Vegas gamble continues strong start to ‘second season’ for LaJoie
LAS VEGAS — A fuel and tire gamble netted Corey LaJoie around 10 spots in the final run to the checkered flag in Sunday’s South Point 400.
LaJoie started the eventual 70-lap run to the checkers in 24th. He was all ready as, in stage two, he stayed out for around 70 laps to place 12th in the stage.
While many drivers pitted to get ahead on tires and fuel, LaJoie stuck to his hand. Crew chief Chris Lawson committed them to run long, cycling him to fifth with 33 laps to go and three drivers as buffers once other, less-risk-taking drivers had pitted.
The buffer was enough. LaJoie finished 14th, besting seven other lead-lap cars and getting his best finish to-date with Rick Ware Racing.
“We didn’t fire off well but we were maintain our pace throughout the run so the choice was clear [to do the strategy],” he said. “We were a 28th-to-30th-place car on speed but we got paid for 14th, so that is cool.”
Sunday was LaJoie’s fourth race with RWR. Together, they already have two Top-15 finishes.
LaJoie ran the first 29 races of the 2024 season with Spire Motorsports and described this year as “two seasons.” After a sudden end at Spire, he is gelling with RWR.
“It’s a group that fights hard. They’re a group that’s up against a lot, a deficit of speed and resources. And even when we’re lacking speed, they come up with a plan to execute and get days like these,” he said.
In all, LaJoie has five Top-15 finishes in the last eight races, in contrast to four in the first 25 races.
LaJoie is a favorite for the No. 51 ride in 2025.
Next to race winner Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez fared the best of anyone on the same “run-long strategy.” Suarez finished third after leading 57 laps, including 31 laps in the final stage before Logano took over with six laps to go.
Suarez has four Top-5 finishes and eight Top-10s this season. That matches his Top-5 total for 2019, which is only behind 2022 when he scored a career-high six Top-5s. He has also led 209 laps this season, behind only 2022 when he led 280 laps that season. He sits 13th in points, 37 points away from possibly earning his second-career Top-10 points finish.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com