It’s been a little over a month since NASCAR had to postpone the 2020 racing season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. NASCAR hopes to resume the season potentially in May but without fans in attendance. In the meantime, NASCAR has implemented the iRacing Pro Invitational Series to fill the gap. While many of the current drivers are participating, it is, at best, a substitution for the real thing.
This week I caught up with Go Fas Racing’s Corey LaJoie to find out how he’s coping during the stay-at-home order that most states have issued. On March 10, LaJoie and his wife, Kelly, welcomed their first child, Levi Ronnie, into the family.
While he misses the racing action, he is enjoying this unique opportunity to spend more quality time with his family and embrace his new role as a dad.
SM: Are you enjoying the time off or going stir crazy while you wait to get back to racing?
CL: A little bit of both. I’m enjoying spending time with Levi and my wife but I’m ready to get back to the racetrack.
SM: Are you typically the kind of person who enjoys alone time or do you miss being around people?
CL: I tend to go many places throughout the day whether it be the Cup shop or different businesses so I miss that part of my routine.
SM: What’s the one thing you miss most other than racing?
CL: I miss being able to go to the Joie of Seating and work on projects or build things.
SM: If for some reason you couldn’t race anymore, what career would you choose and why?
CL: I’d probably stay in racing in some sort. Maybe spotting while diving into Dad’s business a little more to help grow that.
SM: What has been your favorite thing to do while you’re stuck at home?
CL: Just chilling with Levi and doing projects around the house. I’ve retrofitted my garage into a gym.
Lately sleep is a hot commodity that is hard to come by so that’s something I love but I know nighttime is tough with little man.
SM: Have you picked up any new hobbies or gotten back to a hobby you didn’t have time to pursue before?
CL: I’ve been mountain biking a lot more since it’s a great way to social distance while also training hand-eye coordination and stamina.
SM: Have you started any new projects around the house?
CL: Painting the garage, cleaning out junk drawers, organizing the man cave.
SM: Are you cooking for yourself at home? If so what’s the one thing you can cook well?
CL: We cook almost every meal now. I actually like cooking some things. I’m decent at steak and breakfast but Kelly can cook just about anything.
SM: What’s your favorite music or band to listen to while you’re isolated at home?
CL: I listen to a lot of country. I like Luke Combs, Sturgill Simpson and some good Christian music.
SM: What are you doing to stay active and keep in shape?
CL: Mountain biking and using some Onnit kettlebells, medicine balls and weighted vests keep the workouts intense.
SM: Are you participating in iRacing? If so, does it help pass the time while you wait for the season to restart?
CL: I haven’t done much on it yet. I don’t have much time to get away and fire up the simulator. It’s a great platform for the sport to stay relevant during the delay but I’ll be glad when we have real life topics to talk about every week.
SM: What are you doing to keep positive and motivated?
CL: The wife and I have been digging into the Word quite a bit and spending some great quality time together with Levi. We live next to a park so we get over there for a couple mile walks a day.
SM: What’s the first thing you will do when the quarantine is over?
CL: I’ll still be pretty cautious of where I go even when the lockdown is lifted since I don’t want to risk bringing anything home but I’m ready to go to the shop and start getting busy.
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