Races on despite Johnson diagnosis
INDIANAPOLIS — NASCAR’s extravagant weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — where the backand-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 of the positive tests 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,” he said Saturday. “So I assume that’s helping me deal with this and not feel like, you know, I’m having some things taken away from me.”
NASCAR was one of the first sports to resume competition following the sports shutdown and Sunday 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.
Johnson on Sunday 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. A win on I n d y ’s oval would tie NASCAR’s points leader with Hamlin, the Daytona 500, 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.
“As long as you’re winning races, that’s what it takes to win championships,” said Harvick, a two-time Brickyard winner.
NASCAR raced at Daytona International Speedway on the Fourth of July holiday weekend starting in 1959 but moved it to Indianapolis this year as one of the biggest shakeups to the original 2020 schedule. Indy, now owned by Roger Penske, had planned for the weekend to be a celebration of America that honored the military and entertained fans.
The Cup cars have struggled to make competitive racing the last several years at Indy and Sunday’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 leading 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 Sunday.
“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 All-Star closer Aroldis ChapYES Network feed and was shared simulated games. really strong.” man and catcher Gary Sanchez quickly on Twitter, including by Montgomery requested an L
And then there is Kedid not participate Saturday. sports network SNY, which airs shaped screen be set up before he selowski, the first Team Penske Boone said both had travel issues New York Mets games. started throwing to hitters about driver to give the boss a Cup that delayed their intake testing “I understand that people are five minutes after Tanaka walked Series win at his favoriteoff.racedayandturneditsomber.andareawaitingclearance.doingtheirjobandwanttoshow track. Penske has 18 victories in Yankees players reported to LeMahieu and Cessa won’t everything we are doing,” tweeted “Some people like doing it, the Indianapolis 500. New York on Wednesday for report until they’ve cleared quarshortstop Gleyber Torres. “But some don’t,” Montgomery said. “I
Keselowski has won two intake testing as Major League antine. Boone said LeMahieu is showing that exact moment that requested it after that just because Cup races and scored eight Baseball tries to start a truncated, asymptomatic and Cessa has mild happened with our teammate I was little shaken up.” top-10 finishes since racing 60-game season July 23 amid the symptoms. Boone did not say does not seem right to us. We feel Music playing through the PA returned in May, and he is coronavirus pandemic. when each player tested positive. terrible to see the video in each system was shut off as Tanaka lay jockeying for a contract extenAfter spending a few days The moment with Tanaka, of part of social media.” on the mound but was restored sion from Penske. preparing the stadium to host course, was most troubling of all. Yankees players, some still while Montgomery pitched. It
“My confidence level right workouts for the team’s 60-player Stanton, who had his jaw brostretching at the start of the club’s played through the rest of the now is very, very high that we roster pool, the Yankees gathered ken by a high fastball in 2014, bent first official practice, stood or workout. can be a contender for the Saturday for their first official day over at home plate before walking kneeled silently. Some Yankees pitchers got anentire season and continue to back. Most coaches and some slowly toward the mound. MeanStanton was the third batter other scare during batting pracbuild and get stronger,” he said. players, including Stanton, wore while, Judge glared at a photograTanaka faced to start the session, tice when a line drive rocketed “We’re starting to show a lot of face masks as the club went pher set up behind home plate and Boone said Tanaka asked to into a pack of players gathered speed. I don’t think we’ve through drills in the eerily empty and told him to stop shooting. pitch without a protective screen along the left field line. Nobody reached our full potential.” stadium. The moment aired live on a — common for pitchers during appeared to be hit by the ball.
Summer training will start to look and feel a bit more intense this weekend, another indication that regular-season baseball is just around the corner.
On Sunday, the Mets plan to hold their first simulation game since players reported to camp this week. It will look similar to the team’s live batting practice sessions from spring training back in February/March — with hitters digging into the box against starters and relievers for a live-game feel.
“We’re more focusing on the matchup and pitchers facing our hitters and vice versa,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said. “Our baserunning progression is going to come from a conditioning standpoint where the guys touch the bases, feel the corners, make those turns
Dodgers pitcher David Price will not play this season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, delaying his Los Angeles debut until next year.
The five-time All-Star became the latest player to opt out, posting Saturday on Twitter that he wouldn’t participate in the 60game season that’s scheduled to begin July 23.
“After considerable thought and discussion with my family and the Dodgers, I have decided it is in the best interest of my health and my family’s health for me to not play this season,” he said.
Price’s announcement came a day after Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout said he wasn’t “comfortable” with the current climate and might not play. On Saturday, San Francisco catcher Buster Posey said “there’s still some reservation on my end” about playing.
First baseman Ryan Zimmerman of the World Series champion Washington Nationals, Colorado outfielder Ian Desmond and Arizona pitcher Mike Leake are among those who have already said they’re out this year.