Photo: Jake Galstad / IMSA
Jordan Taylor admitted he was shocked by the news that he and co-driver Nicky Catsburg would have to compete as a duo for the last seven hours of the Rolex 24 in Daytona after being diagnosed with COVID-19 mid-race by co-driver Antonio Garcia.
Taylor, Garcia and Catsburg teamed up for the first victory of the long-haul race for the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, but Taylor and Catsburg were forced to drive more than they expected in the run-up to the checkered flag.
“It wasn’t great news to be honest!” Taylor said. ‘I finished my [second] triple stint … I had to be done. I was going to get a massage and relax and watch Nicky and Antonio race.
“I was so excited to just relax and they say, ‘Hey, Antonio can’t get back in the car.’ Frankly, I was in shock, I was like, there’s no way.
“Antonio is our man; he is our finisher. That’s who we want in the car before the end. I was so disappointed for Antonio because I know how much this means to him, how much he wanted to win and finish the race.
“Fortunately, we trained well. We have a lot of support from the doctors here to keep us healthy and fit. The physicality wasn’t too bad, it was more I would say, the mental load was tough. “
Taylor said the IMSA team sought instructions on how to proceed and expressed confidence in the team’s own preventive measures, but acknowledged that he would not join his family to celebrate a historic day for the Taylor clan as a precaution. .
“Corvette Racing and Pratt & Miller take health and safety very seriously, so the protocols we have are super serious,” he said. “The drivers don’t really interact, even within 24 hours.
“I haven’t seen Nicky all race, I just passed the car to the next man and we’ll see each other after the race. In front of me I saw Antonio before the race and that was the last time.
“Even then we always have social distance, we always take the right protocols, from the ground to the surface we wear gloves and balaclavas and helmets, so that nothing in the car can endanger us.
‘We weren’t too concerned. We’ve taken the lead from IMSA and NASCAR to trust ourselves.
“They gave us this platform to race and be here, so the last thing we want is to break their protocols and do something unsafe and unhealthy.
“We stuck to what they said and yes it is absolutely sad and disappointing that Antonio wasn’t there for the end, but he was a big part of our win today.
“He’s leading this 3 car, he’s been here for years, he started the race so well for us. So for us it was sad that he couldn’t share it with us on stage, but we’ll definitely see him in a few weeks when he’s all better and free and we can all go and celebrate.
“I’m fine with just sitting at my place by myself for as long as necessary and [look after] my Rolex for a while. I’m being tested, I make sure I’m safe.
“I just live with my dog and I don’t think dogs can get COVID right now, so I’ll be fine.”
