Corey LaJoie recently announced his departure from Spire Motorsports after an eventful four-year tenure, a development he discussed in depth on the ‘Stacking Pennies’ podcast. As a core member of the Spire Motorsports team, his exit in 2024 marks the end of a significant chapter both for him and the racing team.
Reflecting on his surprising departure, LaJoie commented, as quoted by NASCAR.com:
“I had some realizations. Everywhere that I’ve been has always been one-year deals, so this position that I find myself in currently isn’t uncomfortable. It’s not someplace I’ve never been before.
“You go through all the emotions, mad, sad … I think where I’m at currently a week removed is that I’m super appreciative. Super appreciative of Jeff [Dickerson, team co-owner] and T.J. [Puchyr, co-owner] and for Spire giving me the opportunity, for believing in me from the jump when we were trying to whiteboard this thing and what we’ve grown it to has been pretty cool.”
Throughout his time with Spire, LaJoie was instrumental in enhancing the team’s performance, securing four top-five finishes and six top-ten placements across 129 Cup starts. His dedication extended beyond the racetrack, contributing significantly to the planning that bolstered the team’s competitiveness and reputation in the fiercely competitive NASCAR arena.
Despite these achievements, LaJoie openly addressed certain operational challenges and his personal shortcomings during races. He added:
“I do hate that we weren’t able to see it through; we weren’t able to kind of adjust the [No.] 7 team and kind of turn the right knobs to get performance where we needed it. Also, I made too many mistakes behind the wheel this year. There were several that took us out of contention for some good results.”
Looking ahead, LaJoie remains resolutely focused on the remainder of the 2024 season, determined to leave a lasting legacy at Spire Motorsports. His goals are clear: to secure the team’s first Cup win and to add a trophy to their collection. He concluded:
“It’s onward and upward. I don’t know what the next step is. It’s been a unique situation with all the variables that are in play, but nonetheless, I am at peace with it. I’m excited about what the next chapter holds, and I’m pretty motivated to still be the first one that puts a win banner on the wall at Spire and a trophy in the trophy case on the Cup side there and continue to finish this thing strong the last 14 races.”
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