NASCAR: Two legendary streaks ended at one track on one weekend

The first ever NASCAR and IndyCar doubleheader was historic for a number of reasons, but this one may very well be the most disappointing.

Two legendary NASCAR and IndyCar streaks came to an end this past weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Entering this weekend, 2001 was the most recent year that featured a NASCAR Cup Series race without seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, and it was the most recent year that featured an IndyCar race without 2004 champion Tony Kanaan.

Johnson entered the weekend having competed in 663 consecutive races dating back to the 2002 season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, his first race as a full-time driver for Hendrick Motorsports.

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This was the longest active streak; it had been tied with that of Ryan Newman, but after the Roush Fenway Racing driver was injured in a horrific Daytona 500 crash in February, he was sidelined for three races.

The longest streak of all-time is 797 races and belongs to four-time champion Jeff Gordon. It spans from his debut in 1992 to when he retired from full-time competition in 2015. Johnson is set to retire at the end of the 2020 season.

But Johnson’s streak came to an end this weekend. He had been slated to start Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in fourth place following a random draw, but he was sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19. Xfinity Series driver Justin Allgaier replaced him behind the wheel of the #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Had the 44-year-old El Cajon, California native been able to compete in every race, his streak would have ended at 684.

The longest active streak now belongs to Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick at 656. Harvick, also 44, is currently signed through the 2023 season, so he could very well have a crack at Gordon’s record.

As for Kanaan, he entered the weekend having competed in 318 consecutive races dating back to the 2001 CART race at Portland International Raceway after being sidelined for the previous race at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park following a qualifying crash that left him with a concussion.

Kanaan’s streak is an all-time record and is still 58 starts clear of second place (roughly three and a half seasons). This streak, the longest active streak, is now held by Scott Dixon at 260.

The 45-year-old Brazilian’s streak had been slated to end at the start of the season since he signed an ovals-only deal with A.J. Foyt Enterprises this year and IndyCar hadn’t had an oval opener since 2008.

But because the start of the season was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, it began at Texas Motor Speedway, an oval, as opposed to the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida like it usually does, and Kanaan was able to extend his record for the 107th and final time dating back to when he passed Jimmy Vasser’s record of 211 on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland in September of 2013.

However, this past Saturday’s race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course ended that streak, as it was rookie Dalton Kellett making his IndyCar debut behind the wheel of the #14 Chevrolet, not Kanaan making consecutive start number 319.

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While Johnson is technically out indefinitely, he could return as early as this Sunday’s race at Kentucky Speedway if he tests negative for COVID-19 on two occasions that are not within 24 hours of one another and if he receives clearance from his physician. As for Kanaan, he is set to make his next start on Friday, July 17 at Iowa Speedway, the first of two races at the track that weekend.