Corey LaJoie confesses to making “too many mistakes” amid disappointing 2024 season

NASCAR: USA TODAY 301
Corey LaJoie at NASCAR: USA TODAY 301

While speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Corey LaJoie took responsibility for his less-than-stellar season. He acknowledged some mistakes and a failure to implement strategies effectively on the track. Despite his car showing impressive speed, LaJoie acknowledged that he hasn't been able to consistently finish in the top 18 or 20 every week this year, unlike in 2023.

Last August, Corey LaJoie renewed his contract with Spire Motorsports. Recently, the team made a significant move by signing championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers for the 2025 season. Childers, with 40 Cup race victories and 34 poles to his name, could be a game-changer for Corey LaJoie. However, until now, Childers has primarily worked with seasoned drivers like Kevin Harvick and the notably composed Josh Berry, who has seen considerable success in the Xfinity and Late Model Racing series.

Corey LaJoie, who has been in Cup Racing for the past nine years, has secured only nine top-10 finishes and is yet to claim a victory. The 2024 season, in particular, has not been kind to him. Apart from the Daytona 500, LaJoie has not managed any top-5 finishes. Discussing his challenges on SiriusXM NASCAR, he said:

"I've made too many mistakes behind the wheel trying to get a little bit more than what I think the pace of our car is. We need to be able to run the top 15 more consistently. And then that will turn into 10 and top five. [...]
I think that we haven't executed well. Whether it's me behind the wheel or races or in general, we have some pace. And just overall, haven't run how we could run top 18, top 20 every week last year."

Despite the setbacks, he remains hopeful about the upcoming weekend at Pocono and aims to mirror his performance from Sonoma.


Corey LaJoie aims to replicate his Sonoma Raceway performance.

While Corey LaJoie has been consistent in finishing races, he's also been involved in several incidents where he pushed too hard and ended up taking out other cars. LaJoie has faced a lot of criticism this year, especially since rookie Carson Hocevar has regularly outperformed him, and mistakes from a veteran like him are seen as less forgivable.

However, LaJoie has shown strength on road courses. He delivered Spire Motorsports' best-ever qualifying run at COTA and had his season-best performance at Sonoma, finishing 11th. LaJoie is keen to build on these successes, saying:

"Right now it's a good week for us so we need to get back on track and just get some confidence back in our processes and then start with back in. I would say the last month or so five weeks... we were 11th in Sonoma, we were in contention there on those green-white checkers in Nashville. [0:50]
We were lined up third on the second to last one, too. The right front suspension got damaged and... Yeah, there's been instances where we've been in the hunt, but we haven't had anything to show for it."

Currently, Corey LaJoie is ranked 31st, with one top-5 and one top-10 finish this season.

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Edited by Eeshaan Tiwary
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