Austin Dillon Tests Positive for COVID-19, Kaz Grala to Take Over at Daytona
Austin Dillon has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be replaced by Kaz Grala in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course.
In a statement, Richard Childress Racing says Dillon is mildly symptomatic and that his wife, Whitney, and 2-month-old son Ace remain healthy and symptom free.
Dillon will become the second Cup Series driver to miss a race due to a positive COVID-19 test after Jimmie Johnson in July. Johnson missed the Brickyard 400 but returned to competition one week later.
NASCAR will grant Dillon a playoff waiver, which will allow him to remain eligible for the playoffs, with the No. 3 driver currently holding a spot due to his victory last month at Texas Motor Speedway.
Dillon will need to have two negative tests at least 24 hours apart for NASCAR to clear him to return.
Meanwhile, this will be Grala’s Cup Series debut. The part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series driver is a road course aficionado and finished fourth last weekend at Road America for RCR. The 21-year-old has 29 career Xfinity Starts and his fourth-place stands as his best finish.
