together enough funding for the past few years to race, but will it be enough for any of the drivers available?
Will LaJoie race again after the 2024 season? It seems like something could open up for him, but he is open to every option available, whether inside or outside the race car. His family will be the people he will lean on in making that decision.
The only people that I have to answer to with what I decide to do with my life are the five people that are riding that motor home. Not people on Reddit. Not people on this podcast. Not people on SiriusXM Channel 90, as much as I love them. Nowhere else but the five people in that bus is the only thing that I’m going to direct my life. Whether that’s mental clarity. Whether that’s trying to get rid of stress. Whether it’s trying to be a competitor, and try to tune that back in. Or, whether it’s just to do something else. I don’t know, but I’m going to lean into discernment on that and make the best decisions for me and my family
Corey LaJoie
What do you think about all this? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is, and don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube.
Where do all the drivers stand after the first official points race in the standings table?
After winning the opening points race of the season at Daytona by leading one lap, Tyler Reddick made it to the top of the standings. Under the new rules, he managed to pull up 58 points. He pocketed 55 for the win and added three more by finishing Stage 2 in P8. He may have squeezed out at least one more had he landed inside the top 10 in Stage 1, but after getting swept into a Lap 5 crash, Reddick limped the Stage 1 in P20, giving him no extra points.
Rounding out the top 10 are Brad Keselowski with 39 points in sixth despite a P5 finish, followed by his driver, Chris Buescher, in seventh with 39, Bubba Wallace in eighth with 37, Carson Hocevar in ninth with 36, and Ryan Blaney in 10th with 36.
Atlanta could be a springboard for Elliott, who owns an average finish of 11.4 across 14 starts there, with two wins, including one in last year’s fall race, plus three top fives and nine top 10s. The track could also pull Kyle Busch back into contention. Having already shown his speed at Daytona by winning the pole, he may potentially pull it off at the 1.54-mile track. The RCR driver sits P14 in the standings, but with an average finish of 8.8 at Atlanta since 2023 across six starts, the place might finally snap his 94-race drought.
Then again, Connor Zilisch has only one start at the track and came home P11 last year when he made his third Cup start there, making Atlanta a stage where he could stamp his mark.
Ryan Blaney will also have a better chance than anyone else to climb through a win or even points alone at Atlanta. The No. 12 Team Penske driver has one win there from 2021, but consistency has been his strong suit, with seven top fives and nine top 10s in 15 starts. And that puts him in a position to move the needle when the field rumbles into Atlanta.
Join the discussion on Discord or X, and remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more updates.
The Daytona 500 and Speedweeks may be over, but that doesn’t mean the chaos will cool off for the stars of NASCAR’s three National Series, as they roll into Hampton, Georgia, to the high banks of EchoPark Speedway for one of the schedule’s most unique race weekends.
This information will be available when NASCAR releases it on Monday afternoon.
Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.
One race weekend is in the books, and a 36-week march back to Florida is underway for the three NASCAR National Series. Whether you are going to be at the track or home, what does the forecast look like for the race weekend in Hampton, Georgia?
Before the Races (10:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
During the Truck Race (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
During the OAP Series Race (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
After the Race (8:00 PM – 11:00 PM)
Before the Race (11:00 AM – 3:00 PM)
During the Race (3:00 PM – 7:00 PM)
After the Race (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
NASCAR got lucky at EchoPark in 2025, and, as a matter of fact, everywhere else, but that doesn’t mean weather hasn’t affected the track’s races in the past with spot showers and major showers taking on race weekends. Take the summer of 2023, when the race took on a large rain shower that resulted in the race ending after just 185 laps, with race winner William Byron the leader at the time of caution.
Note: This article will be updated with a more accurate and detailed forecast as the race weekend nears.
