Rick Ware Racing and Spire Motorsports have announced a driver swap set to take place after Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
This early-season driver exchange is designed to prepare both teams for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series. Corey LaJoie, a mainstay of Spire Motorsports since 2021, will transition to RWR, while Justin Haley will take up LaJoie’s former seat at Spire Motorsports.
LaJoie is slated to pilot the No. 51 Ford Mustang for RWR, making his debut at Kansas Speedway on September 29. LaJoie has had a noteworthy season, securing three top-10 finishes out of 29 starts. His stellar fourth-place finish at the Daytona 500 on February 18 is among his standout performances.
Conversely, Haley will move from Rick Ware Racing to Spire Motorsports, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Like LaJoie, Haley will debut for his new team in Kansas later this month. The 25-year-old has recorded two top-10 finishes in the current season, including an impressive ninth-place finish at Darlington on May 12, in his first season with RWR.
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Jeff Dickerson, president of Spire Motorsports, commented, as quoted by Yardbarker.com:
“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.”
From the perspective of Rick Ware Racing, President Robby Benton acknowledged Haley’s significant impact on the team.
“Justin Haley is a very talented driver who has done a lot to help elevate RWR.
“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.”
Haley first made his mark in the NASCAR Cup Series by clinching his maiden victory at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona in July 2019, also marking the first win for Spire Motorsports. The swap returns him to the team where he achieved early-career success.
As LaJoie and Haley take to the track in their new rides, all eyes will be on their performances at Kansas Speedway.
