With a last name like LaJoie I knew I had to speak with Randy LaJoie’s son. For those of you too young to know about or remember Randy LaJoie, he was an incredible presence in the then Busch Grand National Series, was a 2 time champion in that series and when Randy spoke people listened. Today Randy is still very involved with racing, not on the track, but rather in the safety of the sport and is very well known for LaJoie Racing Seats and his sense of humor, I spoke with Corey last week.
I began by telling him I am a firm believer that with some drivers the desire, the need to go racing is in the blood. “I could agree with that, Corey began. When you’re raised at a racetrack you experience the smells, you hear all the sounds of racing and it’s something, honestly, that you can’t get rid of. And once you start driving you get bit by the bug and there’s no stopping it.
I’ve been lucky enough in my career to be able to grow my career personally and with the resources and the contacts my dad has made. He handed me his rolodex and said ‘here you go, I’ve already done it. You’ve got to do this deal yourself like I had to’. So it took a little longer and is taking a little longer than I had originally planned but I’m definitely going to appreciate it all the more when I reach the top and I hope to be racing with them on Sundays soon. I feel like the old guy these days because I’m 24 and some of these guys coming into this sport are getting really good opportunities. They either have a lot of family money or family connections to get them in the best cars to get the most experience so when they do get in the limelight the media picks them up and hypes them up as much as they want to. I feel like I haven’t had that, a lot of the hype, but I’ve tried to do my deal and let my driving do the talking on the racetrack. Maybe I should have put a little more weight into selling myself outside of the racecar but I’m trying to do that more now, to sell myself, because that is equally if not more important, than your ability to drive a racecar. Obviously really good equipment is a great outlet to do that, but they do focus on the guys with the best opportunities like Suarez, Eric Jones and Bubba. They’re in a pretty good place and they are definitely earning their keep, but I’m just saying it’s pretty hard to make a name for yourself if the media isn’t talking to you.”
“I’m really happy to be a part of JGL Racing. I feel like they’re really building something good over there.. James (Whitener, owner of JGL Racing) has a good foundation to build on. It’s a good fit for me and youtheory right now with the Toyota program and Gibbs engines are really good equipment, also. I’m really looking forward to running the next couple of races with them and try to finish out the year well. We all like to win and that’s what we’re there to try to do.”
I asked about his early racing years, about what experiences led him to the present. “Dad had a dirt track behind his seat shop and guys like Fedewa and older guys would get out there and race go-karts and when I was about 6 or 7 I got out there and raced against my dad, who was a Busch Champion at the time, and with Tim Fedewa and a lot of drivers that were teaching me how to race. Not many kids get to experience that and finally Dad paved it and we would go out there every Sunday and race. I was the lightest one of them all so I would start in the back and I’d pass everybody so they’d rough me up a little bit then they would throw a caution and make me go to the back and I would have to pass them all again. That’s how I learned to pass.
I didn’t really start racing with kids my age until I was 11 or 12 in the bandoleros. I won one summer shootout championship there. I ran bandoleros for a couple of years and then I ran Legends for a little while and after that did the Late Model Series for a couple of years. From there I progressed to the K&N Pro Series and raced there for 3 years or, won a couple of races, had some success, ran second to Kyle Larson in the Championship in 2012. Then the next year I went to ARCA and I won 3 out of 4 or 4 out of 5 races, I’ve forgotten which. I had a lot of success there when I had just signed with Petty Motorsports. Everybody was all pumped up and happy. Eric McClure was trying to get an Xfinity deal together to run with Petty and that was when Michael Annett left. I was trying to get in that ride but couldn’t get any money together. I got that ride and I had a couple of races with Biagi. Looking back on things I was trying a little bit too hard and put myself in some bad situations and wasn’t able to show my talent the way I should have and I wrecked a couple of cars. That’s part of the deal I guess but no one remembers that Jeff Gordon wrecked about 25 cars in his rookie year, but, it’s a lot more expensive these days than it was then. There a lot fewer opportunities these days. Money is what is needed but I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better, unfortunately. That’s the name of the game nowadays and that’s why we do this, to try beat those guys who have a worse hand of cards to play with.
I’ve always been a believer that someone who’s driving a street stock in North Dakota somewhere could probably jump in a Cup car and run just as good as anybody else. There are 43 drivers on Sunday and you have to be naïve to believe those are the best drivers in the world. Those guys have exceptional talent, especially the ones that run consistently like Kyle Busch. Those guys are definitely the best in NASCAR. They have the right opportunities with the right people to get them there and that’s just the way it is.
I’ve seen a lot and done a lot in racing in my first 24 years but I feel like my journey hasn’t really begun because I don’t have a concrete foothold on my career. I feel like, with youtheory’s help, and with the opportunity to grow with an organization coupled with my Dad’s help while I was growing up, I would be a great representative on and off the track for any company. I was, literally, sitting on the couch thinking about being a crew chief with different Cannon cars because I won 3 Cannon races crew chiefing for David Reggi last year and I was fortunate with that because there was nothing on the driving side there. Then Darren Rude (CEO of youtheory) called me and asked what I had planned for this year. I told him nothing but, probably, being a crew chief and thinking about what could have been. I had met Darren through Petty Motorsports and kept the relationship going. They seemed to like me, the way I drive, my being a Christian and that I keep active and stay in shape and here we are. This has worked out really well and I feel more like a member of Darren and Patty’s family than just their driver. I’m looking forward to the future with them and racing.”
I have to say I really like Corey. He has a well known racing name, but he has built his career on his own and behind the wheel of a race car. He’s well spoken, and a pleasure to speak with. He’s dedicated and extremely appreciative of JGL Racing and youtheory. I believe Corey and youtheory are a perfect match and their future together is looking very bright.
Note: youtheory is a beauty and dietary supplement. You can learn more about youtheory atwww.youtheory.com.
