Corey Lajoie regrets ’12 fans’ comment he made about lower NASCAR divisions

Earlier this year just before the start of the 2025 season, Corey LaJoie faced backlash for some comments he made regarding the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series. LaJoie had lost his full-time ride in the Cup Series and was committing to a part-time schedule in Cup, turning down full-time opportunities in the lower divisions. 

Speaking to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass in January, he was asked about drivers who willingly choose to step down from the Cup Series. “Those guys that say they want to try to win, they win one or two truck races a year, and then they’re lifelong truck guys, and they never get to race on Sunday,” he said. “It’s all about Sunday. I don’t wanna go run F3, I wanna be a Formula 1 driver.

“Do you wanna go pump the ego up and hold a trophy on a Friday when there’s 12 people in the grandstands? … I can’t also justify to my partners that have been invested in me to go down to the lower divisions cause they don’t get return for their money. They want to bring their people to the big show, not to a Friday or Saturday show.”

Those comments were not received well and in hindsight, they’ve aged quite badly. LaJoie recently announced a deal with Spire Motorsports to run nine of the final 13 Truck Series races as he helps them in their mission to secure the owner’s championship. So, what changed?

LaJoie regrets comments he made during five-day fast

Corey LaJoie

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

Ahead of the Truck race at Michigan, LaJoie took part in a Friday press conference where he addressed that very subject.

“I’ve said a lot of dumb things on camera, so that was just another one … So just to clear context up for everybody, I said that on the morning of a five-day fast,” revealed LaJoie. “I wish I wouldn’t have added that ’12 (fans)’ comment bit, right, because then people within the Truck garage took offense to it. Then … there’s so many things that it came out of, and it’s such a negative light for just a couple comments that I said when I was ‘hangry’”.

LaJoie went on to say that there was “no hesitation” in taking this Truck deal with Spire Motorsports

“I try to run as much as I can. Especially, you know, there are hundreds, if not 1000s of kids/drivers that would love this nine-race opportunity … I’m going to take it seriously. This is my shot, and l’ve been making a living at this for 10 years. But I don’t want to just be an also-ran and not take it seriously and be in the way for somebody who might deserve it more than I do. So I take all that into consideration. I’m gonna try all I’ve got.”

The goal is still to be a Cup driver

Corey LaJoie, No. 01 Rick Ware Racing Ford

Photo by: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

LaJoie further explained what prompted his fiery comments, adding: “My only focus in my entire life was to be a Cup Series driver. No, that’s all I want to do. That’s all that I cared to work for since I was 12 years old, right? I was really pissed off and hungry, but that was my focus is to try to get back to Sunday with the right group.

“But now, this is like, fun. I’ve been running some modified races, some late model races. I want to have fun because the Cup garage takes a lot of the fun out of it. It really does, because it’s just a grind, and especially when you’re not running as good as you want to run, it legitimately sucks the life out of you if you’re not getting any sort of external validation from it.”

Feeling motivated and excited about the opportunity in front of him, this weekend LaJoie has a fresh perspective.

“I was sitting in this in the truck today during practice,” said LaJoie. “And I just thought, like, I get to drive this thing. Somebody else owns it, somebody’s paying me to drive it. This is the best job ever. And I haven’t had that thought in like six years. So, just the perspective of going there and enjoying and really embracing it is what I’m excited for.”

LaJoie is also an analyst for Prime Video and is a central part of the streaming service’s post-race show for the five Cup races they are broadcasting this summer.

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