Well, if there was any doubt on whether or not you should get the COVID-19 vaccine, everyone in the state of North Carolina got their answer on Tuesday, March 16.

  The answer is unequivocally yes – because the king is telling you to.

On Tuesday, the state of North Carolina sent out a press release announcing that NASCAR great Richard Petty has a message for everyone, “You Have A Spot. Take Your Shot.”

For weeks, the state as well as local governments in North Carolina, have been using prominent citizens to get out that message and this week North Carolina native and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty was encouraging everyone to get the shot. 

Petty recently received a shot of COVID-19 vaccine. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champ – not to mention all-time leader in premier series race wins (200, in case you were wondering) – was vaccinated at a drive-through center near his hometown in Level Cross.

The state also sent out a video of a public service announcement featuring the 83-year-old legend, who, in the announcement, shares his reasons for getting vaccinated and urges others to get vaccinated as well.

“I talked to my doctor, and he highly recommended that I go ahead and get a shot,” Petty said. “It doesn’t only help me; it helps my family and all of the people I associate with.  You are not only helping yourself; you are helping your neighbors.”

According to state officials, Petty recorded the public service announcement in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Social Services as part of the state’s “Your Spot Your Shot” COVID-19 public education campaign.

That campaign appears to be working because so far over 1.2 million North Carolinians are fully vaccinated.

In the video, made at the Richard Petty Museum in Level Cross, Petty states that he was a little reluctant to get the shot early on– but the science, he said, matched the advice of his doctor and prompted him to get vaccinated.

“I might have been a little bit hesitant to begin with, but after looking at all of the statistics — I don’t see anything after you take the shot,” Petty said. “Everyone seems to get along with it pretty good.”