Tag: Corey LaJoie

LaJoie’s day at Talladega ends with ‘pretty wild ride’

Corey LaJoie finished Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway by sliding under the checkered flag on the driver’s side of his Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. LaJoie was collected in the multi-car crash in the tri-oval on the final lap of the GEICO …

Corey LaJoie finished Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway by sliding under the checkered flag on the driver’s side of his Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

LaJoie was collected in the multi-car crash in the tri-oval on the final lap of the GEICO 500. It started at the front of the field when leader Michael McDowell was turned by Brad Keselowski, who he was trying to block for the win. But the contact sent McDowell’s No. 34 Ford Mustang Dark Horse across the track in front of the pack.

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The No. 7 car of LaJoie was in the middle of the pack when contact from Ryan Preece pushed him toward the outside wall and into Josh Berry. When sandwiched between the two Stewart-Haas Racing drivers, LaJoie’s car was pushed onto its side and rode the wall across the finish line.

“I’m good,” LaJoie said after being released from the infield care center. “That was the first flip of my career in a big car. So, 10 out of 10, don’t recommend it. It was a pretty wild ride.

“(I) just never could quite get in the right spot at the right time there at the end, and then you just know you’re just waiting to pile them up. Good thing I gave the belts a good old tug with about three (laps) to go, so I didn’t bounce around too much.”

The crash ended for LaJoie when his car fell from its side onto its roof, with the momentum putting it back on all four wheels. LaJoie finished 18th.

“The all four (wheels) hit was pretty big,” he said. “I’m glad I slid past the start/finish line, though, so I didn’t have to run past it like I was Carl Edwards (in 2009). So, at least I made it past the start/finish line.”

LaJoie didn’t see much of what started the crash. However, on the final lap, he expected something to happen and was along for the ride.

“I just saw smoke, and you’re committed to the fuel,” Lajoie said. “And somebody gets into you, and you just smash into somebody else and hit the wall and just hope that there’s no catch fence in front of you or you’re not the one upside down. But today, I was the one upside down.”

LaJoie paces Cup Series practice at Martinsville

Corey LaJoie was fastest overall in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice at Martinsville Speedway with a lap of 94.585mph (20.020s). The Spire Motorsports driver laid down his best time on his third lap of practice and ran a total of 44 laps. Bubba …

Corey LaJoie was fastest overall in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series practice at Martinsville Speedway with a lap of 94.585mph (20.020s). The Spire Motorsports driver laid down his best time on his third lap of practice and ran a total of 44 laps.

Bubba Wallace was second fastest at 94.383mph and Ryan Preece was third at 94.265mph. Alex Bowman was fourth at 94.195mph and Martin Truex Jr. was fifth at 94.181mph.

William Byron ran sixth fastest at 94.092mph, Todd Gilliland was seventh at 94.017mph, Austin Cindric, eighth at 94.008mph, Ryan Blaney, ninth at 93.994mph and Christopher Bell, 10th at 93.980mph.

Blaney is the most recent winner at Martinsville. A triumph in the fall race propelled him into the title race where he claimed his first championship.

Kyle Larson, the defending spring race winner, was 16th fastest. Larson’s lap was 93.738mph.

A week removed from his second victory of the season, Denny Hamlin was 18th fastest. Hamlin ran 93.706mph.

Austin Dillon was 20th fastest at 93.636mph. Dillon enters Martinsville with Justin Alexander once again his crew chief after Alexander replaced Keith Rodden earlier this week.

There were no incidents in practice.

There are 37 drivers entered in the Cook Out 400. In addition to the 36 charter teams, David Starr is entered in the No. 66 for MBM Motorsports.

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Video: Corey LaJoie is aiming for Cup playoffs in 2024

Spire Motorsports in 2024 is a ‘totally different team’ to Corey LaJoie. The organization has moved into a brand-new race shop after purchasing the assets of Kyle Busch Motorsports, has increased support from partners, added engineering, and much …

Spire Motorsports in 2024 is a ‘totally different team’ to Corey LaJoie. The organization has moved into a brand-new race shop after purchasing the assets of Kyle Busch Motorsports, has increased support from partners, added engineering, and much more.

LaJoie met with the media Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway and said it’s almost as if they are now a legitimate race team. As such, the expectations for LaJoie and his No. 7 team have changed from just wanting to race to now racing with intention.

Hear more LaJoie below:

NASCAR releases Corey LaJoie, Bubba Wallace’s cars with no penalty after Daytona

NASCAR has released Corey LaJoie and Bubba Wallace’s cars from R&D Center with no penalties following the Daytona 500.

The 2024 NASCAR season is underway, which means the sport is making sure no teams or drivers have a competitive advantage. Following the 2024 Daytona 500, NASCAR revealed that it would take [autotag]Corey LaJoie[/autotag] and [autotag]Bubba Wallace[/autotag]’s cars back to the R&D Center. The best news is no news, and for the two drivers, that is what they found out on Thursday morning.

According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, LaJoie and Wallace’s cars that were taken to the R&D Center after Daytona had no issues. Therefore, no penalties will be assessed for the two drivers. LaJoie had a competitive car that finished in fourth place, while Wallace showed less speed but still finished in fifth place in the Daytona 500.

LaJoie hopes the great start to the 2024 NASCAR season is a sign of what’s to come. Spire Motorsports is upgrading its operations across all levels. Meanwhile, Wallace hopes to win a race in 2024 after a winless season. Both drivers can be competitive, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see that continue at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend.

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Cindric blames LaJoie for last lap Daytona 500 crash

Austin Cindric blamed Corey LaJoie for causing the final wreck in the Daytona 500 that led to the race ending under caution. Cindric and Ross Chastain bounced off each other coming to the trioval and the white flag in Monday night’s race. Initially, …

Austin Cindric blamed Corey LaJoie for causing the final wreck in the Daytona 500 that led to the race ending under caution.

Cindric and Ross Chastain bounced off each other coming to the trioval and the white flag in Monday night’s race. Initially, Chastain took the blame for being too aggressive, but outside the infield care center, Cindric explained that his Team Penske Ford Mustang had been hit by LaJoie and sent up the track as Chastain was coming down trying to pass leader William Byron.

“Me getting wrecked. He didn’t see that,” Cindric said of what he told Chastain. “It’s just a really unfortunate end. We had a shot to win the Daytona 500. We were really in great position with the outside lane breaking up and kind of one-on-one with the 24 (Byron) with the whole pack behind, so you can’t really ask for anything else other than that out of myself and the team.

“It just sucks a little bit.”

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Byron led the field off Turn 4 with Cindric on the bottom and Chastain to his outside. LaJoie was on the bottom drafting with Cindric. When Byron moved to cover Chastain’s run from the outside lane, the Trackhouse Racing driver pulled to the left to get to his inside right as LaJoie tried to get to the inside of Cindric, was blocked, and then hit the rear bumper of Cindric to send him sideways into Chastain.

Cindric and Chastain spun through the grass before coming back up onto the racetrack. Cindric was clipped by oncoming traffic.

“Corey finished fourth, so congrats,” Cindric said. “He tried to fit a car where there wasn’t a car and just continued to push through my left rear until I wrecked. I understand trying to shuck me out or put up an opportunity because I was in probably the best spot possible coming to the white, but I’m in the care center and I don’t even know where I finished. So it really sucks, but that’s racing.”

Byron won the race and Cindric finished 22nd with Chastain 21st.

On the run coming to the white flag, LaJoie had help from AJ Allmendinger. LaJoie thanked Allmendinger for sticking with him when they returned to pit road.

“When I went to fill the bottom, the 2 (Cindric) left an entire lane open, and then he threw a lazy block and wrecked a couple cars and himself,” LaJoie said of the incident. “You’ll have that.”

Spire Motorsports reveals Corey LaJoie’s new Chili’s paint scheme for 2024

Spire Motorsports has revealed Corey LaJoie’s new Chili’s paint scheme for the 2024 Daytona 500 this weekend.

[autotag]Corey LaJoie[/autotag] and the No. 7 team will be sponsored by Chili’s in the 2024 Daytona 500, and [autotag]Spire Motorsports[/autotag] has revealed the paint scheme. The No. 7 car will have a white base with a red number. The Chili’s logo will also be on the hood and quarter panels. LaJoie’s scheme will be interactive, as seen by the nine QR codes on the car.

The codes on LaJoie’s firesuit and car can be scanned for a chance to win a $10 Chili’s gift card or a VIP trip to see NASCAR race at Circuit of the Americas on March 24. It is an excellent sign that Chili’s has invested in Spire Motorsports for the 2024 Daytona 500. The paint scheme celebrates Chili’s Presidente Margarita and the company’s general managers.

Spire Motorsports has invested in its NASCAR teams, so Chili’s could see a greater likelihood of success on Sunday afternoon. LaJoie will lead a young group with rookies Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar at his side. Chili’s has embraced the new project with Spire Motorsports, and LaJoie hopes to reward them with a trip to victory lane.

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Corey LaJoie to drive for Spire Motorsports in NASCAR Truck Series race at Daytona

Spire Motorsports announced on Thursday morning that Corey LaJoie will drive the No. 7 truck in the NASCAR Truck Series race at Daytona.

[autotag]Spire Motorsports[/autotag] has officially announced its NASCAR Truck Series lineup for Daytona International Speedway. On Thursday morning, Spire Motorsports revealed that [autotag]Corey LaJoie[/autotag] will drive the No. 7 truck at Daytona next weekend. LaJoie, who drives full-time for the team in the NASCAR Cup Series, will join Rajah Caruth and Chase Purdy as teammates.

In 2023, LaJoie drove the No. 7 truck at Daytona, finishing in 23rd place after leading 19 laps. The 32-year-old driver proved he could compete for race wins in NASCAR’s top 3 levels, so this move is good for Spire Motorsports. LaJoie’s experience should pair well with Caruth and Purdy as they look to secure their footing with the organization.

It is unknown how many races LaJoie will run with Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series, but he ran twice last season. If he makes the race at Daytona, he will have at least one start under his belt. Spire Motorsports has made several investments to become a great NASCAR organization, and LaJoie will look to prove the team’s worth at Daytona.

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Spire Motorsports signs Celsius as a primary sponsor for Corey LaJoie in 2024

Spire Motorsports has signed Celsius as a sponsor for Corey LaJoie in 2024. Check out LaJoie’s schedule and paint scheme with Celsius!

[autotag]Spire Motorsports[/autotag] has committed to succeeding in NASCAR, and the purchases of Kyle Busch Motorsports and a charter in the Cup Series prove that point. With [autotag]Corey LaJoie[/autotag], Zane Smith, and Carson Hocevar in the Cup Series, it shows their dedication to winning. Now, Spire Motorsports is winning off the track with another sponsorship extension.

On Tuesday morning, Spire Motorsports announced that Celsius will continue with the team as a primary sponsor. Specifically, Celsius will sponsor LaJoie and the No. 7 team in four races starting at the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum. The company will also sponsor LaJoie at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 25, the Chicago Street Course on July 7, and Daytona International Speedway on August 24.

This is another notable sponsor for LaJoie and Spire Motorsports after signing Chili’s last week. The NASCAR organization continues to show its dedication to being great, but it’s also a great sign that well-known companies believe in the team. LaJoie could be on the verge of a breakout season, and Celsius hopes it will see the No. 7 car in victory lane.

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Corey LaJoie’s 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season in review

Corey LaJoie had an improved year with Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series. Here, you can check out LaJoie’s 2023 season in review!

[autotag]Corey LaJoie[/autotag] had his best NASCAR Cup Series season to date, and the statistics backed that up. LaJoie ended the year with two top-5 and three top-10 finishes with a 20.8 average finishing position. The driver of the No. 7 car also finished 25th in the point standings, which rounds off a career-high effort across the board.

LaJoie led Spire Motorsports to improved success, highlighted by a best finish of fourth place at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Overall, it was a successful season for the Spire Motorsports driver as the organization continues to walk in the right direction. In fact, the 2024 NASCAR season could have more on tap.

Spire Motorsports has paired LaJoie with Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, which should improve his performance overall. He can enter a mentor role while increasing his performance on the race track. A berth in the playoffs might be unrealistic, but it wouldn’t be out of the realm of expectations to earn at least three top-5 finishes and five top-10 finishes.

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LaJoie signs multiyear extension with Spire

Corey LaJoie has signed a multiyear extension with Spire Motorsports to remain behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet. “Corey LaJoie took a chance on Spire Motorsports before we had any tools, any cars, or even a race shop,” Spire Motorsports …

Corey LaJoie has signed a multiyear extension with Spire Motorsports to remain behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet.

“Corey LaJoie took a chance on Spire Motorsports before we had any tools, any cars, or even a race shop,” Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson said. “He is part of the fabric of this race team, so it’s hard to put into words what his commitment means to T.J. (Puchyr, co-owner) and I.

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“He made a very thoughtful and deliberate decision to return to Spire Motorsports. He had plenty of other opportunities and chose to stay the course. We’re excited that Corey will continue to anchor this team, and we’re ready to keep making meaningful progress every time we unload.”

LaJoie joined Spire Motorsports in 2021 and has three top-10 finishes with the organization, including career-best finishes of fourth and fifth at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“When Jeff, TJ and I sat at the conference table three years ago with a whiteboard and vision to build a competitive race team, I was excited for the challenge,” LaJoie said. “Since that meeting, I’ve grown, matured and developed my skills and will continue to improve myself and my extended family at Spire Motorsports for years to come.

“We will continue stacking pennies and deliver for our great partners on and off the track. We’re even more eager to bring our loyal fans on the journey with us.”

LaJoie has been a full-time Cup Series driver since 2017 and has 222 career starts.