Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson has evaluated positive for the coronavirus and will miss this weekends race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 44-year-old Johnson is the first driver in any NASCAR series to check favorable and the news on Friday evening cast a shadow over the historic NASCAR-IndyCar doubleheader races coming up Saturday and Sunday. There was no sign any races would be affected.
Hendrick Motorsports said Johnson will not return till he is cleared by a physician. He was evaluated earlier Friday after his partner, Chani, checked favorable after experiencing allergy-like signs.
Johnson is asymptomatic.
Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has become the very first NASCAR motorist to check favorable for COVID-19 and will miss this weekends Brickyard 400
Johnson was evaluated after his partner, Chani, imagined together with their 2 girls, Lydia and Genevieve, evaluated positive after experiencing allergy-like signs.
Johnson has his eye on the street course race in Long Beach, California, a race that was canceled this year since of the coronavirus pandemic however is one of the most storied occasions on the IndyCar calendar at a track just a couple hours from his native El Cajon.
NASCAR was one of the first sports to resume competition from the pandemic shutdown and has actually finished 11 Cup races since its May 17 return. The approving body does not evaluate for coronavirus however participants are required to do a temperature level check as they get in the facility.
Drivers have been informed to separate at the track and there is really little interaction beyond radio discussion between the competitor and his team.
Although Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske both stated theyve had positive tests from shop-based staff member, Johnson is the very first chauffeur. Earlier Friday, Brazilian sports automobile driver Felipe Nasr said he had evaluated favorable and will miss out on Saturdays IMSA occasion at Daytona International Speedway.
Johnson earlier Friday talked about the Indy car test scheduled with Chip Ganassi Racing, which he said was the primary step in figured out if real races are in his future. If hes any good, he stated, he would be open to racing all 12 street and road course occasions on the IndyCar schedule.
Johnson has long said security issues would keep him from racing on IndyCar oval tracks, but Friday he offered a surprisingly softer position about the Indy 500. IndyCar this year unveiled its aeroscreen windscreen created to safeguard the drivers from debris as they being in the open-air cockpits. Saturday will mark simply the second race with the device, however it appeared problem-free last month on the oval at high-speed Texas Motor Speedway.
Their security on ovals has considerably increased this year with the windscreen. So, Ill keep a close eye on things there and see how the safety level looks, Johnson stated. Ive always desired to race the Indy 500. I d need to do a lot of offering to my other half to get that pass, but my real desire today is to simply run the roadway courses..
Jimmie has actually handled this circumstance like the champ he is, said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. Were eased he isnt showing signs which Chani is doing great, and we understand hell be back and prepared to go soon..
Its going to be tough for him to be out of the car and far from his team, but its the best thing to do for Jimmie and everyone involved..
Hendrick Motorsports said it has implemented detailed treatments to safeguard the health of its employee..
They include day-to-day COVID-19 screenings at the group centers; the separation of center operations and traveling workers; split work schedules; strict face covering and social distancing requirements; and an increased level of decontaminating and sanitization of all work areas.
My first top priority is the health and wellness of my liked ones and my colleagues, Johnson said. Ive never ever missed a race in my Cup profession, but I know its going to be really tough to see from the sidelines when Im expected to be out there competing. This circumstance is very frustrating, Im going to come back all set to win races and put ourselves in playoff contention.
Johnson earlier Friday held a Zoom session with press reporters to talk about Sundays race and an approaching test of an Indy automobile on the road course at the legendary place. He will now miss out on that test, in addition to what was supposed to be his last Brickyard 400. Justin Allgaier will change him in the No. 48 Chevrolet.
Johnson will not go back to competitors until being cleared by a physician He claims to have not skilled COVID-19 symptoms.
Johnson is arranged to retire from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of the season and was attempting to connect Jeff Gordon and Michael Schumacher as the only five-time winners at Indianapolis.
Johnson has made 663 consecutive Cup Series starts – the longest streak among active motorists – and is currently 12th in the standings, 63 points inside the playoff photo..
NASCARs guidelines specify a driver needs to be symptom free and have 2 negative coronavirus tests in a 24-hour span to return.
NASCAR said it has actually given Johnson a playoff waiver.
Jimmie is a true battle-tested champ, and we want him well in his healing, the series said.
Johnson might possibly also miss the Cup race at Kentucky and the All-Star race at Bristol. Next weeks test of the roadway course at Indy in Scott Dixons vehicle has also been scrapped.
NASCAR stated Johnson needs to be symptom free and have two negative COVID-19 test results, a minimum of 24 hours apart.
44-year-old Johnson, a four-times winner of the Brickyard 400, was due to start the race in Indianapolis in the 2nd row in fourth position.
When I was a kid growing up, the closest IndyCar racing for me was at Long Beach so among my hopes is that I have the ability to race at Long Beach, Johnson said. I hung on the fence a lot as a kid dreaming and seeing. … Theres a lot of nostalgic value with that race and I hope to race there..
He is stuck in a three-year losing streak but Hendrick Motorsports has been dramatically improved this season and Johnson has actually been competitive. He has also been actively prepping for a whirl in an Indy car and had actually been set up to evaluate with the McLaren team prior to the pandemic.
Its a test, its a tryout and its a two-way street. I do not want to go race in any series and not be competitive, he said.
Ive never ever missed a race in my Cup career, but I understand its going to be very hard to enjoy from the sidelines when Im supposed to be out there completing. Johnson earlier Friday held a Zoom session with reporters to go over Sundays race and an upcoming test of an Indy car on the road course at the legendary place. Johnson has long stated security concerns would keep him from racing on IndyCar oval tracks, but Friday he used a remarkably softer stance about the Indy 500. … Theres a lot of nostalgic value with that race and I hope to race there..
I do not want to go race in any series and not be competitive, he said.
