Spire Motorsports seeks “clean slate,” will part ways with LaJoie

The choice to not retain LaJoie, 32, was particularly shocking as when Spire introduced its rent of veteran crew chief Rodney Childers starting subsequent season, it was to be crew chief for LaJoie and the No. 7 Chevrolet.

LaJoie has been a fixture at Spire since 2021 and has 4 top-five and 6 top-10 finishes over 4 seasons, together with a fourth-place end on this 12 months’s Daytona 500.

A brand new full-time driver for the No. 7 will probably be introduced at a later date, the crew mentioned.

Assertion from Spire Motorsports

“Corey LaJoie has been a cornerstone of Spire Motorsports since 2021 and it might be not possible to overstate what he’s meant to this group and the way a lot I’ve agonized over this determination,” mentioned crew co-owner Jeff Dickerson.

“Corey put his coronary heart and soul into this crew. He rolled up his sleeves and went to work earlier than we had a race store, a toolbox and even our personal vehicles. These days, trying again, had been a lot easier than the place we’re in our journey now.

“Again then, we simply needed to get to the race monitor. Right now, we’re consumed with constantly battling for top-10 finishes and contending for wins within the close to future.”

Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports, Gainbridge Chevrolet Camaro

Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images

LaJoie was not quoted in Spire’s information launch however he provided a press release to The Athletic earlier Thursday wherein he confirmed his departure however vowed to “end the rest of 2024 robust.”

It was lower than one 12 months in the past – August 2023 – that Spire introduced a multi-year contract extension with LaJoie.

“In racing, there are at all times variables however one factor everyone knows, is this can be a performance-based enterprise, and it simply hasn’t been there for a number of causes,” Dickerson mentioned. “All these causes are factored in on the subject of making a choice of this magnitude.

“With Ryan (Sparks) shifting upstairs, and Rodney (Childers) coming in subsequent season, one of the best factor for Spire Motorsports is a clear slate for the No. 7 automotive in 2025. Corey deserves a contemporary look from one other group, too, and we’ll do the whole lot we will to assist him get one other alternative within the Cup storage.”

LaJoie has 258 begins within the Cup Collection over 9 seasons, 22 begins in Xfinity and 5 in Vehicles. He has neve gained a NASCAR nationwide collection race.