Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Superbike rider Josh Herrin has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not race in the MotoAmerica event this weekend at Brainerd International Raceway, in Brainerd, Minnesota.
“At the same time I landed [Thursday in Minneapolis], I got the results that I’m positive for COVID,” Herrin exclusively told Roadracingworld.com via telephone Thursday evening. “I was going to stay home. I told Richard [Stanboli, Herrin’s Crew Chief and Team Owner], ‘I don’t feel good. This doesn’t feel normal.’
“I got a [rapid-result] test on Monday [July 26] and it was negative. On Wednesday [July 28], I went to urgent care just to see what was going on, to see if something else was going on. They found nothing.
“So, Tom Halverson [Supervisor, Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A.] asked me to go get a regular [PCR] COVID test that takes 24-48 hours to get the results. So, I got that.
“I had already cancelled my flight on Wednesday and moved it to Thursday morning. And then yesterday [Wednesday] I changed it from Thursday morning to Friday morning. I was just going to skip Friday practice and qualify on Saturday just to give myself more time to rest up.
“I woke up today and didn’t have the fever. So, I just changed my flight to come out today. As soon as I landed, I got my email [with the positive test results]. This kind of sucks.”
Herrin said he had not been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha recruited two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and former team member JD Beach to come to Brainerd and ride in Herrin’s place. If Herrin had started feeling better the team would have fielded Beach, Herrin, and Herrin’s teammate Jake Gagne, according to Stanboli.
