Corey LaJoie thanks Caitlin Clark for her support of his car at Iowa

Coming off the Iowa Corn 350 one paint scheme stood out noticeably, as Corey LaJoie rocked an Iowa Hawkeyes scheme for Spire Motorsports. The car’s scheme was even endorsed by Iowa great Caitlin Clark before the race.

After the race, LaJoie made sure to reach out to thank Clark for her support during the crucial race.

“I think that’s a big deal,” Corey LaJoie said on the Stacking Pennies podcast. “I mean you can’t open any sort of media outlet without seeing her face in a story these days, so she’s pretty recognizable. Appreciate the support, Caitlin. Thank you.”

The two share a sponsor, with Gainbridge a major sponsor for Spire Motorsports and Clark a brand ambassador for Gainbridge. Then there are the obvious Iowa connections, too.

Particularly with the race taking place at Iowa, the No. 7 car was a popular one on Sunday.

It treated Corey LaJoie decently, though the race itself came with some difficulties for him, including one run-in with the wall early in the race.

“The car made a bunch of swings in terms of balance over just one course of the run,” LaJoie said. “We never got the yellow or the opportunity to race for the dog for the rest of the evening, so we were kind of stuck. But we got a couple spots there at the end and finished P21 with I thought maybe a 13th-15th place car. Our Gainbridge Iowa Hawkeye Camaro. People loved it.”

People did indeed love the scheme, perhaps moreso because it had Clark’s endorsement.

She offered it willingly before the race, only too happy to get behind something with the colors and logo of her alma mater in a different setting.

“Iowa, what’s up? You’re going to love what Gainbridge is doing this weekend at Iowa Speedway with Spire Motorsports,” Clark said before the race. “Corey LaJoie will be driving the No. 7 Chevrolet, featuring an amazing Hawkeyes paint scheme, to represent the University of Iowa. I know I’ll be rooting for the black and gold car. Go Corey!”