With Corey LaJoie scheduled to leave Spire Motorsports after the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, who will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet?
Corey LaJoie signed a multi-year contract agreement with Spire Motorsports last summer, probably committing to the organisation until the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. However, he revealed this week that he will not return for what would have been his sixth season driving the No. 7 Chevrolet next year.
Spire Motorsports has already confirmed one driver change for 2025, with Michael McDowell joining the team from Front Row Motorsports. He was supposed to replace Zane Smith behind the wheel of the No. 71 Chevrolet, but that was before LaJoie’s comeback was confirmed. With LaJoie no longer expected to return, Smith, who is presently competing for the team on loan from Trackhouse Racing Team, could theoretically stay with Spire Motorsports, as their only other guaranteed driver for 2025 is Carson Hocevar, who drives the No. 77 Chevrolet. However, this appears unlikely, given he has been connected to McDowell’s Front Row Motorsports position. Smith competed for the Bob Jenkins-owned squad in Truck.
Several other young Chevrolet drivers have been connected to the team as potential replacements for LaJoie. Sam Mayer, who had previously been linked to Front Row Motorsports, is one of them. But what about an experienced Chevrolet driver? Kyle Busch is thought to be under contract with Richard Childress Racing until at least the 2025 season, but it’s no secret that he’s disgruntled with his current circumstances and has had one of his worst Cup Series seasons.
Busch began the 2024 season with a record-breaking 19-year winning streak and an 11-year playoff streak. But, with four races left in the regular season, he is winless and 112 points behind the cut line, implying that he will need a 20th straight winning season to secure a 12th consecutive playoff berth. Busch won three races last year in his debut season with Richard Childress Racing after leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, but all three came in the first half of the year. His second half of the season was a struggle, painting a bleak image for his future in 2024, and things have not improved. Last year, he finished 14th in the points standings.
Kyle Busch joining Spire Motorsports? Busch sold the assets of his Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck Series team to Spire Motorsports following the 2023 season, and he currently drives in five races for the Jeff Dickerson and T.J. Puchyr-owned team, which is the highest permissible total for a full-time Cup Series driver with his experience. He won twice earlier this season, and his ongoing part-time participation in Truck Series events for a new team illustrates both his commitment to strengthening the organisation and the team’s determination to doing everything possible to improve.
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