Getty Corey LaJoie arrives for a race at Darlington on Sept. 5.
The driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro is about to raise money for charity with an intense schoolyard game. Corey LaJoie has announced the first-ever Kickball Klassic Fueled by Built, which will feature NASCAR drivers and other special celebrity guests.
LaJoie tweeted out a special announcement video on Tuesday, Sept. 7, showcasing his “skills” as a kickball pitcher. He rolled the ball to Boomer, who launched the ball out of the stadium and into a billboard. LaJoie explained that general admission tickets are on sale for $10 and that 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Kannapolis YMCA and Samaritan’s Feet.
$10 tickets on sale now. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this! Go to: t.co/cZoWiEyOkf
The celebrity kickball game will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 6, 2021, but it will not be the only big event on a special day. The celebrities in attendance will also take part in an autograph session for the fans at 7:15 p.m. The Dryes and Pryor & Lee will cap off the evening with a concert starting at 8 p.m.
Some Big Names Will Compete With LaJoie on the Kickball Field
GettyCorey LaJoie (left) and Bubba Wallace (right) arrive on the grid at Martinsville.
The driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet will not be the only big name in attendance for the battle. Several NASCAR drivers, as well as former NBA player Marvin Williams, will also don their best kickball shoes and help raise money for charity.
LaJoie made the most of the player announcements by using “flattering photos” of each participant. He showcased Kurt Busch flexing with some helmet hair, a very young Austin Dillon, Kyle Busch in a speedo, Ryan Blaney in a sombrero, Matt DiBenedetto in a giraffe costume, Bubba Wallace with an exposed midriff, Joey Logano as a child, and Michael McDowell arguing with Daniel Suarez.
Of course, the best driver announcement was the last on the list. LaJoie confirmed that Chip Ganassi Racing’s Ross Chastain will be on the field for the kickball battle, but he did not use a photo of the driver of the No. 42. Instead, he simply showed a watermelon with eyes, referencing Chastain’s nickname of “Melon Man.”
LaJoie is Showcasing Major Improvement in 2021
GettyNASCAR driver Corey LaJoie poses ahead of the Daytona 500.
The driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet made the announcement in the midst of a strong season. LaJoie is currently in his first full-time season with Spire Motorsports after two years with Go Fas Racing and two others split between BK Racing (32 starts) and TriStar Motorsports (23 starts).
While he has yet to win at the Cup Series level in 2021, LaJoie has contended for top-10 finishes on a variety of tracks. He locked up ninth in the season-opening Daytona 500 after avoiding the multitude of wrecks. He then posted four consecutive top-20 finishes at Circuit of the Americas, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Sonoma Raceway, and Nashville Superspeedway.
Following six races outside of the top 20, LaJoie turned in a 16th-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, 16th at Daytona International Speedway, and 15th at Darlington Raceway. However, the latter two finishes do not represent what LaJoie did with a team that does not have the same level of funding or equipment as the heavy-hitters.
LaJoie locked up points during Stage 1 after finishing the segment seventh overall. He continued to fight for position throughout the remaining laps, even moving into second place on the final lap. LaJoie’s night came to an early end due to a massive crash that collected several stock cars.
The trend continued during a Darlington race in which several playoff drivers wrecked. LaJoie locked up points during Stage 2 and contended for a top-10 finish throughout the evening. He came within reach of another, but the cautions did not play out in his favor. He ended the Darlington race 15th but earned praise from Hall of Famer Mark Martin, who tweeted “It makes me happy to see [Corey LaJoie] running so well. He is earning respect.”
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