Corey LaJoie No Longer Top Candidate for Full-Time Cup Series Ride in 2025
What’s Happening? As the final pieces of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series lineup fall into place, one driver, Corey LaJoie, who…
On Thursday, a major Silly Season story developed from a report that Corey LaJoie is no longer a likely candidate for Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51. With this car as the final open full-time ride in the Cup Series, let’s look at the team options for this car, and who might be driving it in 2025.
What’s Happening? As the final pieces of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series lineup fall into place, one driver, Corey LaJoie, who…
Last season, Justin Haley took a risk and jumped to Rick Ware Racing and its No. 51 car. This risk stemmed from Haley leaving Kaulig Racing for RWR, who had eight top-ten finishes in the past seven seasons and none for its No. 51.
With Haley and its rotating roster of drivers in the No. 15, RWR made massive strides in early 2024. However, the rumor mill said Haley, who was showing high signs of potential, was looking at better options for 2025. Rather than leaving at season’s end, RWR announced a driver swap to take place following the Bristol Night Race. RWR would send Haley to Spire Motorsports in exchange for a longtime struggling Spire Motorsports driver, Corey LaJoie.
While RWR did not confirm LaJoie for the ride in 2025, most insiders claimed he was a candidate to drive the car next season. However, in November, RWR experienced a period of change; RFK Racing announced they would lease a charter from the team, slimming RWR’s 2025 lineup down to one full-time car.
Now, the silly season picture at RWR is changing again, as LaJoie may not be the driver of the No. 51 next season. So, what will the team do in 2025?
What’s Happening? The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series roster is slowly coming together. Many teams made major moves as early as May…
Looking at RWR’s current status and history, the team has two clear options for 2025.
First would be the obvious and traditional, full-time Chartered car with a full-time chartered driver. With the strides the team made in 2024 in the No. 51, the level of consistency that comes with a full-time driver might be the team’s best option.
However, the other option is more interesting to explore, of course. RWR has a long history of rotating drivers per chartered entry. Prior to LaJoie, the team had fielded 42 different drivers in its history, with just three of them racing on a full-time basis.
If they went this route, the team could field 2024 part-timers Cody Ware or Kaz Grala or Ford Xfinity Series talents, such as Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer, throughout 2025. This option gives several drivers a chance to boost the team’s stats.
While it seems likely that RWR will field this car full-time in 2025, there may also be a part-time car for select drivers despite the team leasing their other Charter to RFK. For example, RWR already confirmed that they will enter the No. 15 in the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.
While there are full-time options like those listed above, one insider believes there is a clear candidate for this ride. When Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports initially claimed LaJoie was no longer a candidate for the No. 51, he also said that Rick Ware’s son, Cody, will return to full-time action in 2025.
Cody has entered 106 NASCAR Cup Series races in his career, but he scored his best career finish of fourth at Daytona in the No. 15 part-time last season. While he may not match Haley’s stats last season, Ware has proven that he can handle a Cup Series car after consistent runs throughout 2024.
Ware stepped away from racing following a 2023 arrest in which NASCAR ultimately suspended him. The sport reinstated the driver in December 2023, with his first race back in the Cup Series taking place at Talladega last April.
While Ware seems like the next driver of the No. 51, some other candidates could have a shot at the No. 15.
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