Rick Ware Racing and Spire Motorsports will trade drivers after Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway to get a head start on the 2025 season. Corey LaJoie will drive the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Ware beginning at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 29). Justin Haley will take over the No. 7 Chevrolet at Spire.
“Corey LaJoie has been a cornerstone of Spire Motorsports and we’re incredibly appreciative of all the time, effort and energy he has invested in our program,” said Spire Motorsports president Jeff Dickerson. “RWR is getting a workhorse in Corey. He’s dedicated to his craft and his tenacity brings out the best in those around him.
“We’ve known Justin Haley for many years and have been bullish on his talent from the beginning of his NASCAR career. Justin, and his win at Daytona, put us both on the map. It was a pivotal moment for his career and our organization. We’ve both grown since that day, as Justin has proven his talent in the Cup garage and he comes back to an organization that is very different from the one he left a few years ago. Getting back together now, rather than waiting until 2025, gives us an excellent opportunity to build a baseline and be a step ahead when we get to Daytona next February.”
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LaJoie moves to Rick Ware’s organization after being informed in July he’d be released from Spire Motorsports after this season. He has driven the No. 7 car since the 2021 season.
Haley’s return to Spire Motorsports reunites him with the team where he won the 2019 weather-shortened summer Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway in a part-time role. He competed with the team through the 2021 season.
In his first season with Ware, Haley was initially signed to a multiyear deal. He joined the organization after two seasons with Kaulig Racing.
“Justin Haley is a very talented driver who has done a lot to help elevate RWR,” said Rick Ware Racing president Robby Benton. “Justin came to us over the Olympic break with a longer-term opportunity that would serve his career well. We were sympathetic to his desires, as Justin committed to RWR early last year and has since played a key role in the growth of our organization. We didn’t want to compromise his growth or our own. In our talks with Justin following the break, we agreed to release him from his contract with RWR.
“Obviously, we needed a new plan to maintain the momentum we’ve gained this year, and Corey LaJoie joining RWR allows us to keep moving forward. These seven races provide a unique and unconventional opportunity to work together now and evaluate what we may be able to accomplish together going forward. Corey wants to continue his path toward winning in the NASCAR Cup Series, and so do we. We’re like-minded in that pursuit.”