Corey LaJoie’s Comments Spark Debate Amongst Fans and Drivers
What’s Happening? Following his announcement that he will race part-time in 2025, an interview with Corey LaJoie caused online controversy. Some…
Before his return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this weekend, Corey LaJoie spoke with the media and addressed his now-infamous “12 people in the grandstands” comments from January. The veteran driver not only owned up to his comments but also explained what led to the controversial take.
Corey LaJoie has nine truck races this year with the first this weekend at Michigan. What he said about competing in the series after some of the comments he made in February: @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/ZAmiTJZHEr
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 6, 2025
Entering the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, one long-time Cup Series regular found himself without a ride. This driver, Corey LaJoie, was coming off a season in which Spire Motorsports traded him to Rick Ware Racing before his new team moved on from him for the upcoming season.
Despite rumors of options in lower series, on Jan. 27, LaJoie revealed that he planned to drive part-time for RWR and work as an analyst for Prime Video during its NASCAR Cup Series coverage.
That same morning, Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports released a pre-tape interview he had done with LaJoie, in which the 33-year-old spoke on why he opted for a part-time Cup Series schedule. What LaJoie said in this interview would define not only the early part of his season but the narrative surrounding the former fan-favorite underdog.
In this interview, LaJoie told Pockrass:
“Do you wanna go pump the ego up and hold a trophy on a Friday when there’s 12 people in the grandstands? No, I wanna compete against the best because I feel like with every group that I’ve been [in], groups that I’ve built from the ground up, any given Sunday, we can go contend for a win whether its speedways…we can run top-ten any given week.” — Corey LaJoie.
These comments were shocking to hear, especially from the son of one of the most accomplished NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers of all time, Randy LaJoie. LaJoie’s hot take received pushback from fans and industry members like Truck Series team owner Josh Reaume.
Just as the smoke began to clear from these comments all those months ago, earlier this week, LaJoie revealed that he was reuniting with Spire Motorsports for a nine-race schedule in the Craftsman Truck Series. Of course, fans immediately called him out for taking this ride, with most citing past comments as hypocritical.
Friday, at Michigan International Speedway, LaJoie reflected on that now-infamous interview.
What’s Happening? Following his announcement that he will race part-time in 2025, an interview with Corey LaJoie caused online controversy. Some…
LaJoie opened by addressing the fact that he, in his opinion, has “said a lot of dumb things on camera, so that was just another one.”
He claimed that the interview happened during a five-day fast, and he “wasn’t in the mood to play around.” However, the NASCAR veteran acknowledged his comments, specifically the often-recalled “12 people in the grandstands,” clarifying that he was self-aware of the effect this had in the garage area.
“I wish I wouldn’t have added that 12 [people] comment, right? Because then people within the truck garage take offense to it. Then there’s so many things that it came out of, in such a negative light, for just a couple comments that I said when I was hangry.” — Corey LaJoie.
But, in spite of the fallout from that interview, LaJoie says he showed “no hesitation” to return to the Truck Series for the first time since the 2024 season opener. He even says that he will take this opportunity with Spire seriously, as “thousands” of drivers would love to be in his shoes.
“There are hundreds, if not thousands, of kids, drivers, that would love this nine-race opportunity, so that’s not missed on me,'” LaJoie said. “I’m going to take that seriously. This is my shot.”
However, the ten-year Cup Series veteran says taking a step away from the grind of the Cup Series garage has been fun.
“I was sitting in the truck today for practice, and I just thought, ‘I get to drive this thing. Somebody else owns it. Somebody’s paying me to drive it. This is the best job ever,” LaJoie said. And I haven’t had that thought in like six years.”
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