LaJoie Goes From Commentator To Contender In Spire Truck Playoff Push

Forbes

2 days ago

LEBANON, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Corey LaJoie, driver of the #7 Garner Trucking Chevrolet, enters his ... More car during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 29, 2024 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by)
Corey LaJoie is going back to where it all began—or close enough. The veteran NASCAR driver is set to return to Spire Motorsports to run nine of the final 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races of 2025, starting with this Saturday's DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 at Michigan International Speedway.
LaJoie, who spent three full-time seasons driving Spire's No. 7 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, will now strap into the No. 07 Chevrolet Silverado as the team mounts a charge for a Truck Series owner's championship berth. He'll return again at Richmond on August 15, then take the wheel for the final seven races of the season—presumably with the intention of disrupting the playoff picture and reminding everyone he's not quite done chasing trophies.
All of this while juggling a new role as one of the lead analysts on Amazon Prime's NASCAR coverage, which launched during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. LaJoie's easygoing personality and sharp insights have made him a natural fit for the broadcast booth, where he now moonlights as a media personality between race weekends.
CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 25: NASCAR analyst Carl Edwards (L) and Corey LaJoie are seen on the ... More NASCAR on Amazon Prime Video set prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
'I put in a lot of work in the early days to help shape Spire Motorsports,' said LaJoie. 'It'll be good to see some familiar faces and get back to chasing wins. These trucks have shown speed this year, and with some consistency, we can make a real push for the owner's playoffs.'
FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™
Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase
Pinpoint By Linkedin
Guess The Category
Queens By Linkedin
Crown Each Region
Crossclimb By Linkedin
Unlock A Trivia Ladder
That push is more than wishful thinking. The No. 07 truck is already a race winner this season—thanks to Kyle Larson, who took it to Victory Lane at Homestead back in March. With six races left before the playoff field is locked, Spire currently sits among the top seven in the owner's standings. A win from LaJoie at Michigan or Richmond could seal their spot.
LaJoie has kept a relatively light driving schedule in 2025, with a trio of Cup Series starts for Rick Ware Racing and a season-best finish of 22nd in the Daytona 500. But his time behind the wheel has never been the full story. LaJoie is one of those rare NASCAR personalities who can explain the sport in plain English while keeping things entertaining—a skill that's now being put to use on Amazon's five-race broadcast slate.
As for his Truck Series experience, it's admittedly limited—just five starts, three with Spire. His best finish came over a decade ago at Bristol, and his most recent run ended in a last-lap wreck at Daytona this past February. Still, his reputation for getting the most out of underdog equipment makes him a compelling option for a team on the playoff bubble.
Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson, never one for excess sentimentality, admitted the idea had been floating around for a while.
'When we were talking about what we needed to go chase this championship, we kept describing a guy who sounded exactly like Corey,' Dickerson said. 'So I just asked him. He's a big part of what we've built, and this gives us a shot to do something meaningful together again.'
The DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 airs live on FOX Saturday, June 7 at noon ET. If things go right, LaJoie may find himself in the mix for a title—or at least with enough material for a great story on live television.