Corvette's Garcia sidelined for final hours by positive COVID test

Corvette Racing's run to victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona was impacted in the closing hours by the sidelining of driver Antonio Garcia, who tested positive for COVID-19.

The 40-year-old Spaniard, who shared the winning No. 3 Corvette with Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg, was pulled from the roster shortly after 9 a.m. this morning, leaving Taylor and Catsburg to finish the race, leading a Corvette 1-2 in the GTLM class.

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"As part of international COVID travel protocols, all drivers and team members traveling in and out of the U.S. are required to take a COVID test before and after any race activities. While Antonio Garcia tested negative in preparation for his arrival for the Rolex 24, we have received notice that he has now tested positive in preparation to depart the country," the team said in a statement to the media. "He was immediately pulled from competition upon notification of the positive test result and, although he wasn’t experiencing any symptoms, will no longer participate in any additional race activities at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

"Upon consulting with IMSA and its Event Operations Protocols, the series determined Corvette Racing met all conditions under the IMSA event protocols that allowed it to compete in a safe and responsible manner. We have notified crew members and others who had contact with Antonio and will conduct testing with racing team members after 72 hours, per CDC guidelines."