Spire Motorsports has always been a team looking to give new drivers an opportunity in the NASCAR Cup Series. That was no different this season with rookies Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith. Spire will be looking for a new driver for 2025, as the team’s longest-tenured driver Corey LaJoie made major news this week, announcing his departure from the team at season’s end.
On Thursday, Spire Motorsports shared an official statement that the 32-year-old LaJoie would not return to the team next season. According to Jim Utter from motorsport.com, the team has sought a ‘Clean Slate’ for 2025. It comes as a pretty big surprise given, that LaJoie has been the top driver on the team since the 2021 season. Not to mention the team has already gone out and signed 2014 Championship crew chief Rodney Childers to be on top of the pit box of the No. 7 Chevy next season.
It isn’t clear at this time who the next driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet will be, but Spire Motorsports certainly has plenty of options on the table.
New Driver For Spire Motorsports in 2025, Possible Replacements for Corey LaJoie
It certainly has been a huge year of driver and team news in the NASCAR Cup Series. Spire Motorsports had already made huge news for 2025 when they previously announced that 2021 Daytona 500 Champion Michael McDowell would be joining the organization next season. Now they seemed to be looking for a third-driver after all. In Spire’s statement shared via NASCAR.com, team co-owner Jeff Dickerson was very thankful to Corey for what he has done for the team since 2021.
“Corey LaJoie has been a cornerstone of Spire Motorsports since 2021 and it would be impossible to overstate what he’s meant to this organization.”
– Jeff Dickerson, Co-Owner, Spire Motorsports
Read more: https://t.co/sBfhtfExf9 pic.twitter.com/CuR7FHL9FS
— Spire Motorsports (@SpireMotorsport) July 25, 2024
“Corey LaJoie has been a cornerstone of Spire Motorsports since 2021 and it would be impossible to overstate what he’s meant to this organization and how much I’ve agonized over this decision,” Dickerson said. “Corey put his heart and soul into this team. He rolled up his sleeves and went to work before we had a race shop, a toolbox, or even our own cars. Those days, looking back, were so much simpler than where we are in our journey now. Back then, we just wanted to get to the race track. Today, we’re consumed with consistently battling for top 10 finishes and contending for wins in the near future.”
Dickerson continued to address how difficult the decision was and made it clear that it was nothing personal with LaJoie, but the team needed to start fresh.
“In racing, there are always variables but one thing we all know is this is a performance-based business, and it just hasn’t been there for several reasons. All those reasons are factored in when it comes to making a decision of this magnitude. With Ryan (Sparks) moving upstairs, and Rodney (Childers) coming in next season, the best thing for Spire Motorsports is a clean slate for the No. 7 car in 2025,” Dickerson admitted. “Corey deserves a fresh look from another organization, too, and we’ll do everything we can to help him get another opportunity in the Cup garage. I believe in Corey and his ability to be successful in this sport and look forward to him using this as motivation to prove all his doubters wrong.”
It will be interesting to see how LaJoie handles it the rest of this season, and what his future holds. He has made 258 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with his best career finish coming in this season’s Daytona 500 when he finished fourth. LaJoie confirmed his departure from Spire with the Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi, and he is focused on finishing the season strong, despite not knowing what the future holds.
Corey LaJoie will not return to Spire Motorsports for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, he said in a statement to The Athletic on Thursday.
“I won’t be driving the 7 car next year."@Jordan_Bianchi has more ⤵️https://t.co/taWeeeABDl pic.twitter.com/MCGpvuJP6s
— The Athletic Motorsports (@TheAthleticAUTO) July 25, 2024
“This chapter ends after Phoenix and I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store for my family next,” LaJoie said.
Possibilities are Endless for the No. 7 car.
So the big question that remains is who will be the new driver of the No. 7 car. There are plenty of options both already in the series and currently in the lower series of NASCAR. As previously stated the team is bringing in McDowell and they already have Hocevar. So who gets the No. 7?
Smith currently drives for Spire, on a lone from Trackhouse Racing, who has question marks about their possible third car next season. Perhaps this allows Smith to stay on at Spire in 2025, as he has picked up his performance over the past several races, including a runner-up finish at Nashville Superspeedway. That seems like a very logical move.
There are however some other names, that could easily be floated around the garage as possible drivers for Spire next season. If they are looking for young and talented then look no further than JR Motorsports Sam Mayer, who has started to come into his own in the Xfinity Series with six wins in the series over the last two seasons.
If Spire wants to go young, they already have a rising star in the making within the organization. Connor Zilisch certainly would be a long shot to get a cup ride at only 18 years old, but hey the kid has talent. Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron was a fast riser, but this kid hasn’t even been able to run a full NASCAR schedule yet, so pumping the brakes on him isn’t a bad thing. He needs at least a full season of Xfinity Starts before he’s ready to be in a Cup car full-time.
It’s tough to see LaJoie lose his ride at Spire, but NASCAR’s a business after all.
