Corey LaJoie is a third-generation racer whose grandfather and father are both New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame members. He spent the last two seasons racing for Go Fas Racing and brought the team’s best finish in a Cup race. Meanwhile, Spire Motorsports started purchasing the assets and charter of Leavine Family Racing and completed the transaction just recently. The team will expand into a two-car operation in 2021 with LaJoie as the driver of one of the vehicles.

LaJoie Is Excited to Build a Competitive NASCAR Cup Series Team With Spire

LaJoie said in an interview that he was excited for the next chapter of his racing career. He sees the new contract he signed with Spire Motorsports as an opportunity to create a competitive NASCAR Cup Series team from scratch. He also said he was proud to work with co-owners of Spire Motorsports T.J. Puchyr and Jeff Dickerson, as well as with all the other partners that would join them.

Puchyr said that Corey LaJoie is a talented young driver who has proven that he strives to get better with every race and is willing to go to great lengths to achieve that. Apparently, it is the same philosophy that both Puchyr and Dickerson subscribe to in their business ventures because Puchyr added that LaJoie fits very well with the group. The third-generation driver is expected to play a critical role in the success of the new team as it grows and develops. Spire will also relocate its current facility to Concord, N.C., at the former shop of Alan Kulwicki – a NASCAR Cup Series Champion from 1992.

LaJoie Will Drive Spire’s No. 7 Chevrolet for His first Race at Daytona 500

With LaJoie set to drive Spire’s No. 7, crew chiefs for both vehicles and a driver for the No. 77 are yet to be announced. The team received permission from NASCAR and picked the No. 7, which is a nod to Alan Kulwicki and Geoff Bodine, who both raced under the same number during their careers. LaJoie said he had been a fan of Alan Kulwicki for his entire life, and competing with the No. 7 was a great honor for him and any driver at any level. He also said that having the number on their own car in the NASCAR Cup Series is something everyone on the team takes very seriously.

Back in 2017, driver Carl Edwards shocked the world as he stepped away from his racing career. He did that when he was at the top of his game, leaving many to question his decision years later. Still, the former NASCAR driver remains firm that he will not be back on any track anytime soon.

Carl Edwards Was at the Height of His Career Before Retiring Out of Nowhere

Carl Edward’s decision came after a successful 2016 Sprint Cup Series campaign with three wins and 18 events with 10 top-ten finishes. Despite his dominance, Edwards chose to surprise everyone and step away from his career. He had a thirteen-year run and won 28 NASCAR Cup Series, having 220 top-ten finishes and two second-place series finishes. Edwards also won 38 Xfinity Series and one championship, on top of 174 top-ten finishes in 245 races.

The last two seasons in NASCAR for Carl Edwards were under Joe Gibbs Racing, and he left the people there just as shocked with his decision as his fans. To this day, they are still wondering what the reasoning was behind the racer’s decision, and it seems he has no lingering desire to come back.

Fans Have Been Speculating About the Possibility of Carl Edwards Returning to Racing for Years

Since retiring from his racing career, fans have constantly speculated if Carl Edwards could return to the sport. He was quick to shoot down any such notion during an interview in 2018, saying he had no plans to come back. Back then, Edwards said that he did miss a lot of people he used to work with, as well as the fans, but was having a lot of fun living his life. During a recent interview in 2021, the former racer once again affirmed that he was not planning a return to racing and would remain focused on his family life, farming, and traveling.

The next thing to come up in relation to Carl Edwards and racing could be the possibility of him joining the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He was nominated for the 2021 class with other notable names but did not earn an induction. Still, given Edwards’ resume, it is possible that his name would come up for induction in future years.