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NASCAR is officially on its two-week break for the Paris Olympics. Even though the sport has taken a break on the track, Silly Season is 24/7/365, and this week is no exception. Spire and Corey LaJoie decided to part ways and the driver for the Haas Factory Team was finally revealed, and there are clues pointing as to who can take their Xfinity Series rides. Here’s everything you missed this week in Silly Season.
In a massive bombshell, according to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, Spire Motorsports will not retain mainstay driver Corey LaJoie for the 2025 season. This comes after the two sides agreed on a two-year extension just a year ago and the announcement of Rodney Childers as the team’s crew chief in 2025. After three seasons with the team, LaJoie will be looking for a new home next season.
It has not been the season the No. 7 team has hoped for. Despite a top-five finish in the Daytona 500, the team has yet to record another top-10 and has rottenly been outperformed by rookie Carson Hocevar. The season seemed to be at its lowest just a few weeks ago when LaJoie turned Kyle Busch on a restart that set off a multi-car crash. Fans were not happy with LaJoie or how he handled the situation, and Busch vowed payback against him. It’s unclear what LaJoie’s plans are, whether he’ll stay in Cup or go down to Xfinity or Trucks, but Spire needs a new driver, and Corey LaJoie needs a new ride for 2025.
Before the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, Haas Factory Team announced that Cole Custer will drive for the team in the Cup Series in 2025. The team will run the number 41 and have a technical alliance with RFK Racing. After a two-year stint in the Xfinity Series, Custer will return to NASCAR’s top division, where he already collected a win and the 2020 Rookie of the Year award.
Custer struggled during his first stint in Cup. While he got that win in 2020 and made the playoffs, he failed to replicate that success over the next two seasons, resulting in his demotion to the Xfinity Series. But was that due to Custer or Stewart-Haas Racing? The No. 41 team has seen no improvement with Ryan Preece behind the wheel, and the organization has only won two races in the Next Gen Era, with none since Custer left. With an Xfinity Series championship and the whole team built around him, we’ll see Custer finally showcase what he has at the Cup level in 2025 and beyond.
Sticking with the Haas Factory Team, the first name linked to one of their Xfinity Series rides was finally revealed, but not one many were looking at. During the same press conference, Joe Custer, team president of HFT, said the team has talked with Hailie Deegan about potentially driving one of their cars in 2025. He spoke highly of Deegan, who split ways with AM Racing a few weeks ago, saying they want to be a part of her future.
While Deegan’s tenure at AM Racing was disappointing, there seem to be more problems with the team than just their former driver. A brand new team with a brand new driver typically isn’t a recipe for success in NASCAR’s top divisions. However, Deegan has not performed in her time in both the Truck and the Xfinity Series. Is this what she finally needs to realize the potential many saw during her time in the K&N Series? Nothing is confirmed, but only time will tell.
Riley Herbst has been long rumored to go to 23XI Racing next season, following SHR’s closure. After his impressive victory at the Brickyard this past Saturday, his chances seemed to only go up after Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI tweeted his reaction of Herbst’s win.
23XI has been reported to purchase one of the remaining two SHR charters. While their value has dropped this season compared to last, buying one of the 36 charters in the NASCAR Cup Series will still cost a pretty penny. The funding Herbst brings would help to purchase the charter. He has also picked up his performance for the past year-and-a-half, winning his first two races and sitting top-five in points. Is Herbst Cup Series ready? Maybe not, but his funding and recent results could put him in a position to be a serviceable driver for 23XI if he is to land the seat.
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