NASCAR veteran Corey LaJoie is entering the Daytona 500 on February 15 with RFK Racing, driving an open fourth entry. LaJoie will resurrect the team’s No. 99 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, which hasn’t appeared in a NASCAR Cup Series race since 2016.
With the No. 99 car entering the Daytona 500, RFK Racing will field four cars in one race for the first time since 2011. LaJoie’s entry is supported by Trimble as a primary sponsor.
@CoreyLaJoie will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a fourth @RFKracing entry. pic.twitter.com/bNS1isi5l0
— ATYL Media (@ATYLmedia) January 20, 2026
Corey LaJoie: Daytona 500 Dark Horse?
In nine attempts at the Daytona 500, LaJoie has three top-tens including a career-best finish of fourth in 2024. Though his 2025 entry with Rick Ware Racing culminated in a disappointing 22nd-place run, LaJoie led ten laps and spent much of the race in position to compete for the win.
Corey LaJoie has been in the RFK Racing organization as a reserve driver for some time, a role he’ll fulfill for the first time in The Clash this year as Keselowski rehabs from leg surgery. “This is a dream come true to get an opportunity with RFK Racing at the Daytona 500,” said Lajoie. “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.” If he makes the starting lineup, LaJoie could be the key addition to a winning strategy.
Strength in Numbers
In recent years RFK Racing has demonstrated consistent performance at drafting tracks when they’ve been able to keep their ranks in close proximity. This was perhaps best showcased when Chris Buescher won the 2023 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway with Keselowski directly behind, supporting him in the draft.
RFK Racing has also worked well with other Ford teams at drafting tracks, a luxury which is quickly becoming harder to take advantage of. Haas Factory Team and Rick Ware Racing both switched from Ford to Chevrolet in the off-season, leaving Ford with two fewer full-time cars than it had last year. LaJoie making the Daytona 500 would help keep Ford’s numbers stable at a style of track where they’ve been tough to beat.
Keselowski voiced his optimism about the benefits of upsizing, and is hopeful that greater numbers will position RFK Racing for its first Daytona 500 victory since 2012.
“From a competition standpoint, having a fourth car gives us and Ford Racing a better chance to win the Daytona 500,” he said. “It’s not just about adding another entry. Superspeedway racing is about cooperation and having an additional car allows us to be more effective in forming drafting alliances, controlling lanes, and putting ourselves in position when it matters most.”
The Historic No. 99 Car
From the time of its debut in 1996, RFK Racing’s No. 99 Ford was a consistent winning force in the NASCAR Cup Series. Jeff Burton won 17 times by the time he departed the organization in 2004. Carl Edwards then added another 23 wins from 2005 to 2014, including close brushes with a championship in 2008 and 2011.
After Edwards’ departure for Joe Gibbs Racing, the No. 99 made only one additional appearance for RFK Racing (still Roush Fenway Racing at that time): Ryan Reed resurrected the ride for a one-off start at Talladega Superspeedway in 2016, finishing 26th.
StarCom Racing brought the No. 99 car back in 2018 for a medley of part-time drivers, but it wasn’t until Trackhouse Racing emerged in 2021 that it returned to full-time competition in NASCAR. There, Daniel Suárez raced for five seasons and won twice in the No. 99 Chevrolet. Trackhouse relinquished the No. 99 when they shuffled their driver lineup for the 2026 season.
For Corey LaJoie to officially return the No. 99 to RFK Racing, he’ll have to beat a handful of other drivers competing for a finite number of Daytona 500 starting spots. There are presently six other open entries: Justin Allgaier (JR Motorsports), JJ Yeley (NY Racing), Anthony Alfredo (Beard Motorsports), Casey Mears (MBM Motorsports), Corey Heim (23XI Racing), and BJ McLeod (Live Fast Motorsports).
