Richard Childress Racing No. 3 driver Austin Dillon has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of Sunday’s race at the Daytona International Speedway road course. This comes just days after NASCAR released revised COVID-19 protocols.
The new guidelines are relatively lax. 10 days after testing positive for the virus, a driver can return to competition if he is fever-free. He does not have to secure two negative tests as was previously mandated. Anyone who interacted with the positive driver will be cleared after one negative test.
Dillon is currently self-isolating. Kaz Grala will race at Daytona in his stead.
He’s the second NASCAR driver to have tested positive for COVID-19. Jimmie Johnson came up positive on July 3.
NASCAR does not test all drivers and staff for the novel coronavirus the same way that Formula One does. Due to that, it can be difficult to accurately measure the spread of COVID in the NASCAR paddock and keep it under control. Asymptomatic spread is still possible, but only people experiencing symptoms are be tested.