NASCAR champion will miss Sunday's race after positive Covid test

Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion, has tested positive for coronavirus Photo: John Raoux/AP Photo

Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion, has tested positive for coronavirus Photo: John Raoux/AP Photo

Published Jul 4, 2020

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NEW YORK - Jimmie Johnson, the seven-time NASCAR champion,

has tested positive for coronavirus.

The 44-year-old got the news Friday afternoon, according to a press

release from Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson will sit out Sunday's

Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"My first priority is the health and safety of my loved ones and my

teammates," Johnson said in the release.

"I know it's going to be very hard to watch from the sidelines when

I'm supposed to be out there competing."

Johnson is experiencing no Covid-19 symptoms, according to the

release. His wife Chandra, however, tested positive earlier Friday

after experiencing symptoms.

One member of Johnson's team has been asked to self-quarantine

because of potential exposure to the virus.

NASCAR was one of the first American sports to return, with drivers

racing in the Real Heroes 400 on May 17 in South Carolina.

Most recently, Johnson finished 16th at the Pocono 350 on Tuesday.

Justin Allgaier, Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, will

replace him in the No. 48 car at the Brickyard.

dpa

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