NASCAR races go on at Indy after Johnson contracts virus
INDIANAPOLIS — NASCAR’s extravagant weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — where the back-and-forth battle between Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin should continue — has been rocked by its first driver testing positive for the coronavirus.
Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson will miss what was supposed to be his final Brickyard 400 as he quarantines following the Friday test result. He was asymptomatic, but wife Chani had tested positive, so Johnson had himself checked.
Johnson said he was disappointed and worried about the emotional impact on his young children. He still plans to step away from full-time racing after the season, though not away from the sport.
“Clearly I have this interest in Indy cars, sports cars and in many other forms of racing, so I assume that’s helping me deal with this and not feel like, you know, so I’m having some things taken away from me,” he said Saturday.
NASCAR was one of the first sports to resume competition following the sports shutdown and today will be its 12th Cup race since the May return. Drivers are told to isolate at the race track, limit interaction with their crews and wear masks.
The entire industry stood shoulder-to-shoulder two weeks ago in support of driver Bubba Wallace, and Johnson was front and centre and even hugged Wallace after the U.S. anthem at Talladega. Johnson also spent a day this week in Dallara’s simulator as preparation for a now-postponed Indy car test.
Johnson today had hoped to tie
Jeff Gordon and Michael Schumacher as the only drivers with five victories at Indianapolis. Instead, Justin Allgaier will drive the Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 Chevrolet.
Harvick, meanwhile, will attempt to win a second consecutive Brickyard and a win on Indy’s oval would tie NASCAR’s points leader with Hamlin, the Daytona 500 champion, at four wins each. The duo has combined for seven victories in 15 Cup races, including four of the last six and consecutive 1-2 finishes last weekend at Pocono.
It’s a championship battle in the making and could be a key element in one of NASCAR’s crown-jewel events.
“We’re winning races, doing the things we need to do right now, running up front,” said Harvick, a two-time Brickyard winner. “When you look at the win column, as long as you’re winning races, that’s what it takes to win championships.”
Today’s one-day show of no practice or qualifying will benefit the elite teams and veteran drivers. That for sure means Harvick and Hamlin should be in the mix.
Harvick led 118 of 160 laps in last year’s race, winning by more than six seconds. A year earlier, Hamlin was lead until a caution with six laps remaining erased his cushion and allowed Brad Keselowski to pass him for the win.
Hamlin is 0-for-14 at the Brickyard, but has seven finishes of sixth or better. He feels good about his chances today.
“I would say specifically the last 10 to 11 [races] we’ve been exceptional, really since coming back from the break that we had,” Hamlin said. “My team is really strong.”