Corey LaJoie has by no means gained a race in any of his 310 profession begins throughout NASCAR’s high three sequence. In reality, his finest end in any Cup Collection, Xfinity Collection, or Truck Collection race is fourth place.
Friday night time at Talladega Superspeedway, whereas driving the No. 77 Spire Motorsports truck, the 34-year-old LaJoie was closing in on what had the potential to lastly be the primary win of his profession. Sadly, as has been the case in each race he has entered, he as soon as once more got here up quick, ending eighth in what is going to seemingly be his ultimate race of the season.
LaJoie continues to search for a full-time experience in any of the three main sequence however expects to have at the very least a part-time Truck schedule in 2026. He will even proceed internet hosting his well-liked podcast, Stacking Pennies with Corey LaJoie, and function a part-time announcer for Amazon Prime Video’s 5 NASCAR broadcasts subsequent season.
“It was okay (performance-wise), we simply didn’t have the tempo we wanted, couldn’t fairly get to regulate the road,” LaJoie instructed Frontstretch.com of Friday’s race. “It was enjoyable, enjoyable main a line and getting pushed. These vehicles are a blast to drive on a speedway, sort of uncontrolled. And with the turbulent air, these items transfer round quite a bit. It’s like swatting flies.
“There have been quite a lot of Toyotas there on the finish, teamed up and fairly dedicated to one another, and we simply couldn’t fairly get forward of them and management a line and clearly all hell goes to interrupt free coming to the checkers.”
All hell did break free, sending the scheduled 85-lap occasion across the 2.66-mile superspeedway into 5 extra time laps earlier than Giovanni Ruggiero performed the position of spoiler to all of the drivers nonetheless within the Truck playoffs, incomes his first profession win.
That would have been LaJoie’s win, doubtlessly, however it wasn’t. He and Spire teammate Rajah Caruth needed to accept eighth and ninth place, respectively.
Caruth was making an attempt to get into place to push LaJoie ahead, however one thing occurred and he stayed behind his teammate till the checkered flag fell.
“I used to be questioning if he received a foul push or was making an attempt to get a spot there on the finish,” LaJoie stated. “I felt if he would have stayed dedicated, we may have completed third and fourth, versus eighth and (ninth). He received a foul push from the 15. I used to be low to him and he was low to me – and we simply had been somewhat quick.”
As soon as Once more, It Was Shut However No Checkered Flag for LaJoie
As soon as once more, Corey, son of former two-time Busch Collection champ Randy LaJoie, missed his shot at a win.
“I’ve been pondering each week is my shot for 9 years,” he stated. “You get ready and execute no totally different for that restart because the 5,000 you’ve had earlier than. You simply attempt to get essentially the most of it, attempt to execute up by way of the gears and hold your gaps tight and hold side-drafting the blokes you’re round and it both works out or it don’t.”
And for the 310th time, it didn’t work out. However there’s all the time the subsequent time. Perhaps that may lastly be the one he’s been ready for therefore lengthy and so patiently.
