“Irresponsible”-Shocked Followers Tear Into Corey LaJoie Amid Stunning Daytona 500 Admission

“The rides which might be helpful are gonna get purchased by guys with cash.” Corey LaJoie’s blunt evaluation of NASCAR’s present panorama after shedding his Spire Motorsports seat in 2024 was clear. His phrases carried weight, contemplating how sponsorships typically dictate a driver’s future. But, simply months later, LaJoie discovered himself in a scenario that examined his personal beliefs.

Notably, Corey LaJoie has been an underdog within the NASCAR Cup Collection. He has fought for each alternative all through his profession. Nonetheless, in 2024, Spire Motorsports determined to commerce him off with Rick Ware Racing for seven races, leaving LaJoie’s NASCAR future in uncertainty. Whereas RWR provided him a part-time deal, it wasn’t sufficient for the veteran driver.

LaJoie desperately needed to compete within the Daytona 500 and to safe his trip with RWR, he took an enormous gamble. For all his criticism of how cash dictates alternatives in racing, LaJoie himself used his child’s faculty funds to safe the trip. The confession got here after LaJoie locked himself into the Daytona 500 via the Thursday Duel.

In his media interplay, he joked about placing “4 zeros, one comma” into the automotive. “It was all of my youngsters’ faculty fund rolled into one race,” LaJoie admitted. Whereas some noticed it as a determined transfer by a driver betting on himself, others have been left surprised. Followers couldn’t imagine {that a} father would gamble his youngsters’ future for a single race. One fan didn’t maintain again, tweeting, “Corey LaJoie is a horrible particular person and a horrible father.” The remark was harsh, nevertheless it mirrored the shock followers felt after LaJoie’s admission. The truth that LaJoie had beforehand criticized pay-to-play drivers solely fuelled the outrage.

Nonetheless, Corey LaJoie’s gamble paid off. On Thursday Night time Duel he completed sixth within the second group and secured his place in the primary occasion. Extra importantly, Rick Ware Racing additionally secured sponsorships for him. DuraMAX and Take 5 Oil Change stepped as much as again his No. 15 trip, permitting LaJoie to get his a reimbursement. Had sponsorship not materialized, the monetary hit might have been disastrous.

The reduction was evident in LaJoie’s phrases after the race. “I’m undecided what the longer term holds fairly but… however I’m excited that the primary field we got down to examine was coming down right here and making the Nice American Race, and that’s what we did,” he stated. It was a high-risk transfer, however for now, it had paid off. Regardless of that, followers aren’t blissful along with his resolution.

Followers blast Corey LaJoie for his surprising transfer!

Even after securing his spot within the iconic race, Corey LaJoie confronted an enormous backlash on social media. The NASCAR neighborhood erupted with divided opinions. Whereas some praised his dedication to the game, others have been surprised by what they noticed as a reckless, pointless threat. One fan questioned if LaJoie was being critical or simply exaggerating, “Lord, I hope he’s joking. He’s only a larger ass if he wasn’t.” Prior to now, followers have criticised feedback LaJoie made concerning the decrease NASCAR Collection, regardless of his lack of success in them.

However for a lot of, the optics nonetheless appeared dangerous. Contemplating the unpredictable nature of the Daytona 500 and the particular qualifying format, some followers slammed LaJoie for risking his child’s future. “Cease making an attempt to be unlikeable, Corey… Bro spent his child’s future cash on his racing ardour. Had he not made the five hundred, this have been an additional dangerous look,” a fan expressed his frustration. For LaJoie, though he made it into the race, it was an extremely shut name, since he solely got here in at thirty fifth place. Even one tiny slip up might have meant he might have did not qualify.

Although DuraMAX and Take 5 Oil Change sponsored LaJoie and returned his deposit, the outrage didn’t subside. For a lot of, the difficulty wasn’t simply the danger—it was how casually LaJoie appeared to brush off the gravity of the scenario. A fan echoed these sentiments and wrote, “That’s so f—— irresponsible. I really like racing, I’d do absolutely anything to race within the 500, however my little one’s future is off-limits, particularly in a Crapshoot race just like the Duels… Actually out of your management, one mistaken transfer and boop, sorry child, no faculty.”

Nonetheless, some followers dismissed the outrage, claiming that LaJoie was joking. A fan wrote, “It’s sarcasm. The man is getting paid nicely by Spire for this whole yr. He’s tremendous, and in case you don’t imagine me, you possibly can go take heed to his Stacking Pennies podcast from a few weeks in the past the place he says it himself.”

Whereas the talk round his resolution continues, Corey LaJoie wish to make the most of this chance. With a spot on the grid and sponsors backing his trip, the query shifts from whether or not he’ll race to what he can do with this chance. A powerful displaying might revive his profession, but when he crashes out early, the scrutiny on his monetary gamble will solely intensify.