Jeff Gordon revealed April 8 he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but that he’s “good to go” to cover this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst shared the news on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “On Track.”
“I can’t say my off-week was great because I tested positive for COVID last week,” Gordon said. “Been in quarantine, but the good news is it was smooth and I had minimal symptoms and good to go for Martinsville this weekend.”
Gordon, 49, said his wife and children did not catch the virus.
“I’ve been very fortunate where my symptoms were very minimal,” Gordon said. “I took all the precautions. … I’ve just been trying to educate myself and understand it. … I also got my first round of vaccine about seven days before I tested (positive).
“I’m looking forward to getting the final dose of the vaccine. I’m a big proponent of masks and vaccinations and protecting ourselves. It’s unfortunate that this happened, but fortunate at the same time that I’ve been able to get through it as smoothly as I can and be ready to go this weekend.”
ICYMI: @JeffGordonWeb tells @DanielleTrotta & @LarryMac28 that he tested positive for Covid-19 last week #SXMOnTrack #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/xrjRkjPYvZ
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) April 8, 2021
COVID will keep one NASCAR Cup Series crew chief from taking part in Saturday’s race.
Team Penske confirmed a report by Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass that Greg Erwin, crew chief of Matt DiBenedetto‘s No. 21 Ford, will be sidelined due to COVID-19 protocols.
Engineer Jonathan Hassler will serve in his place.
About the author
Daniel McFadin is a 10-year veteran of the NASCAR media corp. He wrote for NBC Sports from 2015 to October 2020. He currently works full time for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and is lead reporter and an editor for Frontstretch. He is also host of the NASCAR podcast "Dropping the Hammer with Daniel McFadin" presented by Democrat-Gazette.
You can email him at danielmcfadin@gmail.com.
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What a mysterious virus. Some people die in a few weeks, some people bounce right back after a few days.