Corey LaJoie will miss this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway due to COVID-19 protocols, Spire Motorsports announced Thursday afternoon.
“Due to COVID-19 protocols, Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 7 NationsGuard Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, will be unavailable to participate in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Firekeepers Casino 400 and will not travel to Michigan International Speedway,” the team said in a statement.
Corey LaJoie may not be the first NASCAR driver to miss a race due to COVID-19, but even though seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson missed the Brickyard 400 due to a positive test, LaJoie’s situation might be the most significant.
The complication comes from NASCAR policy detailed in a tweet by Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass:
NASCAR policy for close contact and not vaccinated is quarantine at least 7 days and then can come back if negative test and no symptoms. If vaccinated, no quarantine but must get tested 3-5 days after exposure. Same as CDC guidelines.
By virtue of LaJoie needing to miss this weekend’s race due to his COVID exposure, this means that he is unvaccinated. LaJoie more or less confirmed this in an interview with Sirius XM NASCAR:
I’m not going to tell anyone else what their risk aversion should be. I feel plenty healthy, my immune system is capable of fighting off anything. I work out as hard as anybody. I eat healthy. That’s kind of where I stand.
I don’t want to be the guinea pig or the example by no means, but I do think people could probably learn from this particular circumstance and be a little more cautious.”
The world of NASCAR social media erupted after this news. While some supported LaJoie, there’s a sense of frustration with his attitude around COVID and vaccines. By all signs, LaJoie isn’t the only NASCAR driver to hold scientifically debunked opinions about COVID quietly or otherwise. He does, however, hold this distinction of being an openly unvaccinated driver, which may pose a problem with the most influential thing in NASCAR: sponsorship.
LaJoie is going to miss the Michigan race because he is unvaccinated. Sponsors won’t take kindly to the idea of their driver missing a race because though they tested negative for COVID after an exposure, they are still required by policy to stay away because of their vaccination status. Some sponsors may balk at being associated with someone they view as in opposition to mainstream science.
Going beyond the issue of sponsorship, drivers should want to get vaccinated simply so they don’t miss any races unless it’s truly needed. In a deleted tweet archived in an article by The Frontstretch’s Daniel McFadin, spotter Brett Griffin expressed his opinions when sharing a picture of Kyle Larson surround by fans.
Some of Y’all aren’t gonna like this but if ima playoff driver in any series I’m not doing this a week before the playoffs start and so long as I’m playoff eligible. It’s just not worth it.
Imagine a driver on the verge of making the championship four missing their chance to race into title contention because they refused a COVID vaccine and were in the same situation as LaJoie. Even among NASCAR’s vaccine-hesitant fanbase, the driver would become a symbol of throwing away an incredible opportunity out of arrogance.
Maybe LaJoie’s predicament won’t sway the opinion of his competitors, but as NASCAR gets closer to the playoffs, it’s time they think about it.
Michael Miller 