In his first long comments since it was announced that he would not return to the Spire Motorsports No. 7 next season, Corey Lajoie took to his Stacking Pennies podcast to express the variety of emotions he has had over the last week.
“I had some realisations,” explained LaJoie, who has been driving for the club since 2020. “Everywhere I’ve worked, I’ve always had one-year contracts, so this current position isn’t particularly awkward. It is not a place I have never been before.
“You experience several emotions, including anger and sadness. I suppose where I am now a week later is that I am quite grateful. I’m extremely grateful to Jeff [Dickerson, team co-owner] and T.J. [Puchyr, co-owner], as well as Spire for providing me with the opportunity, for believing in me from the start when we were trying to whiteboard this thing, and for what we’ve grown it to be.
Lajoie was hired before the team moved to the much larger facility that previously housed Kyle Busch Motorsports. This was also before the investment of Group1001. This decision came after the organisation signed championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers to run the No. 7 car next season.
It was a far smaller team with loftier goals, and the 32-year-old led the team to four top-5s and six top-10s in 129 Cup starts with the organisation. He also functioned as the team’s consistent brand and identity at that time.
And, while he outperformed in the car last year, he has significantly underperformed this year, leading the league in crashes and performing far below rookie Carson Hocevar in the same equipment.
Lajoie is ranked 28th in the standings, with only one top-5 and top-10.
“I do hate that we weren’t able to see it through; we weren’t able to kind of adjust the 7 team and kind of turn the right knobs to get performance where we needed it,” LaJoie told ESPN.”I also made too many mistakes behind the wheel this year.” There were numerous that knocked us out of contention for some positive outcomes.”
Lajoie is still hoping to win in the 7 car while planning his next steps.
“It’s onwards and upward,” LaJoie explained. “I’m not sure what the next step is. It’s been a strange situation with all of the variables at play, but I’m content with it. I’m looking forward to what the next chapter holds, and I’m still determined to be the first to place a win banner on the wall at Spire and a trophy in the trophy case on the Cup side, and to complete this thing strong the last 14 races.”
And he will do so, led by his faith.
“The thing I’ve been hanging to over the past week or so, and we may discuss it, is Proverbs 16:9. It’s been pinned on my X profile for nearly ten years. ‘The man can plan his way, but the Lord directs his feet.’ I’m not sure what the next step is.
Be the first to comment