Corey LaJoie reflects on leaving Spire Motorsports: I am at peace with it'

On the latest episode of Stacking Pennies, Corey LaJoie addressed the news of his departure from Spire Motorsports following the 2024 season, reflecting upon his impact on the organization and his next plans within the sport moving forward.

“I had some realizations,” said LaJoie, who has been the face of the organization for the last four seasons. “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.”

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LaJoie has played a pivotal role in the team‘s development and success during his Spire Motorsports tenure. The 32-year-old North Carolina native has collected four top fives and six top 10s over 129 Cup starts with the team. His efforts have not only contributed to on-track results but have also helped build the team‘s identity and strengthen its presence in the competitive racing landscape.

LaJoie spoke candidly and reflected on his time with the team, acknowledging both the challenges and successes he experienced. He expressed a mix of pride and frustration over the period, noting how he was deeply involved in efforts to advance the team‘s performance and grow its presence in the sport.

“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,” LaJoie said. “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 expressed his openness to his next opportunity and is welcoming any new challenges. He remains focused on finishing the 2024 season on a high note as both he and the team aim to make the most of their remaining time together.

“It’s onward and upward,” LaJoie said. “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.”