RFK Racing Brings Back No. 99, LaJoie to Pilot 4th Daytona 500 Entry

Corey LaJoie will head to Daytona International Speedway with a Harley J Earl trophy on his mind. He'll chase it with RFK Racing, which will field a fourth No. 99 entry.

Corey LaJoie will attempt to secure a spot in the starting lineup for the 2026 Daytona 500 as he'll pilot the No. 99 RFK Racing Ford. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The entry list for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway continues to grow. On Tuesday afternoon, RFK Racing formally announced the addition of a fourth entry for next month's Great American Race. Corey LaJoie, who is filling in for Brad Keselowski in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, has been tabbed to slide behind the wheel of the entry.

RFK Racing will dust-off the No. 99, which the organization debuted with Jeff Burton in 1996 and was last used by NASCAR Hall of Famer Carl Edwards in 2014, for the part-time entry.

A fourth car has entered the chat❗

In partnership with Trimble, Corey LaJoie will pilot the No. 99 in next month's DAYTONA 500 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/fKGak8Wyp3

— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) January 20, 2026

LaJoie, who has amassed 276 NASCAR Cup Series starts in his career, will be backed by Trimble as he attempts to lock into the field for the 2026 Daytona 500. LaJoie calls the opportunity with RFK Racing at Daytona, his best shot ever at a win at the iconic 2.5-mile superspeedway.

“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.”

For RFK Racing, the addition of a fourth car, this one unchartered, makes sense. Superspeedway racing is all about teammates, and having the numbers in your favor in the closing laps of the push-and-shove style drafting events. With LaJoie in the fold, RFK Racing hopes to have four drivers in contention on the final lap of the Daytona 500, instead of three.

“From a competition standpoint, having a fourth car gives us and Ford Racing a better chance to win the Daytona 500,” said Keselowski, RFK Racing driver and co-owner. “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.”

And LaJoie is no slouch at Daytona International Speedway and other drafting tracks. Of LaJoie's 11 career top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series, nine of them have come at Daytona, Talladega, or Atlanta. RFK Racing truly believes LaJoie can contend for the win behind the wheel of its No. 99 Ford next month.

“Daytona is the one race where preparation and teamwork are amplified,” said Chip Bowers, RFK Racing team president. “Corey’s familiarity with our systems and people, combined with Trimble’s collaboration, allows us to be bold, aggressive, and committed. This is a well-planned extension of our overall Daytona strategy.”

LaJoie will join a team already packed full of talent at RFK Racing. Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Chris Buescher, and Ryan Preece will all serve as teammates to LaJoie in the season-opening event.