Rick Ware Racing made a move this past week. However, it was rather odd. The team essentially “traded” Justin Haley to Spire Motorsports for the now-former driver of the No. 7, Corey Lajoie. However, the team was apprehensive about clearly defining its future, both with or without Lajoie. So, what’s on the table for RWR in 2025?
This year was different from past years for Rick Ware Racing. The team hired a full-time driver, Justin Haley, who was a former Kaulig Racing standout.
Fans chastised Haley for his choice to sign with the backmarker team. However, the benefits of that came in the form of support from RFK Racing. Furthermore, Haley was only the team’s third full-time driver in its short history.
The team and driver would together have a streak of consistency and solid runs early on in the season, surely making Haley look like the most improved driver this season. Unfortunately for a team the size of RWR, this success came with rumors that their driver would head for greener pastures.
The initial rumor was that Spire Motorsports had a serious interest in bringing Haley on for 2025. Furthermore, another rumor was that Corey Lajoie, the driver leaving Spire, would head to RWR for 2025. This speculation came to a head Friday afternoon when the two teams swapped drivers. Bristol served as Haley and Lajoie’s final race in their respective cars.
While Haley was confirmed for Spire next year, Lajoie was not, as RWR made it clear this was more of a trial run. Furthermore, the team confirmed they will have two cars in the 2025 Daytona 500.
So, with all those clues put together, what could RWR do in 2025?
First things first, how many cars will RWR have? While team President Robby Benton clarified that they will have two cars in the Daytona 500 next year, that doesn’t mean much of anything.
The door is seemingly open for one of the two to be an open car. If that is the case, one hearsay rumor is that RFK Racing could lease a charter from RWR in 2025.
In that case, RWR may want to evaluate a younger prospect for its chartered entry in 2025.
If 23XI Racing does not expand, Riley Herbst, the rumored driver of an expanded 23XI, might be on the market. What about Zane Smith, who is out of a job at Trackhouse? While he might have better prospects on the open market, the team could show consideration.
However, a realistic option for RWR, whether they lease a charter or hold on to both, is to keep things as they are. While it feels like a step back to keep Lajoie on, the growth Spire had with Corey behind the wheel is exactly what RWR might need.
If RWR keeps both, the other charter could benefit from part-time starts from the Haas Factory Team’s Xfinity Series talent. Once again, while sticking with this year’s two-charter plan doesn’t feel like progress, it might be the right move for RWR.
RWR might not have a plan yet. In the wild 2025 NASCAR free-agent market, that could be for the best. Either way, it seems like both routes for 2025 will only keep RWR on the right path, even if it takes a little while to get to where they’re going.
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