In a surprising turn of events, Corey LaJoie has announced that he will be leaving Spire Motorsports following the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. This decision brings an end to a four-year partnership between the driver and the team.

LaJoie, who has been piloting the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro for Spire since 2021, confirmed his departure in a statement to The Athletic. “I won’t be driving the 7 car next year,” LaJoie said. He expressed pride in his role in building Spire into a “respectable team on the grid” but noted that their future paths would diverge.

The 32-year-old driver, son of NASCAR Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie, has achieved four top-five and six top-10 finishes during his tenure with Spire. His best performance this season came at the Daytona 500 in February, where he matched his career-best Cup Series finish of fourth place.

Currently sitting 28th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings after 22 events, LaJoie has secured four top-15 and eight top-20 finishes this season. His average finish of 22.7 is close to his career-best, though slightly lower than last year’s 20.8.

LaJoie’s NASCAR Cup Series career began with BK Racing in 2016, and he has since driven for Tri-Star Motorsports and GoFas Racing before joining Spire Motorsports. His journey in the sport has often seen him labeled as a journeyman driver.

The announcement comes as a surprise to many, especially considering that LaJoie and Spire Motorsports had reached a multi-year contract extension in August 2023. This agreement was expected to secure LaJoie’s position with the team for the foreseeable future.

Adding to the intrigue, Spire Motorsports recently hired championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers to lead the No. 7 team in 2025. The press release for this hiring explicitly mentioned LaJoie, making the current announcement even more unexpected.

With LaJoie’s departure, the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro becomes one of the most sought-after openings in the NASCAR silly season. The team’s continued improvement and the presence of Childers make this an attractive opportunity for potential drivers.

As for Spire Motorsports’ 2025 lineup, the yet-to-be-named driver of the No. 7 car will join Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell, both of whom are confirmed to be with the team next season.

LaJoie remains committed to finishing the 2024 season strong, promising to “continue to deliver for my partners, my guys who work hard to build good cars, my family, fans & friends who have supported me since day one in the Cup Series.”

As the NASCAR world digests this news, all eyes will be on both LaJoie and Spire Motorsports as they navigate their final months together and prepare for their respective futures in the sport.