Corey LaJoie is set for a pivotal role at the 2026 Daytona 500 after Brad Keselowski’s recovery opened the door for RFK Racing to revive their No. 99 car. Scheduled to compete as an open entry, LaJoie’s opportunity marks a significant shift for the team and highlights the evolving dynamics as NASCAR’s biggest race approaches.
RFK Racing’s Adjusted Daytona 500 Strategy
The lead-up to the flagship event saw intensified speculation around RFK Racing’s plans, especially following Keselowski’s injury at the preseason Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. LaJoie, already slated to fill in at that race, found his schedule filling rapidly as discussions progressed within the organization. His assignment to the No. 99 entry for the 68th Daytona 500 caps a period of strategic expansion and contingency planning by RFK Racing.
LaJoie revealed on the Stackin’ Pennies podcast how the sequence unfolded: after initial talks with Brad Keselowski about support at the Clash, uncertainty lingered regarding Keselowski’s health and the team’s potential need for extra Daytona coverage. As Keselowski’s outlook improved, RFK confirmed its fourth car entry, finalizing LaJoie as the driver for that effort.
“Brad calls me. ‘Hey man, would love for you to help out here, drive the car at the Clash. And then it was like I was in this weird spot because the fourth car effort had been paused to figure out what Brad was going on, right? They might need me to drive the Daytona. So once it looked hopeful that Brad would be able to recover and go to 500, they then pushed play on the fourth-car efforts and sold it to the Trimble in-house partner. They’ve been trying to grow, and they called me to do it,”
— Corey LaJoie, Driver
This move resurrects the legendary No. 99, a car number that previously notched 40 victories for the team between 1996 and 2014 under Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards. As an open entry, LaJoie must race his way into the Daytona 500 field, making his mission high stakes as Speedweeks commence.
LaJoie’s relationship with RFK has evolved through his role as a standby driver, stepping in for Keselowski in the No. 6 Ford for exhibitions. His productive interaction with RFK president Chip Bowers bolstered his position and pointed toward a culture shift within the organization.
“And I was trying to hold it loosely. And Chip Bowers, new president of RFK, with whom I’ve hit it off, uh, he’s a dog. So definitely adding to the culture swing over there at RFK with Brad and that whole group,”
— Corey LaJoie, Driver
LaJoie’s dedication comes as Keselowski continues rehabilitation, laying the groundwork for a potential comeback during the 500. Meanwhile, LaJoie’s responsibilities continue to increase with additional race-week commitments on his calendar.
Expanded Racing Commitments for Corey LaJoie
Beyond his Daytona 500 campaign, LaJoie was announced as the driver of the No. 75 Henderson Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series opener at Daytona. This move extends his workload during Speedweeks and leverages his adaptability across NASCAR disciplines.
The No. 75 truck enters with a measure of unfinished business. It finished first in the previous year’s race with Parker Kligerman but lost the win following a failed post-race inspection. LaJoie takes on the challenge of translating that near victory into a lasting triumph.
“It’s been fun putting this deal together for many reasons. First being, Parker is a good friend, and it’s cool to pick up the baton from him where he left off last year. Debbie Henderson-Creasy and Chris Carrier have the passion to continue Charlie’s legacy with Henderson Motorsports, and there’s no better place to do that than the World Center of Racing. Lastly, involving longtime friends and partners at Built.com and Alliance Driveaway really makes it a family outing. Ready to go put the 75 in the wind and see what we’ve got,”
— Corey LaJoie, Driver
LaJoie is well-acquainted with the demands of NASCAR’s top level, having accumulated 276 Cup Series starts. Recent experience with Spire Motorsports produced three top-five finishes and seven top tens out of nine Truck Series appearances, sharpening his form ahead of Daytona’s unpredictable superspeedway conditions.
Daytona 500 and RFK Racing’s Road Ahead
The RFK Racing decision to resurrect their No. 99 car for the Daytona 500 highlights both a nod to team history and a willingness to embrace new opportunities through drivers like Corey LaJoie. As Brad Keselowski advances toward full fitness, the team has employed a dynamic staffing and car entry strategy that leverages depth and flexibility across the organization.
For LaJoie, this sequence of opportunities solidifies his reputation for adaptability and readiness to step up. Both RFK Racing and Henderson Motorsports benefit from his broad experience and steady presence in unpredictable situations, which could be crucial as competition intensifies at the Great American Race.
With major entries across both the Cup Series and Truck Series at Daytona, Corey LaJoie is poised for one of the busiest and potentially most rewarding stretches of his career, while RFK Racing’s bold approach signals an intent to remain highly competitive as the 2026 season kicks off.
Corey LaJoie talked a bit about how his opportunity to drive for RFK Racing came about on the season debut of Stacking Pennies:
>Corey said that he had started talking to Brad Keselowski around the start of the playoffs last year about doing the 5-6 superspeedway races in 2026,… pic.twitter.com/0zrUWkfyO3
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) January 28, 2026
