“My kids' college funds rolled into one race”: Corey LaJoie makes heartfelt admission on his Daytona 500 bid

Corey LaJoie recently expressed his honest thoughts on what was at stake when he made his bid to reserve Rick Ware Racing's open car for the Daytona 500 race. The 33-year-old punched his ticket for the Great American Race' after battling through the Duel race with an impressive sixth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway.

After months of speculation and uncertainty, LaJoie announced his 2025 plans following his departure from Spire Motorsports last season. With nearly a decade of Cup Series experience and over 270 races to his name, the Charlotte, North Carolina native revealed earlier this year his intention to run a part-time schedule, driving the No. 01 Ford for RWR, and a potential broadcasting role with Amazon Prime later this year. However, securing a spot on the final grid for the iconic Daytona 500 race became his immediate challenge

In a recent media interaction at Daytona Beach, Florida, LaJoie made a heartfelt admission when asked about the magnitude of making the field for the season-opening race of the season. He revealed (via Racing America):

"Come back down here, front Rick [Ware] the money in January to make sure nobody else got the car because I know his car is one of the more desirable, one of the open cars to drive and be on the hook for a couple of weeks, not knowing what was going to happen there."

NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 - Qualifying - (Source: Getty)

LaJoie also revealed how his now-sponsors for the Ford ride - DuraMAX and Take 5 Oile Change got him off the hook at the last minute. He continued:

"I was probably dumb enough to let my chips ride on the table and try to make this race on my own dime... It was all of my kids' college fund rolled into one race, right," LaJoie said.

---

Corey LaJoie delivers crystal clear message on NASCAR's new rule for Helio Castroneves

The new NASCAR Open Exemption Provisional rule, granting a 41st starting spot regardless of qualifying performance, has stirred significant debate within the NASCAR community. However, Corey LaJoie made his feelings known on which side of the spectrum he sits.

Speaking to Bob Pockrass, LaJoie stated how this special rule doesn't do justice to former Cup Series champions like Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr., who earned their spots through qualifying or the Daytona Duels.

"I don't like it, but it doesn't matter," Lajoie said. "I mean, I think having Helio part of the Daytona 500 is a huge draw. He's a world-renowned race car driver, but so is Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson. Those guys are past champions, so I would almost like to see that rule adjusted."

"Those guys have dedicated, they're hall-famers, so those guys should get at least a spot made for them as opposed, not as opposed, in addition to somebody that's coming for their first race," added LaJoie.

Nevertheless, both the NASCAR champions Johnson and Truex Jr. qualified for the Daytona 500 on speed and proved their prowess on the Superspeedway.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Daytona 500 field is set and Corey LaJoie will return to action for the first official race of the season on February 16.