Randy LaJoie
Encyclopedia
Randall LaJoie was a driver in the NASCAR
Busch Series
(now the Nationwide Series), where he is a two-time champion. Presently, he does not have a full-time ride. He is the father of racers Casey and Corey LaJoie.
In 1983 he moved to the NASCAR
Busch North Series, and he was the series Rookie of the Year. That season, he made his first attempt at making the Daytona 500
, but did not qualify. One year later, he suffered a horrfic crash in Gatorade Twin 125's race and failed to qualify once again, he won the consolation race the following year. In 1985 he had 15 victories on his way to the series championship.
owned by Bob Johnson, he started sixteenth and finished fourteenth. He ran his next race the following season at Pocono Raceway
, where he finished 29th after suffering engine failure. He also made his Busch Series debut that season, running four races in his own #03 Pontiac
, posting a tenth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway
. He ran another race in 1987 at Dover International Speedway
and finished tenth. After a third-place finish the following season, he joined Frank Cicci Racing
mid-way through 1989 and had a career-best second-place run at Hickory Motor Speedway
. He ended the season 26th in points.
He did not return to Cicci in 1990, and ran a handful of Busch Races in his own #71, his best finish 23rd at Richmond
. He did not run another NASCAR-sanctioned race until 1993, when he ran seven races for Dick Moroso and one for BACE Motorsports
in the Busch Series. His best finish was second, twice. In 1994, he drove for Moroso full-time in the #20 Fina Lube Chevy, posting seven top-tens and finishing sixteenth in points. He also ran three Cup races, finishing in the top-20 in all three of them that season.
Pontiac Grand Prix
for Bill Davis Racing
. LaJoie ran 13 races for Davis in his rookie season before he was released midway through the year. Following his departure, he returned to Busch to drive the #64 for Dennis Shoemaker. He had three top-tens and a pole at Richmond in nine starts. The following season, he was hired by BACE Motorsports to drive its #74 entry. LaJoie won five races over the course of the season and clinched his first Busch Series championship. He followed that up with another five wins and his second straight championship in 1997. After falling back to fourth in the standings in 1998, as well as dealing with internal feuds with team owner Bill Baumgardner, LaJoie left BACE at the end of the season. He returned to the Cup Series that season driving nine races for Hendrick Motorsports
He signed to drive the #1 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
for James Finch
in 1999, despite the fact his team lacked major sponsorship. After a season-opening victory at the NAPA Auto Parts 300, Bob Evans Restaurants
came on board as the team's sponsor. Despite the added funding, LaJoie dropped to tenth in points. He moved up to seventh in the standings the next season with one win, but chose to depart the team at the end of the season for NEMCO Motorsports
. Driving the #7 with sponsorship from Kleenex
, LaJoie won two more races, but again fell to twelfth in points. He had fourteen top-ten finishes in 2002 and moved up one spot in the points.
and FitzBradshaw Racing
, as well as Craftsman Truck race for Kevin Harvick Incorporated
. He began the 2004 season in FitzBradshaw's #82 car and ran five races with a best finish of 13th, before moving on, running one race each for Marsh Racing
and Tommy Baldwin Racing
. He also teamed with HT Motorsports
in the Craftsman Truck Series
for six races, finishing eighth at Gateway
. In the Cup Series, he had a 43rd place finish for Hover Motorsports
at Richmond, and also ran two races in the #98 Ford Taurus
for Mach 1 Racing
, his best finish 36th.
Mach 1 switched to the #34 Chevy in 2005, and he began the season with them before he was released. He reunited with Cicci in the Busch Series with Dollar General
sponsorship and posted three top-ten finishes, finishing 19th in points. Dollar General left the team at season's end, leaving LaJoie without a full-time ride. He had signed to drive for Mach 1, which was under new management again in 2005, but was replaced early in the season by teammate Chad Chaffin
. He drove one race apiece in the Busch Series for Davis Motorsports, Jay Robinson Racing
, and Vision Racing. He also was a test driver for Richard Childress Racing
, filling in for Kevin Harvick
in the #21 United States Coast Guard
Chevy during practice and qualifying sessions.
's NASCAR
channel 128. He also did television commentary for the ORP and Montreal Busch Series Races.
On June 22, 2010, LaJoie was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy while working as a crewman on the #18 Nationwide Series car. He smoked marijuana with some race fans following the Coca-Cola 600
in Charlotte and took full responsibility for his actions. On August 25, 2010, LaJoie was reinstated by NASCAR after a 2 month suspension due to drug use.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
(now the Nationwide Series), where he is a two-time champion. Presently, he does not have a full-time ride. He is the father of racers Casey and Corey LaJoie.
Early racing career
LaJoie started racing go-karts when he was 12 years old. In 1980 he began racing in full-bodied racecars. He was the 1981 track champion in the Modified Sportsman division at the Danbury Fair Racearena.In 1983 he moved to the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Busch North Series, and he was the series Rookie of the Year. That season, he made his first attempt at making the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, but did not qualify. One year later, he suffered a horrfic crash in Gatorade Twin 125's race and failed to qualify once again, he won the consolation race the following year. In 1985 he had 15 victories on his way to the series championship.
Early NASCAR career
LaJoie made his major-league NASCAR debut in 1985 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Driving the #07 Snellman Construction ChevroletChevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
owned by Bob Johnson, he started sixteenth and finished fourteenth. He ran his next race the following season at Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
, where he finished 29th after suffering engine failure. He also made his Busch Series debut that season, running four races in his own #03 Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
, posting a tenth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
. He ran another race in 1987 at Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
and finished tenth. After a third-place finish the following season, he joined Frank Cicci Racing
Frank Cicci Racing
Frank Cicci Racing was a NASCAR Busch Series team. The team was owned by Frank Cicci of Elmira, New York and was last driven by Jay Sauter.- Beginnings :FCR first began racing as a short track team in Upstate New York...
mid-way through 1989 and had a career-best second-place run at Hickory Motor Speedway
Hickory Motor Speedway
Hickory Motor Speedway is a short track located in Hickory, North Carolina. It is one of stock car racing's most storied venues, and is often referred to as "The World's Most Famous Short Track" and the "Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars"....
. He ended the season 26th in points.
He did not return to Cicci in 1990, and ran a handful of Busch Races in his own #71, his best finish 23rd at Richmond
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
. He did not run another NASCAR-sanctioned race until 1993, when he ran seven races for Dick Moroso and one for BACE Motorsports
BACE Motorsports
BACE Motorsports is a former championship-winning NASCAR team. It was owned by entrepreneur Bill Baumgardner, who also founded Staff America. Baumgardner was inspired to start his own team after Staff America was a sponsor in the Busch Series for two years...
in the Busch Series. His best finish was second, twice. In 1994, he drove for Moroso full-time in the #20 Fina Lube Chevy, posting seven top-tens and finishing sixteenth in points. He also ran three Cup races, finishing in the top-20 in all three of them that season.
1995–2002
In 1995, LaJoie was called up to Cup again, driving the #22 MBNAMBNA
MBNA Corporation was a bank holding company and parent company of wholly owned subsidiary MBNA America Bank, N.A., headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, prior to being acquired by Bank of America in 2006...
Pontiac Grand Prix
Pontiac Grand Prix
Picking up where the Pontiac Ventura model left off, the Grand Prix first appeared in the Pontiac line for 1962. It was essentially a standard Pontiac Catalina coupe with minimal outside chrome trim and a sportier interior...
for Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing was a racing team that participated in all three of NASCAR's top divisions until 2009.The team had run Toyota-branded stock cars and trucks in both the Camping World Truck Series and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. Dodge, Ford, and Pontiac previously backed the team...
. LaJoie ran 13 races for Davis in his rookie season before he was released midway through the year. Following his departure, he returned to Busch to drive the #64 for Dennis Shoemaker. He had three top-tens and a pole at Richmond in nine starts. The following season, he was hired by BACE Motorsports to drive its #74 entry. LaJoie won five races over the course of the season and clinched his first Busch Series championship. He followed that up with another five wins and his second straight championship in 1997. After falling back to fourth in the standings in 1998, as well as dealing with internal feuds with team owner Bill Baumgardner, LaJoie left BACE at the end of the season. He returned to the Cup Series that season driving nine races for Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports , originally named All Star Racing, is a current American auto racing team created in 1984 by Rick Hendrick. The team currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Chevrolet Impalas...
He signed to drive the #1 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American-made two-door coupe introduced for model year 1970, and manufactured over six generations through model year 2007. It was marketed as a personal-luxury coupe through most of its history, with the last model version being classified as a full-sized coupe...
for James Finch
James Finch
James Finch is a Panama City, Florida-born businessman. He is the owner of Phoenix Construction, a construction company that specializes in airport construction, and the Phoenix Racing team in NASCAR. They field the #1 Chevrolet driven by Landon Cassill and Jamie McMurray in the Nationwide Series...
in 1999, despite the fact his team lacked major sponsorship. After a season-opening victory at the NAPA Auto Parts 300, Bob Evans Restaurants
Bob Evans Restaurants
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. is a food service, processing, and retail company based in Columbus, Ohio. The company is named after its founder, Bob Evans . It operates two family dining restaurant chains in the United States, Bob Evans Restaurants and Mimi's Cafe...
came on board as the team's sponsor. Despite the added funding, LaJoie dropped to tenth in points. He moved up to seventh in the standings the next season with one win, but chose to depart the team at the end of the season for NEMCO Motorsports
NEMCO Motorsports
NEMCO Motorsports is a NASCAR team that is owned by driver Joe Nemechek and his family. After a two-year hiatus, NEMCO Motorsports fielded full time entries in both the Cup and Nationwide Series in 2009 with driver Joe Nemechek. It carried the number 87 in both Cup and Nationwide. The team ran...
. Driving the #7 with sponsorship from Kleenex
Kleenex
Kleenex is a brand name for a variety of toiletry paper-based products such as facial tissue, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex is a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Often used as a genericized trademark, especially in the United States, "Kleenex"...
, LaJoie won two more races, but again fell to twelfth in points. He had fourteen top-ten finishes in 2002 and moved up one spot in the points.
Recent years
LaJoie returned to the 7 team in 2003, and won two poles, but was dismissed from the ride midway through the season. He fillied out the year with one race apiece for Innovative MotorsportsInnovative Motorsports
Innovative Motorsports is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by George DeBidart and began racing in the Busch North Series in the mid-90's, before moving to the Busch Series in 1998.- Winston Cup :Innovative ran four Cup races during its tenure...
and FitzBradshaw Racing
FitzBradshaw Racing
Trail Motorsports was a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is near Charlotte. The team is owned by Armando Fitz and Art Shelton, and was previously co-owned by Fitz's former wife Mimi...
, as well as Craftsman Truck race for Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated
Kevin Harvick Incorporated was a NASCAR team owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, who herself is the daughter of a former Busch Series driver, John Linville...
. He began the 2004 season in FitzBradshaw's #82 car and ran five races with a best finish of 13th, before moving on, running one race each for Marsh Racing
Marsh Racing
Marsh Racing is a team in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and formerly a team which competed in the NASCAR Busch Series. The team is owned by Ted Marsh. A longtime Chevrolet team sporting the No. 31 with backing from Whelen Engineering, Marsh Racing currently fields a Corvette in the Rolex...
and Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville North Carolina. The team is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of late modified driver Tom Baldwin...
. He also teamed with HT Motorsports
HT Motorsports
HT Motorsports was an American truck racing team from Martinsville, Virginia owned by trucking company owner Jim Harris. It fielded entries for the nine years in the Camping World Truck Series before suspending operations early in 2010.-Truck #24 History:...
in the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...
for six races, finishing eighth at Gateway
Gateway International Raceway
Gateway Motorsports Park is a race track in Madison, Illinois, USA, just east of St. Louis, Missouri. After being shuttered by former owner Dover Motorsports Inc., on Nov. 3, 2010, it was announced Sept. 8, 2011, that the facility would re-open and host an NHRA Full Throttle Series event Oct. 5-7,...
. In the Cup Series, he had a 43rd place finish for Hover Motorsports
Hover Motorsports
Hover Motorsports is an inactive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series team. They last attempted a race at the 2006 Daytona 500, when they fielded the #80 Ford Taurus for Carl Long, but failed to qualify. They were planning to partner with Peak Fitness Racing for the 2006 season, but that deal fell through...
at Richmond, and also ran two races in the #98 Ford Taurus
Ford Taurus
The Ford Taurus is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in the United States. Originally introduced in the 1986 model year, it has remained in near-continuous production for more than two decades, making it the fourth oldest nameplate that is currently sold in the North American...
for Mach 1 Racing
Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The team began running part-time in 2004 as Means-Jenkins Motorsports under a partnership with Jimmy Means and restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, with Jenkins becoming the full team owner in 2005...
, his best finish 36th.
Mach 1 switched to the #34 Chevy in 2005, and he began the season with them before he was released. He reunited with Cicci in the Busch Series with Dollar General
Dollar General
Dollar General Corp. is a U.S. chain of variety stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2011, Dollar General operated over 9,300 stores in 35 U.S. states....
sponsorship and posted three top-ten finishes, finishing 19th in points. Dollar General left the team at season's end, leaving LaJoie without a full-time ride. He had signed to drive for Mach 1, which was under new management again in 2005, but was replaced early in the season by teammate Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
. He drove one race apiece in the Busch Series for Davis Motorsports, Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing is a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Currently, they field the #28 MAXelence Chevrolet Impala for Derrike Cope. Formed in 1995, they moved to the Nationwide Series in 2000, where they have attempted both full-time and part-time schedules.- Car #28...
, and Vision Racing. He also was a test driver for Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
, filling in for Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
in the #21 United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
Chevy during practice and qualifying sessions.
Television work and suspension
In addition to his racing seat business, LaJoie was also a part time co-host of The Driver's Seat with John Kernan on Sirius Satellite RadioSirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
's NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
channel 128. He also did television commentary for the ORP and Montreal Busch Series Races.
On June 22, 2010, LaJoie was suspended indefinitely from NASCAR for violating NASCAR's substance abuse policy while working as a crewman on the #18 Nationwide Series car. He smoked marijuana with some race fans following the Coca-Cola 600
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
in Charlotte and took full responsibility for his actions. On August 25, 2010, LaJoie was reinstated by NASCAR after a 2 month suspension due to drug use.