In Daytona Beach, Florida (AP) — Corey LaJoie was determined to compete in the prestigious Daytona 500 race. He was released by Spire Motorsports last season and ended up finishing the year driving the final six races with Rick Ware Racing with no certainty of future opportunities. Despite the uncertainty, Rick Ware was open to fielding a second car at Daytona International Speedway, yet the driver would need to bring financial backing for the effort.
LaJoie, who has become a father of three sons since 2020, decided to take a significant gamble by using his children’s college fund to ensure he could secure a seat in the race before another driver could obtain the No. 01 Ford through sponsorship. He took the risk of handing over the money in January to secure his spot, stating that he put all of his kids’ college fund on the line for this one race.
The cost for the seat was substantial, as LaJoie mentioned it was “four zeros, one comma.” However, he was relieved when sponsors DuraMAX and Take 5 came in at the last moment, alleviating him of the financial burden. This turn of events allowed LaJoie to focus on his performance, eventually earning his place in the race through one of Thursday night’s qualifying races alongside Cody Ware, reinforcing Ford’s presence in the competition.
Although LaJoie will have a limited schedule in the Cup Series with RWR this year, he will also serve as an analyst for Amazon Prime Video’s Cup Series coverage, utilizing these opportunities to promote his Stacking Pennies Performance Brand. The No. 01 car symbolizes LaJoie’s “Stacking Pennies” philosophy, emphasizing that small victories lead to significant achievements. His Stacking Pennies podcast has gained considerable popularity within the NASCAR community.
While RWR has not disclosed the number of races LaJoie will participate in, he is thrilled to have secured a spot in the Daytona 500, the pinnacle event of the year. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, LaJoie remained confident, viewing the use of his children’s college fund as a test of faith. He expressed his satisfaction in achieving the goal of competing in the “Great American Race,” emphasizing that it was a crucial milestone for him.
LaJoie’s impressive performance in last year’s Daytona 500 driving for Spire motivates him as he embarks on this new challenge with Rick Ware Racing.
