NASCAR’s Brendan Gaughan tests positive for coronavirus
A second NASCAR driver has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and this time it hit closer to home.
Las Vegas native Brendan Gaughan, in his final season as a part-time driver in the Cup Series, learned that he tested positive Friday. He said he has experienced minor symptoms.
“Felt like I had allergies and then I got stuck in the house,” Gaughan said during a telephone interview Wednesday after revealing the news on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “On Track” show.
Gaughan, who is isolating at home in Las Vegas, is the second NASCAR driver to test positive. Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson sat out the Brickyard 400 on July 5 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway but since has been cleared to return.
“Got a midweek race to watch, so that helps out,” Gaughan said in reference to Wednesday’s NASCAR All-Star event and how he planned to spend his time in quarantine. “Right now, reruns of the Lone Ranger are getting a little old.”
Gaughan, 45, last raced June 22 at Talladega Superspeedway, where he finished 21st. His next start is Aug. 29 at Daytona. He also is scheduled to run Oct. 4 at Talladega, after which he said he will retire from NASCAR competition.
He said he was expecting to get another virus test in a few days and doesn’t expect to miss either of his final two starts.
“I’ll have to test negative a couple of times and send it to NASCAR and be back on the road,” he said.
The second-generation racer and son of South Point owner Michael Gaughan said he has no idea how he got the virus.
“My first thought was I have a runny nose and a headache,” he said. “I was more upset for the people around me who had to go get tested to make sure nobody was sick, because I know for some people this can be a very bad thing.”
Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.
