Justin Haley, Corey LaJoie Swapping Rides for Final Seven Races of 2024
In a move that doesn't often occur in NASCAR's premier division, Spire Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing have come together to announce a driver swap for the remainder of the 2024 season, beginning next weekend at Kansas Speedway.
Corey LaJoie will take over the driving duties of the No. 51 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing, while Justin Haley, who has spent the entire season to this point with RWR, will jump over to Spire Motorsports to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro.
The swap will also serve as a lead-in to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series plans for Spire Motorsports, who will have Haley behind the wheel of the No. 7.
Both LaJoie and Haley are locked in a tight seven-way battle for 28th in NASCAR Cup Series points, which spans from LaJoie in 28th to John Hunter Nemechek in 34th, and includes Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, Daniel Hemric, and Zane Smith.
Haley has brought Rick Ware Racing to a breakout season in the NASCAR Cup Series, recording a pair of ninth-place finishes at Darlington Raceway (May) and WWT Raceway (June), as well as top-15 finishes at Iowa, Nashville, and Atlanta.
“Justin Haley is a very talented driver who has done a lot to help elevate RWR,” said Robby Benton, president of Rick Ware Racing. “Justin came to us over the Olympic break with a longer-term opportunity that would serve his career well. We were sympathetic to his desires, as Justin committed to RWR early last year and has since played a key role in the growth of our organization. We didn’t want to compromise his growth or our own. In our talks with Justin following the break, we agreed to release him from his contract with RWR."
The 25-year-old has run the majority of the NASCAR Cup Series schedule for the last four seasons, first with Spire Motorsports (2021) and then Kaulig Racing (2022 and 2023). After spending much of the year with RWR, Haley will return to the team he scored a shock victory with at Daytona in 2019.
Next season, Haley will be partnered with championship-winning NASCAR Cup Series crew chief Rodney Childers, who was previously announced to be joining Spire Motorsports as the crew chief for the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro for 2025, and beyond.
“We’ve known Justin Haley for many years and have been bullish on his talent from the beginning of his NASCAR career. Justin, and his win at Daytona, put us both on the map. It was a pivotal moment for his career and our organization," said Jeff Dickerson, co-owner of Spire Motorsports. "We’ve both grown since that day, as Justin has proven his talent in the Cup garage and he comes back to an organization that is very different from the one he left a few years ago. Getting back together now, rather than waiting until 2025, gives us an excellent opportunity to build a baseline and be a step ahead when we get to Daytona next February.”
Corey LaJoie is an eight-year veteran of the NASCAR Cup Series, spending the early portion of his career with underfunded teams like BK Racing, Tri-Star Motorsports, and GoFas Racing, before joining Spire Motorsports in 2021, where he's remained the last four seasons.
“We needed a new plan to maintain the momentum we’ve gained this year, and Corey LaJoie joining RWR allows us to keep moving forward. These seven races provide a unique and unconventional opportunity to work together now and evaluate what we may be able to accomplish together going forward. Corey wants to continue his path toward winning in the
NASCAR Cup Series, and so do we. We’re like-minded in that pursuit," added Benton.
The 32-year-old driver has had a decent season with Spire Motorsports in 2024, recording a top-five finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, and a recent pair of top-10 finishes at Darlington Raceway and Watkins Glen International.
During NASCAR's two-week break for the Summer Olympics, LaJoie was informed that he wouldn't be returning to Spire Motorsports in 2025, leaving him to search for a NASCAR Cup Series drive for next season.
“Corey LaJoie has been a cornerstone of Spire Motorsports and we’re incredibly appreciative of all the time, effort, and energy he has invested in our program. RWR is getting a workhorse in Corey. He’s dedicated to his craft and his tenacity brings out the best in those around him,” said Dickerson.
LaJoie will look to continue the momentum he's built over the last three weeks with Spire Motorsports, scoring three consecutive top-15 finishes for the first time in his career, including his first two non-drafting-track top-10 results at Darlington and Watkins Glen.
The Hollywood Casino 400 Presented By ESPN BET will be the first event in which the drivers are swapping, with Haley working with Ryan Sparks and the No. 7 team, and LaJoie working with Chris Lawson in the No. 51 team.
