Randy LaJoie

American racing driver (born 1961)

Randall Joesph LaJoie (born August 28, 1961) is a former NASCAR Busch Series race car driver (now the Xfinity Series), where he won the championship in 1996 and 1997. He is the father of racers Casey and Corey LaJoie.

LaJoie started racing go karts when he was 11.5 years old. In 1980 he began racing in full bodied racecars. He was the 1981 track champion in the sportsman division at the Danbury Fair Racearena. When Danbury closed that off season, he moved to the Waterford Speedbowl where he won modified rookie of the year honors in 1982. In 1983 he moved to the NASCAR North Tour, 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 horrific crash in the Gatorade Twin 125's race and failed to qualify once again, he won the consolation race the following year. In 1985 he scored five victories in the North Tour on his way to the series championship; LaJoie was not awarded the championship until 1988, as a lawsuit regarding a disqualification at Catamount Speedway was not resolved until then.

LaJoie made his NASCAR Winston Cup debut in 1985 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Driving the No. 07 Snellman Construction sponsored Chevrolet owned by Bob Johnson, he started 16th and finished 14th. 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 No. 03 Pontiac, posting a tenth place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He ran another race in 1987 at Dover International Speedway and finished 10th. 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 No. 71, his best finish was 23rd at Richmond. He did not run another NASCAR sanctioned race until 1993, when he got selected to run the No. 20 Fina car owned by Dick Moroso at Talladega. This would turn out to be a shrewd career move for LaJoie as he ran up front with the leaders all afternoon and finished a surprising second. This got LaJoie five more races for Moroso and one for BACE Motorsports in the Busch Series. His best finish was second, twice. In 1994, he was a thought by some to be a dark horse for the championship. He drove for Moroso full time in the No. 20 Fina Lube sponsored Chevy that season posting seven Top 10’s. LaJoie led the point standings early in the season before a string of poor results, also a lack of performance dropped him to 16th in the final point standings. He also ran three Cup races, finishing in the Top 20 in all three of them that season.

In 1995, LaJoie was called up to the Cup series again, driving the No. 22 MBNA sponsored 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 No. 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 No. 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 a feud 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 No. 1 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for James Finch in 1999, despite the fact that the 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 No. 7 with a sponsorship from Kleenex, LaJoie won two more races but again fell to 12th in points. He had 14 Top 10 finishes in 2002 and moved up one spot in the points.

LaJoie returned to the No. 7 team in 2003, and won two poles, but was dismissed from the ride midway through the season. He filled out the year with one race apiece for Innovative Motorsports and FitzBradshaw Racing, as well as a Craftsman Truck race for Kevin Harvick Incorporated. He began the 2004 season in FitzBradshaw's No. 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 No. 98 Ford Taurus for Mach 1 Racing, his best finish being 36th. Mach 1 switched to the No. 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 10 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 No. 21 United States Coast Guard Chevy during practice and qualifying sessions. LaJoie has not run a NASCAR sanctioned race since 2006, focusing on team ownership for his son Corey, who finished second in the 2012 K&N Pro Series East championship to Kyle Larson despite five wins in the series. In 2016, LaJoie was inducted into the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame.

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 Radio'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 their substance abuse policy while working as a crewman on the No. 18 Nationwide Series car. He had smoked marijuana with some race fans following the Coca Cola 600 in Charlotte and took responsibility for his actions. On August 25, 2010, LaJoie was reinstated by NASCAR after a two month suspension.

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

NASCAR Nextel Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 1984 Bob Johnson Racing 07 Chevy DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD NA 1985 DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL14 BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD NA 0 1986 DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC29 MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 107th 76 1988 Wawak Racing 74 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV37 MAR CLTDNQ NWS CAR PHO ATL NA 0 1989 Pontiac DAYDNQ CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON 83rd 79 Rosenblum Racing 63 Chevy POC28 MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL 1990 Linro Motorsports 13 Buick DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC33 MCH DAY POC38 TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 73rd 113 1991 DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC29 MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT 50th 304 Cale Yarborough Motorsports 66 Pontiac CAR24 PHO32 ATL31 1994 Moroso Racing 20 Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT20 DOV POC MCH DAY NHA20 POC TAL INDDNQ GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO 48th 312 Taylor Racing 02 Ford ATL19 1995 Bill Davis Racing 22 Pontiac DAY29 CAR25 RCH27 ATL39 DAR16 BRI12 NWS23 MARDNQ TAL13 SON32 CLT23 DOV23 POC40 MCH41 DAY NHA POC 40th 1133 Dick Brooks Racing 40 Pontiac TAL40 IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 1997 BACE Motorsports 74 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR TEXDNQ BRI MAR SON TAL CLT DOV POC MCH CAL DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR CLT TAL CAR PHO ATL NA 1998 Hendrick Motorsports 50 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR38 BRI10 TEX25 MAR5 TAL10 CAL36 CLT38 DOV43 RCH31 MCH POC SON NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI NHA DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT TAL DAY PHO CAR ATL 49th 768 1999 No Fear Racing 14 Ford DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX40 BRI MAR TAL CAL RCH CLTDNQ DOV MCH POC SON DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA37 DOV MAR CLT TAL CAR PHO HOM ATL 61st 95 2004 Hover Motorsports 80 Ford DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH43 CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR 68th 126 Mach 1 Motorsports 96 Ford ATLDNQ 98 PHO42 DAR36 HOMDNQ 2005 34 Chevy DAYDNQ CAL42 LVS36 ATLDNQ BRIDNQ MAR42 TEXDNQ PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 66th 134 2006 Front Row Motorsports 64 Chevy DAYDNQ NA 34 Dodge CALDNQ 64 LVSDNQ ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM

NASCAR Busch Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 1986 LaJoie Racing 03 Pontiac DAY CAR HCY MAR BRI DAR11 SBO LGY JFC DOV21 CLT10 SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO RAL 47th 364 07 OXF36 SBO HCY LGY ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR ROU CLT CAR MAR 1987 04 Olds DAY HCY MAR DAR BRI LGY SBO CLT DOV IRP ROU JFC OXF SBO HCY RAL LGY ROU BRI JFC DAR RCH DOV10 MAR CLT CAR MAR 85th 1988 66 DAY HCY CAR MAR DAR BRI LNG NZH SBO NSV CLT DOV ROU LAN LVL MYB OXF3 SBO HCY LNG IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR 97th 43 71 CLT40 CAR MAR 1989 DAY31 CAR MAR HCY DAR23 BRI NZH SBO LAN NSV CLT 26th 1542 Pontiac DOV10 ROU LVL VOL MYB SBO Frank Cicci Racing 34 Buick HCY2 DUB15 IRP12 ROU25 BRI11 DAR18 RCH11 DOV20 MAR27 CLT14 CAR8 MAR23 1990 LaJoie Racing 71 Ford DAYDNQ RCH23 CAR37 MAR HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT 60th 326 Buick DOVDNQ ROU VOL MYB OXF28 NHA28 SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV31 MAR CLT NHA44 CAR MAR 1993 Moroso Racing 20 Chevy DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY ROU MAR NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL2 IRP MCH NHA DAR2 CLT12 MAR CAR8 HCY ATL27 36th 1045 Olds BRI32 RCH12 DOV BACE Motorsports 74 Chevy ROU4 1994 Moroso Racing 20 Chevy DAY28 CAR4 RCH31 ATL7 MAR4 DAR3 HCY2 BRI27 ROU24 NHA19 NZH26 CLT25 DOV42 MYB24 GLN12 MLW37 SBO16 TAL15 HCY15 IRP18 MCH33 BRI36 DAR27 RCH19 DOV6 CLT MAR30 CAR9 16th 2837 1995 Shoemaker Racing 64 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL34 SBO IRP15 MCH3 BRI22 DAR27 RCH9 DOV18 CLT14 CAR9 HOMDNQ 37th 1029 1996 BACE Motorsports 74 Chevy DAY7 CAR7 RCH6 ATL28 NSV21 DAR12 BRI6 HCY3 NZH1 CLT5* DOV1 SBO5* MYB18 GLN30 MLW3 NHA1* TAL3 IRP1* MCH10 BRI29 DAR5 RCH8 DOV1 CLT6 CAR9 HOM10 1st 3714 1997 DAY1* CAR3 RCH8 ATL16 LVS29 DAR1* HCY2* TEX9 BRI3 NSV6 TAL12 NHA7 NZH3 CLT10 DOV3 SBO1* GLN21 MLW1 MYB3 GTY17 IRP1* MCH17 BRI4 DAR18 RCH2 DOV2* CLT15 CAL10 CAR20 HOM2 1st 4381 1998 DAY5 CAR7 LVS18 NSV4 DAR23 BRI25 TEX6 HCY23 TAL23 NHA5 NZH42 CLT14 DOV11 RCH11 PPR3 GLN37 MLW10 MYB1* CAL16 SBO2 IRP4 MCH16 BRI31 DAR19 RCH30 DOV37 CLT29 GTY7 CAR30 ATL41 HOM9 4th 3543 1999 Phoenix Racing 1 Chevy DAY1* CAR4 LVS15 ATL26 DAR43 TEX17 NSV38 BRI36 TAL9* CAL34 NHA4 RCH42 NZH20 CLT13 DOV27 SBO24 GLN17 MLW14 MYB2* PPR13 GTY2 IRP13 MCH40 BRI11 DAR16 RCH33 DOV2 CLT38 CAR26 MEM26 PHO17 HOM29 10th 3379 2000 DAY7 CAR11 LVS9 ATL9 DAR18 BRI5 TEX8 NSV1 TAL36 CAL16 RCH21 NHA39 CLT22 DOV25 SBO23 MYB14 GLN15 MLW3 NZH8 PPR41 GTY11 IRP13 MCH26 BRI31 DAR14 RCH13 DOV31 CLT15 CAR18 MEM4 PHO13 7th 3670 51 Ford HOM24 2001 Evans Motorsports 7 Pontiac DAY1 TAL27 12th 3578 Chevy CAR32 LVS38 ATL21 DAR26 BRI3 TEX13 NSH4 CAL30 RCH19 NHA8 NZH13 CLT22 DOV24 KEN7 MLW22 GLN19 CHI19 GTY9 PPR33 IRP13 MCH24 BRI31 DAR19 RCH34 DOV9 KAN21 CLT37 MEM1 PHO18 CAR11 HOM21 2002 DAY12 CAR3 LVS7 DAR27 BRI7 TEX7 NSH6 TAL17 CAL9 RCH13 NHA6 NZH5 CLT32 DOV9 NSH36 KEN13 MLW10 DAY36 CHI17 GTY18 PPR20 IRP13 MCH24 BRI10 DAR20 RCH20 DOV7 KAN17 CLT38 MEM35 ATL15 CAR3 PHO16 HOM6 11th 4021 2003 Pontiac DAY15 26th 1863 Chevy CAR4 LVS32 DAR17 BRI8 TEX34 TAL29 NSH32 CAL32 RCH27 GTY35 NZH7 CLT28 DOV26 NSH4 KEN38 MLW11 DAY CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT Innovative Motorsports 48 Chevy MEM30 ATL FitzBradshaw Racing 82 Chevy PHO14 CAR HOM 2004 DAY CAR LVS13 DAR BRI TEX23 NSH TAL CAL30 GTY RCH NZH25 CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY16 CHI NHA PPR IRP MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN 50th 673 Marsh Racing 31 Ford CLT17 Michael Waltrip Racing 99 Chevy MEMQL† Tommy Baldwin Racing 6 Dodge ATL32 PHO DAR HOM 2005 Frank Cicci Racing 34 Chevy DAY19 CAL31 MXC32 LVS8 ATL15 NSH28 BRI27 TEX26 PHO35 TAL6 DAR26 RCH26 CLT28 DOV17 NSH24 KEN21 MLW7 DAY30 CHI31 NHA39 PPR16 GTY14 IRP17 GLN21 MCH41 CAL21 RCH15 DOV42 KAN CLT MEM25 TEX PHO25 HOM 19th 2886 84 BRI17 2006 Davis Motorsports 0 Chevy DAY CAL MXC41 LVS ATL BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR 101st 138 Jay Robinson Racing 49 Ford CLT35 DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV Vision Racing 37 Chevy KANDNQ CLT TEX41 PHO HOM Richard Childress Racing 21 Chevy MEMQL‡† Qualified for Michael Waltrip · ‡ Qualified for Kevin Harvick

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Pts Ref 2003 Kevin Harvick Inc. 6 Chevy DAY DAR MMR MAR CLT DOV TEX MEM MLW KAN KEN GTW MCH IRP NSH BRI RCH NHA CAL LVS13 SBO TEX MAR PHO HOM 95th 124 2004 HT Motorsports 59 Dodge DAY34 ATL14 MAR MFD CLT DOV TEX MEM MLW KAN KEN32 GTW8 MCH14 IRP NSH BRI35 RCH NHA LVS CAL TEX MAR PHO DAR HOM 38th 570

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pts Ref 1985 Bob Johnson Racing 07 Olds ATL4 DAY ATL TAL ATL SSP IRP CSP FRS IRP OEF ISF DSF TOL 106th 1989 Wawak Racing 74 Pontiac DAYDNQ ATL KIL TAL FRS POC KIL HAG POC TAL DEL FRS ISF TOL DSF SLM ATL NA

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.) International Race of Champions results Year Make 1 2 3 4 Pos. Pts Ref 1997 Pontiac DAY4 CLT7 CAL4 MCH1* 3rd 58 1998 DAY11 CAL6 MCH9 IND4 9th 31