Corey LaJoie bets it all on RWR Cup ride despite uncertain future beyond 2024

Spire Motorsports driver Corey LaJoie is set to switch rides with Rick Ware Racing driver Justin Haley after the Bristol Night Race in an unconventional mid-season driver swap between two manufacturers. He will take over the #51 RWR Ford for the remaining seven races of the season.

LaJoie was originally scheduled to leave Spire Motorsports at the end of the season, but the process has been accelerated due to the team's decision to swap him for the 25-year-old Haley. Haley is confirmed to remain with Spire Motorsports through 2025, while LaJoie's future with Rick Ware Racing remains uncertain beyond this season.

LaJoie explained his decision to join Rick Ware Racing mid-season, revealing that he had alternative offers from Xfinity and Truck Series teams. However, LaJoie emphasized that his priority is to continue competing in the Cup Series, and pursuing the opportunity with RWR was his best chance to continue racing at the premier level.

"I had other opportunities, you know, Xfinity Series and Trucks. But I told Robby several weeks ago, I said, Man, all my chips are pushed onto the table to drive to #51 because my gut, like my guiding light, my entire racing career, since I've been eight years old, is to be a cup driver. It's not to be an Xfinity driver. It's not to be a Truck driver. So make it to the cup driver, to the cup level, and race against the very best." he said in a press conference. [via Bob Pockrass]

The 32-year-old expressed his gratitude to Ford and Chevy for facilitating the mid-season swap. He aims to maximize the opportunity till the remainder of the season.

"It's freaking hard, because these guys [Cup Series driver] are the very best, but I did [think about] taking a step back and winning some races, and then watching guys, who I know that I can compete against each and every week go have fun and compete for wins on a Sunday, didn't really sit right for me," he added.

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"We’re like-minded in that pursuit" - Rick Ware Racing executive on trading Justin Haley for Corey LaJoie

Rick Ware Racing has shown improvement this season, with Justin Haley securing top-10 results at non-drafting tracks. Despite Haley's departure, RWR president Robby Benton is confident that Corey LaJoie will help the team maintain their momentum.

Benton suggests the final seven races of the season will provide an opportunity to evaluate LaJoie's performance and make a decision regarding the team's long-term future.

"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." he said (Via NBC Sports).

LaJoie will make his final start in the #7 Spire Motorsports Chevy this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is scheduled for this Saturday, September 21, at 7:30 PM ET.