DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Corey LaJoie was determined to participate in the Daytona 500 to the extent that he placed his children’s college fund on the line to secure his position in the iconic race.

After being released by Spire Motorsports last season, LaJoie concluded the year with Rick Ware Racing, where he drove in the final six races but had no assurance of securing a seat in 2025. While Rick Ware was prepared to enter a second car at Daytona International Speedway, it required a driver willing to bring financial backing to make it happen.

Taking a significant risk, LaJoie used the money earmarked for his kids’ education as a form of investment for a chance to race. He transferred the college fund to Ware in January, acting quickly to ensure that another competitor wouldn’t claim the No. 01 Ford before he could find sponsors. LaJoie admitted, “I was probably dumb enough to let my chips ride on the table and try to make this race on my own dime.”

He described the financial commitment as “four zeros, one comma,” but prior to arriving at Daytona International Speedway, he was relieved to receive support from sponsors DuraMAX and Take 5, who stepped in at the last moment and alleviated some of his financial burden.

Having secured his spot, LaJoie viewed everything beyond this point as a bonus. He successfully made it into the race during one of Thursday evening’s qualifying events. Alongside Cody Ware, he will provide Rick Ware Racing with two entries in Sunday’s main event, enhancing Ford’s representation, which is vital for manufacturer competitiveness.

This season, LaJoie plans to participate in a limited number of Cup Series races with RWR while also taking on the role of an analyst for Amazon Prime Video during their Cup Series broadcasts. In doing so, he aims to promote his Stacking Pennies Performance Brand.

The No. 01 car symbolizes LaJoie’s “Stacking Pennies” philosophy, which focuses on achieving small victories that accumulate towards larger successes. His podcast, also titled Stacking Pennies, has become one of the most popular in the NASCAR community.

While RWR has not confirmed the exact number of races LaJoie will compete in, he has made it to NASCAR’s biggest event of the year. Reflecting on his financial gamble, LaJoie stated, “I was at peace with letting that amount of money go as a bit of a faith tester.” He expressed satisfaction in checking off the first goal of making his way to the “Great American Race.”

Last year, LaJoie finished in fourth place during the Daytona 500 while driving for Spire Motorsports.