As RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski continues to recover from a ski trip mishap in which he slipped on ice while exiting his vehicle and broke his right femur, he turned to Corey LaJoie, handing the former Spire Motorsports driver the wheel of his RFK Racing Ford for the upcoming Clash. But it looks like the Keselowski camp has doubled down on its confidence, as the team opted to give LaJoie another shot without even waiting to analyze his performance.
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LaJoie has been given the chance to attempt the 2026 Daytona 500 in a fourth RFK Racing entry, navigating the No. 99 Ford in the February 15 season opener. He will attempt to join full-time RFK drivers Brad Keselowski, Chris Buescher, and Ryan Preece at Daytona International Speedway.
His No. 99 Ford will be backed by Trimble, an American technology company that also develops vehicle-tracking equipment. Trimble plans to sponsor the team for 11 races throughout the 2026 season.
Meanwhile, the decision to go with the No. 99 is going to be the first time in years that RFK Racing has chosen to use it. The number was last driven by Carl Edwards in 2014 before Daniel Suárez carried it for five seasons at Trackhouse Racing.
Celebrating the news, LaJoie said, “This is a dream come true to get an opportunity with RFK Racing at the Daytona 500. This is, without a doubt, the best car and opportunity I’ve had at Daytona. I’m grateful for the trust they’ve placed in me.”
For LaJoie, who has yet to finish higher than fourth in the Daytona 500, the opportunity is another chance to break through. Excited about the same, he even shared a photo of the Daytona 500 on social media with the caption, “Nothing like leading the 500 when the sun goes down. Fired up to head south on a STEED.”
LaJoie has proven his capability at Daytona and other drafting venues. The 34-year-old driver has made nine Daytona 500 starts, producing one top-five finish in 2024 while driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, and three top-10 finishes overall, including in 2020 and 2021.
In fact, of his 11 career top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series, nine have come at Daytona, Talladega, or Atlanta. RFK Racing believes he can contend for the win behind the wheel of the No. 99 next month.
RFK Racing’s strategy appears oriented toward strength in numbers. Superspeedway racing thrives on cooperation, and an additional car gives the organization more leverage to form drafting partnerships on track, control lanes, and put multiple cars in position to win when the checkered flag drops.
