Corey LaJoie signed a multi-year extension with Spire Motorsports last summer, expected to keep him with the team through the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. However, he recently confirmed he will not return for a fifth season in the No. 7 Chevrolet next year.
Spire Motorsports has already announced a driver change for 2025, with Michael McDowell set to join from Front Row Motorsports, initially to replace Zane Smith in the No. 71 Chevrolet. This was before LaJoie’s departure was known.
With LaJoie leaving, Smith, currently on loan from Trackhouse Racing Team, might stay with Spire Motorsports, as the only other confirmed 2025 driver is Carson Hocevar, driving the No. 77 Chevrolet. However, Smith is also linked to McDowell’s seat at Front Row Motorsports, where he won the 2022 Truck Series championship.
Several young Chevrolet drivers, including Sam Mayer, are considered potential replacements for LaJoie. Additionally, veteran driver Kyle Busch, under contract with Richard Childress Racing through at least 2025, is rumored to be a candidate. Despite his contract, Busch has had a challenging year, winless with four races left in the regular season and 112 points below the playoff cut line.
Busch sold his Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck Series assets to Spire Motorsports and now competes part-time for the team, demonstrating his commitment to improving their performance. Rodney Childers, a championship-winning crew chief, is set to join Spire Motorsports next year, making a partnership with Busch potentially advantageous for both parties.
While Spire Motorsports isn’t a top-tier team, Busch’s involvement could elevate their performance. There are rumors that Busch might take LaJoie’s spot, especially after a recent incident at Pocono Raceway where LaJoie hooked Busch. Though there’s no concrete evidence of Busch considering a move, similar rumors about his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing in 2022 were initially overlooked.
Yet one thing led to another, and he ended joining Richard Childress Racing for 2023 after all. With the seat of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet available for 2025, could something similar happen here?
