Corey LaJoie to miss NASCAR at Michigan due to COVID protocols, Josh Berry to drive No. 7 car, per reports

A lot of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Sequence season has seen its drivers be comparatively unaffected by COVID-19 protocols. Sadly these protocols have come into impact and can preserve the motive force of the No. 7 Chevrolet out of this weekend’s race.

In line with Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, Corey LaJoie will probably be unable to take part on this weekend’s Cup Sequence race at Michigan Worldwide Speedway as a result of COVID protocols. NASCAR Xfinity Sequence driver Josh Berry will function the substitute driver of the No. 7 automotive in his place.

It was unclear from the reviews as to precisely what LaJoie’s particular difficulty was. In a quote tweet shortly after the announcement, LaJoie burdened the phrase “protocols”.

That is the third time this season that both a driver or key crew member for Spire Motorsports has needed to miss a race as a result of COVID protocols. In February, crew chief Ryan Sparks was compelled to overlook Homestead as a result of COVID protocols, with former Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte serving as LaJoie’s crew chief in his place. Then, Dover in Could noticed Justin Haley — the common driver of the crew’s No. 77 — miss a race as a result of COVID protocols. Berry served as substitute driver that weekend, a job he’ll reprise this weekend.

Assuming LaJoie solely misses one race, his absence at Michigan will doubtless have little bearing on whether or not or not he can qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs. LaJoie at the moment sits twenty ninth in factors, and his solely avenue in direction of making the Playoffs would have been to win both this weekend or subsequent weekend at Daytona. LaJoie has one top-10 end this season, a ninth-place run within the Daytona 500. According to Pockrass, Spire Motorsports will apply for a waiver that might permit LaJoie to stay eligible for the Playoffs regardless of lacking a race.

Josh Berry’s being known as as much as Cup continues what has been a landmark week in his profession, as JR Motorsports introduced he would compete full-time within the NASCAR Xfinity Sequence in 2022 after profitable a race and scoring 4 high 5s and 9 high 10s in 16 races this season. Berry will pull double-duty as an alternative in Michigan, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet within the Xfinity Sequence rather than an injured Michael Annett earlier than driving for Spire in Sunday’s Cup race. Berry may even drive the No. 25 Chevrolet for Rackley W.A.R. in Friday night time’s NASCAR Tenting World Truck Sequence race at World Broad Know-how Raceway at Gateway.