NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Don Lajoie Visits Autogeek!

[Nick McKees37]

NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Don Lajoie stopped by Autogeek yesterday for the grand tour of our operation. While he was here him and Bob talked NASCAR.




Those who have only been following NASCAR for the last few years (I'm talking about us young guys ) might better recognize the Lajoie name from Corey Lajoie. Corey is Don's grandson and protege. Corey has received assistance from Richard Petty Motorsports, where he made his Sprint Cub debut last September. In March 2015 Rob Fuller Motorsports is excited to announce Corey LaJoie as the driver of the No. 15 15-40 Connection modified Chevrolet. LaJoie and the team will run seven races in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) this season.



Don Lajoie was recently named Grand Marshall for the Mitchell Memorial Race. This was part of a nostalgia program that took place last summer.

Mitchell, a Norwalk, CT native, was an iconic motor sports journalist. Peers regard Mitchell as New England’s most accomplished and well respected auto racing writer, serving on several esteemed motor sports panels and boards over his career. He passed away in 2012 after a long bout with cancer.

LaJoie, inducted to the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2000, was a dear friend to Mitchell and was a subject for many of Mitchell’s motor sports columns through the years. LaJoie won five track championships and was a star at the now defunct Danbury Race arena, where he was the all-time winning-est Modified driver in track history. After Danbury closed in 1981, LaJoie competed at the Speed Bowl in 1982 where he was a race winner before retiring from driving. His retirement was due largely in part to help his son Randy’s racing career. Randy LaJoie went on to a long NASCAR racing career, highlighted by two Nationwide Series championships.

Don Lajoie and Bob McKee



I managed to get in one of the shots too.




Thanks for stopping by and sharing some of your stories with us Don. It was a pleasure meeting you!

[dad07]

Wow Nick! What a Honior! What a nice guy Don is......met him many many years ago.

Randy is just as nice and has contributed to some great saftey innovations in Nascar.

What a great family and to stop by AGO is just awsome!!!!

Thanks for sharing Nick!

[Nick McKees37]

Wow Nick! What a Honior! What a nice guy Don is......met him many many years ago.

Randy is just as nice and has contributed to some great saftey innovations in Nascar.

What a great family and to stop by AGO is just awsome!!!!

Thanks for sharing Nick!

It was a pleasure having him here.

He was also pleasantly surprised to hear that Ray Evernham would be joining us for Detail Fest next year!