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NASCAR: Surprise veteran linked to Corey LaJoie’s seat for 2025

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NASCAR: Surprise veteran linked to Corey LaJoie's seat for 2025

As a dedicated NASCAR fan with years of experience following the sport, I can’t help but be intrigued by the latest developments surrounding Corey LaJoie and Kyle Busch’s potential moves in the Cup Series.

Last year, Corey LaJoie agreed to a long-term deal with Spire Motorsports, likely keeping him with the team until the end of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Last week, he made it clear that he won’t return to drive the No. 7 Chevrolet in its fifth season coming up.

For the 2025 racing season, Spire Motorsports has announced one driver swap with Michael McDowell set to join from Front Row Motorsports. Initially, it was assumed that he would take over driving duties from Zane Smith in the No. 71 Chevrolet. However, this was before it became clear that LaJoie wouldn’t be coming back.

If LaJoie is no longer coming back to Spire Motorsports, Smith, who’s temporarily racing for them from Trackhouse Racing Team, might stay with the team beyond this year. They only have Hocevar, driving the No. 77 Chevrolet, as their confirmed driver for 2025 at the moment.

Although it seems unlikely that he will not get McDowell’s Front Row Motorsports seat, given that he competed for Bob Jenkins’ team in the Truck Series during the 2022 and 2023 seasons and claimed the championship title in 2022.

Several other young drivers have been connected to Chevrolet and could potentially take over for LaJoie. One of these drivers is Sam Mayer, who has also been mentioned as a possibility for Front Row Motorsports.

But what about a veteran Chevrolet driver?

According to reports, Kyle Busch is bound to Richard Childress Racing until at least 2025. However, it’s common knowledge that he’s been displeased with his present circumstances and experienced one of his least successful seasons in the Cup Series.

Busch started the 2024 racing season with an impressive streak of 19 consecutive wins and having made it to the playoffs for 11 years in a row. However, as we approach the final four races before the playoffs, Busch has yet to claim a victory, and his current point total places him 112 points below the qualifying mark. In other words, he would need another win to secure a spot in the playoffs for the 12th year in a row.

Last year, Busch secured three victories while racing for Richard Childress Racing for the first time, having previously been with Joe Gibbs Racing. All three triumphs were achieved in the initial part of the season.

In the second part of last season, things were tough for him and the situation looked bleak for the upcoming year. Regrettably, it seems matters have not gotten any better. Towards the end of 2023, he ranked 14th in points, which was his poorest performance since his debut season with Hendrick Motorsports back in 2005 when he came in 20th.

Kyle Busch to Spire Motorsports?

In the 2023 season’s aftermath, Kyle Busch transferred the property of his Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck Series team to Spire Motorsports. Currently, he participates in a limited five-race schedule with Jeff Dickerson and T.J. Puchyr’s team in the Cup Series, which is the maximum permitted for a driver with his tenure.

As a seasoned sports analyst with years of experience under my belt, I firmly believe that the driver’s dedication to his craft is truly commendable. He has proven himself a formidable contender, taking home victory twice in this current racing season. Yet, what sets him apart is not just his talent behind the wheel, but also his unwavering commitment to his new team.

Rodney Childers, crew chief at Stewart-Haas Racing, has announced his departure to take up the role of crew chief for Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team beginning next year, following Stewart-Haas Racing’s closure.

Is it possible that he would decline the offer to team up with Wood Brothers Racing and their current driver, Josh Berry, in favor of working with an unproven and as-yet-unnamed rookie instead?

A successful crew chief like Childers, with his experience in securing 40 triumphs in the Cup Series, teaming up with a two-time champion and 60-time victor aiming for a comeback might be the perfect prescription.

Although Spire Motorsports doesn’t typically run at the front of the pack, Busch isn’t significantly ahead of rookie Hocevar who ranks highest for the team in the point standings. LaJoie is in front of Busch’s teammate, Austin Dillon, and Smith is only one position behind him.

Using a skilled driver like Busch, it’s debatable whether Spire Motorsports would not perform as well or even surpass the present condition of Richard Childress Racing, taking various factors into account.

Busch made it clear to LaJoie that he would retaliate after their incident at Pocono Raceway a few weeks prior, an event that encapsulated Busch’s frustrating racing experience in the 2024 season thus far.

Might Busch receive his due by getting to keep his seat, a position he had anticipated occupying for at least another year?

It’s possible that the team decided to let go of LaJoie earlier than expected due to the possibility of Busch becoming available instead.

I’ve heard whispers that Busch might be thinking about joining Spire Motorsports, but it’s important to note that this is just speculation at this point. In the spring of 2022, there were rumors floating around that Busch could leave Joe Gibbs Racing come the end of the year. However, these rumors didn’t seem to gain much traction, even among the most informed and influential figures in the sport.

One possibility: Things kept unfolding, and in the end, he wound up signing with Richard Childress Racing for the 2023 season instead. Could a similar chain of events lead to him taking over the No. 7 car at Spire Motorsports when it becomes available in 2025?

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2024-07-29 15:02

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