Corey LaJoie’s NASCAR career, once filled with potential, has been a story of missed opportunities and unfulfilled promise. With a family legacy of racing success—his grandfather, Don LaJoie, is a Hall of Famer, and his father, Randy, was a two-time Busch Series champion—Corey seemed destined for greatness. However, as the 2025 season approaches, LaJoie’s career teeters on the edge, with no confirmed ride for the upcoming year. Many point to one pivotal moment as the beginning of his downfall: Rick Hendrick’s gamble to bring LaJoie in as a substitute for Chase Elliott in 2023. This opportunity, which seemed like the chance of a lifetime, ultimately exposed his weaknesses and set the stage for his struggles.
In 2023, after Elliott’s injury, Hendrick Motorsports called upon LaJoie to replace their star driver. It was a career-defining opportunity, one LaJoie had longed for. But the experience quickly turned overwhelming. LaJoie described it as “drinking from a fire hose,” trying to adapt to the pressure of driving for one of NASCAR’s top teams. His debut race at Gateway was a mixed bag—he finished 21st, which wasn’t terrible but also not remarkable. However, the real issue lay not in his performance, but in the comparison to another driver: Carson Hocevar.
On the same day, Hocevar, a young and relatively unknown talent, took over LaJoie’s usual Spire Motorsports ride. While LaJoie struggled to find his footing in the superior Hendrick car, Hocevar impressed by pushing his car into the top 15. Although Hocevar later caused a DNF by overdriving and blowing a brake, the damage was done. A rookie in inferior equipment had outperformed LaJoie, highlighting his limitations.
This contrast became even more evident in 2024 when Spire Motorsports signed Hocevar full-time. LaJoie, facing mounting pressure, faltered. While Hocevar posted an impressive average finish of 18.3 with six top-10s, LaJoie’s performance fell flat with an average finish of 23rd and only three top-10 finishes. His frustration boiled over into an aggressive driving style, leading to incidents and a growing reputation for “inventing new ways to crash,” as well as public confrontations, notably with Kyle Busch.
With Spire under pressure from investors like Gamebridge to perform, they made the decision to part ways with LaJoie at the end of 2024. Hocevar, paired with veteran drivers Michael McDowell and Justin Haley, became the face of the team moving forward. LaJoie’s departure left him without a seat and his future uncertain.
Despite a solid start at Spire Motorsports in 2021, where he helped establish the team’s foundation, LaJoie’s career never took off. His best results—three fourth-place finishes—came on superspeedways, but those moments of brilliance were rare. A mid-season move to Rick Ware Racing in 2024 didn’t provide the revival LaJoie needed. Although he had a couple of respectable finishes, his season was marred by penalties and DNFs.
As 2025 looms, LaJoie’s future is uncertain. Rumors suggest he could remain at Rick Ware Racing, potentially helping the team grow through its alliance with RFK Racing. However, even that is far from guaranteed. In hindsight, Hendrick’s gamble on LaJoie might have been the turning point in his career. While it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up, it ultimately exposed him in ways that harmed his reputation. In NASCAR, perception is everything, and LaJoie’s brief stint with Hendrick showed that sometimes one misstep can define a driver’s career. Whether he can recover and rewrite his story remains to be seen.
How rick Hendricks Gamble was the Downfall for Corey lajoie Nascar carrier
