The LaJoie family has announced plans to establish a new racing museum at their longstanding Norwalk, Connecticut scrapyard, aiming to craft a destination that could stand alongside the Richard Petty NASCAR legacy in North Carolina. With unanimous city approval secured, the project blends the family’s deep roots in recycling with the ambition to preserve and showcase their rich motorsport heritage.
From Scrap to Speedway: How the LaJoies Are Building History
NASCAR has long been defined by dynasties, none more prominent than Richard Petty’s family. In Level Cross, North Carolina, both Richard Petty Racing and the Richard Petty Museum attract fans eager to see where The King’s 268 victorious cars were once built. The museum pays homage not just to a racing legend’s achievements but also to the broader Petty family narrative, with trophies, original homesteads, and the hallowed Reaper Shed. This tradition of celebrating family legacy in motorsport has now inspired another renowned name to take action miles away.
The LaJoie family, renowned in both racing and industry circles, is now moving to establish a similar legacy in Norwalk, Connecticut. Their business at 40 Meadow Street—LaJoie’s Auto Wrecking Co.—has operated since the early twentieth century, founded by Francis LaJoie. Over decades, the enterprise expanded its scope from recycling rags and paper to handling scrap metals vital to multiple American industries. Until just recently, their vision to merge their business with a racing-themed museum had yet to break ground. Now, led by Don, two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Randy, and current drivers Corey and Casey, the LaJoies are prepared to transform their site into a motorsport landmark.
New Racing Museum Plans Approved in Norwalk
The city of Norwalk has unanimously approved LaJoie’s Auto Wrecking Co.’s application to build a 36,000-square-foot, two-story facility on its 3.58-acre lot. The approved plan features a large recycling center with dedicated museum space, industrial processing on the ground level, and office space, conference rooms, and restrooms above. Demolition is scheduled for several existing buildings—including a substantial 5,800-square-foot structure and a metal shed—to make way for the project, signaling the start of a significant transformation at 40 Meadow Street. The museum will offer a showcase for the LaJoie family’s racing memorabilia and achievements.
“A Connecticut salvage yard with a connection to Nascar racing [LaJoie’s Auto Wrecking Co] has received approval to build a two-story recycling center on its property…It will also include a ‘museum’ space to display the LaJoie family’s racing collection.”
— Adam Stern, NASCAR Journalist
Treasurer Jim Murphy confirmed that while the project is progressing, it’s still too early to fix a formal construction timeline. The collaboration and determination needed to reach this approval reflects months of effort by the LaJoie family and their team, refining the vision to meet both city requirements and their ambition to rival celebrated motorsport shrines such as the Richard Petty Museum.
The LaJoie Legacy: Industry and Racing Intertwined
Francis LaJoie laid the foundation for the family business over a century ago, evolving from small-scale recycling to a metals operation now run through D&R Inc. of Norwalk and DLJ Associates. Today, the business supplies aluminum to Pennex, Alcoa, and Novelis, while copper is sent to Revere Copper and Cambridge-Lee Industries, and steel to Commercial Metals and Sims Metal Management. This industrial legacy has gone hand in hand with the family’s prominence in stock car racing: Randy LaJoie clinched back-to-back NASCAR Xfinity Series championships in 1996 and 1997, racking up 15 career wins, while his sons, Corey and Casey, continue the racing tradition at the sport’s highest levels.
The museum project is designed to safeguard this multi-generational story, offering fans a chance to experience the LaJoie journey from industrial innovation to racetrack success. Norwalk’s proximity to major cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia via the I-95 corridor gives the location strategic appeal, positioning it as a potential must-visit site for motorsport enthusiasts throughout the Northeast.
A New Destination for Racing Fans and Industry Clients
Unlike many racing museums, the planned LaJoie museum will be integrated into an active recycling center. This distinctive blend means the site will remain a hub for both industry clients and racing fans, uniting the family’s two core identities. The vision, advanced particularly by Corey LaJoie, is for the museum to serve as a storytelling vehicle for the family’s achievements. By offering a window into both their industrial evolution and racing triumphs, the LaJoies hope to create a Northeast institution comparable to the legacy modeled by the Petty family in North Carolina.
The effort has not gone unnoticed within the NASCAR community. Unanimous approval for their proposal reflected the city’s recognition of the potential impact the facility could have, both culturally and commercially. The combination of a functional scrapyard and a racing museum encapsulates the hardworking ethos that defines the family and the area.
Emerging Roles: Corey LaJoie’s Evolution and Randy’s Hall of Fame Pursuit
In 2025, Corey LaJoie balances multiple responsibilities, racing part-time in NASCAR’s Cup Series for Rick Ware Racing and stepping into the broadcast booth as an analyst for Prime Video, covering five events this season. His transition into media work, while still competing on the track, signals a widening of his career focus after years of full-time driving. Reflecting on his journey into broadcasting, Corey remarked:
“Driving the race car can be a really lonely place… When those guys were pursuing me… I felt like there were things… doors… opening… to allow me to see that there are other things that I can do outside of being a full-time Cup driver.”
— Corey LaJoie, NASCAR Driver and Analyst
Meanwhile, his father Randy LaJoie continues to shape his motorsport legacy. A nominee for the Modern Era ballot for the 2026 NASCAR Hall of Fame, Randy missed out on selection this cycle against contenders like Kurt Busch and Harry Gant but remains a respected figure in the sport. His accomplishments extend beyond the track, including the development of a racing seat safety company that has influenced motorsport safety standards.
Significance: A New Chapter for NASCAR Heritage in Connecticut
With all approvals now in place, the LaJoie family is set to fuse their nearly 100-year-old business roots with their racing achievements in a single landmark project. The planned museum promises to cement Norwalk’s role in the story of American motorsport, offering a rare Northeast counterpart to Level Cross’s iconic racing shrine. From Francis LaJoie’s entrepreneurial beginnings and Randy’s national victories to Corey’s expanding role as both driver and commentator, the LaJoies are carving out a new page in NASCAR history, uniting industry, community, and family pride.
If the project develops as envisioned, 40 Meadow Street could soon greet both industry professionals and devoted racing fans, offering a unique setting where machinery, memorabilia, and the relentless drive of the LaJoie family come together. Whether this new museum ultimately rivals the mythic aura of Richard Petty’s NASCAR legacy remains to be seen, but the LaJoies have guaranteed their family’s story will have a permanent place in the annals of the sport.
