The brother of Sprint Cup driver Martin Truex Jr. and the son of former multi-time Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie have now aligned themselves with one of the biggest names in racing.
21-year-old Ryan Truex (pictured) and 21-year-old Corey LaJoie have been signed to a developmental program run by Richard Petty Motorsports, which will decide where the two will race depending on the sponsorship it can gain for them.
Truex has been a part-time Nationwide Series driver over the last three seasons, but has only made one start in a NASCAR national series in 2013 (Camping World Truck Series at Daytona). He had been slated to make his Sprint Cup debut at Richmond earlier this year for Phoenix Racing, but he sustained a collarbone injury on Easter and was unable to drive.
LaJoie has only run a handful of races this season, but finished runner-up in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East category last year after winning five events.
RPM competition director Sammy Johns is upbeat about the future potential for the pair, who have competed against each other in the past.
“They’re both really good talents,” Johns told the Motor Racing Network’s Dustin Long. “Any time they’ve gotten the opportunity to show it, they’ve run really well.”
In another piece by FoxSports.com’s Lee Spencer, Johns indicated that Truex and LaJoie may be steered toward the Nationwide Series because of RPM’s current single-car presence there alongside its two-car operation in the premier Cup series.
