[brid video=”677122″ player=”23231″ title=”15%20top%20NASCAR%20drivers%20ranked%20for%20the%202021%20season” duration=”164″ description=”The 2020 NASCAR season came with many twists and turns. The COVID-19 pandemic forced teams into mid-week races, one-day shows, and three races at Darlington Raceway after their 10-week hiatus of racing. However, after a grueling 36-race schedule from February to November, the NASCAR season ended yesterday with Chase Elliott as the champion.NASCAR now enters 2021 with many new things ahead. They have a brand new schedule that sees the additions of Bristol on dirt, Nashville Speedway, Circuit of the Americas, Road America, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. There is also a higher abundance of seat movement with the notables of Kyle Larson going to Hendrick Motorsports and Bubba Wallace to 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.” uploaddate=”2020-11-10 21:14:23″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/thumb/677122_t_1605042886.png” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/sd/677122.mp4″]
Corey LaJoie has been searching for a new ride ever since it was announced that he and Go Fas Racing would part ways at the end of the 2020 season. After months of searching, he may soon have a home at Spire Motorsports.
According to Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern, Corey LaJoie is a leading candidate to join Spire Motorsports in one of their two full-time race cars next season.
LaJoie has three top-10 finishes across three full-time seasons as a NASCAR Cup Series driver. This year, LaJoie had one top-10 finish with an average final position of 25.6, which was the best finishing position of his career.
Related: NASCAR power rankings for next season
What does this mean for Corey LaJoie and Spire Motorsports?
With the number of seats in silly season dwindling, this is a perfect scenario for Corey LaJoie. The 29-year-old driver took the chance when he decided to part ways with Go Fas Racing. Now with his former team moving to part-time next season, it makes the competition for seats even more competitive.
The limited seats in the NASCAR Cup Series have caused a higher abundance of drivers looking for a ride. LaJoie may have been one of their top options and they will in all likelihood land him to drive for their team. However, they could have another driver fall into their lap.
LaJoie could land with a team that has intentions of competing in the near future with Spire Motorsports. It has been rumored that they will receive Hendrick Motorsports cars and engines after having a technical alliance with Rick Ware Racing this season. They could run better next season due to this new relationship.
Spire Motorsports expects to field two full-time NASCAR Cup Series cars next year after acquiring Leavine Family Racing’s charter after the 2020 season. They have one win in the NASCAR Cup Series after Justin Haley won a rain-shortened race at Daytona International Speedway in July 2019.
The bottom line
Corey LaJoie and Spire Motorsports are a perfect match for each other. LaJoie wants to compete for race wins eventually, while Spire Motorsports is looking to shock the NASCAR world and return to victory lane again. LaJoie could have a home at Spire Motorsports in the future if their transition to the NextGen car in 2022 goes well.
Spire Motorsports has fielded multiple drivers such as Ross Chastain, J.J Yeley, and Reed Sorenson. However, none of those drivers were full-time with the team and ran selected races. None of the drivers have run more than 12 races during the season. They now plan on fielding two full-time cars in 2021.
LaJoie will most likely remain in the NASCAR Cup Series after choosing between that and a top-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series ride. Maybe, he could run part-time with Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as drivers Justin Haley and Ross Chastain have in the past. Either way, LaJoie is setting himself up in a better position for the future.