Beyond the empty stands and coronavirus-induced delay, this year's Indianapolis 500 will see another profound change at the famed Brickyard on Sunday -- for the first time in 21 years, there are no female drivers on the starting grid.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson has become the first NASCAR driver to test positive for COVID-19 and will miss this weekend's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports said on Friday. Johnson, who will not return to competition until being cleared by a physician, has not experienced COVID-19 symptoms and was tested upon learning earlier on Friday that his wife had tested positive after having allergy-like symptoms.

In fact, NASCAR will just about be the only show in town, with the NBA and NHL, which would in the thick of the playoffs at this point of the season, and MLB all on the sidelines muddling through various return to play scenarios.

IndyCar will open its delayed season on June 6 in Texas without fans in attendance and with strict guidelines to protect the participants amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it said on Thursday. IndyCar, which postponed racing in mid-March over concerns about the novel coronavirus, said the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) will now be a one-day event that includes practice, qualifying and the race.

NASCAR will be the first major sport in the United States to return to action amid the coronavirus pandemic after the organisers of the popular racing series said on Thursday that the season will resume without fans in mid-May. NASCAR, which postponed racing in mid-March due to concerns over the novel coronavirus, said its season will resume on May 17 at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.

Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday

Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday

Danica Patrick may soon no longer be a race car driver but the only woman to win an IndyCar race remains as driven as ever as she speeds towards one last Indianapolis 500 and the end of a ground-breaking career.

A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday

Former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi won his third Paralympic gold medal on Wednesday, a day before the 15th anniversary of the Champ Car crash that cost the Italian both legs and nearly his life.

Wilson's car careened out of control and into a wall after he was hit by a large piece of debris from the car of Sage Karam on the track in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

No one was happier to see Formula One back in America on Sunday than McLaren's Lewis Hamilton as the Briton picked up where he left off in 2007 by winning the United States Grand Prix.

PART IV: Smashing PHOTOS of the YEAR

PART IV: Smashing PHOTOS of the YEAR

The crash that killed two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon was the result of a 'perfect storm' with no single factor pinpointed as the cause of the deadly accident, IndyCar officials said on Thursday.

IndyCar officials have begun an investigation into the cause of the 15-car crash that killed two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, series boss Randy Bernard saying on Monday they need to understand what went wrong.

Briton Dan Wheldon, who won the Indianapolis 500 on its 100th anniversary in May, has died after a horrific 15-car crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday which left the motor sports world in shock.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has voiced his unhappiness at the way the organisers promoted the race.

The 22-year-old British rookie secured his second victory in a row and moved 10 points clear in the Formula One championship.

The British rookie, who celebrated his first Formula One pole in Canada last weekend, pipped double world champion Alonso in final qualifying on another sizzling hot day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Double world champion Fernando Alonso was fastest in both free practice sessions for the U.S. Grand Prix on Friday, with McLaren team mate Lewis Hamilton a close second in the afternoon.

Despite Lewis Hamilton's uneasiness at comparisons to Tiger Woods, the similarities between the two are striking.

The F1 supremo told US Grand Prix organisers that he could take the race elsewhere if he cannot agree a new deal with Indianapolis.

Rediff Readers catch up to talk about Formula 1.

The Formula One calendar will be trimmed to 17 Grands Prix next year with Germany and Italy each losing one of their two races.

On a pivotal moment on lap two, he was given a 'drive-through' penalty after an incident with Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello.

The German won a wet and wild US Grand Prix while Colombian rival Juan Pablo Montoya's title hopes were blown away.

McColl, 23, from Sydney, hit a bank in his Volkswagen Golf near turn four during the second day's competition at the PROCAR Champ Series meeting.