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A32 sports
Diahuebs 29 OctOber 2020

NASCAR set to resume Texas playoff race 3 days after start

area and no more in the fore- onship-contending spots in
cast. Air Titan and jet dryer the season finale at Phoenix
trucks, including some extras on Nov. 8.
brought in from other tracks,
continued to do laps on the 1 Kevin Harvick, Denny Ham-
1/2-mile track and NASCAR lin, Chase Elliott, Brad Kesel-
expected to be able to race. owski, Martin Truex Jr., Alex
Bowman and Kurt Busch
Even though it was no lon- are the seven drivers still in
ger misty, it was overcast with contention for the final three
temperatures still in the mid- spots.
40s, conditions that extended
the time needed to dry the Harvick won the last three fall
track. races in Texas and is a nine-
time winner this season, but
Only 52 of the scheduled 334 was running 36th and a lap
laps were completed Sunday down. He had damage to the
before mist and drizzle led right side of his car after he
to the initial postponement. brushed the wall while lead-
Similar conditions Monday ing on lap 29.
and Tuesday thwarted efforts
to dry the track, pushing the Truex was fifth, having al-
race to a midweek finish. ready recovered from being
forced to start at the back of
Clint Bowyer and seven-time the field because of an illegal
Cup champion Jimmie John- spoiler, a penalty that also in-
son were running 1-2 when cluded a 20-point penalty. He
(AP) — The misty condi- where NASCAR was set the race was stopped, ahead was just ahead of Elliott, with
tions moved out and the Wednesday to resume its While the race didn't resume of Erik Jones and Joey Lo- Keselowski ninth. Busch was
track was finally drying playoff race that started at the scheduled time, there gano, the only driver locked 14th, Hamlin 15th and Bow-
at Texas Motor Speedway, three days earlier. was no precipitation in the into one of the four champi- man 18th.

Lima ready for Mousasi in Bellator fight for 185-pound title

(AP) – Born in Brazil, a win Thursday over Gegard it was pushed back in the weight champ and UFC Page a rematch of their May
Douglas Lima tells the Mousasi (46-7-2) in the main wake of health restrictions fighter, was worth the wait — 2019 fight and wanted new
story of how his father event of Bellator 250. implemented because of the and weight. Lima had to bulk options.
uprooted the family for pandemic. The gym was not up to make weight for the
an expected brief stint in "I'm facing Douglas Lima in open to the public, but Lima fight and said he had trouble "It was get a few rematches or
America and a job that his prime," Mousasi said. and a handful of MMA fight- gaining the final five pounds, move up and fight for a dif-
would pave the way to- The fight will be held at the ers were able to stay sharp though it paled to the danger- ferent belt," he said. "For me,
ward a better life back Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, by using the facilities. The ous weight cuts most fighters it was a no-brainer. I always
home. Connecticut, a resort casino gym is open and Lima is not experience. It was the first thought about moving up to
on tribal land that also plans just the owner, but he's also time in 10 years Lima didn't middleweight."
"It was supposed to be just for to host more than 30 college an instructor. He's usually at have to significantly cut (he Other potential fights failed
a year," Lima said. "He just basketball teams as it becomes the gym working out or even walks around at 200 pounds) to pan out, but when Mousa-
wanted to work a lot, save a modified bubble for several teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu. to make weight. si was lined up, Lima was
some money and go back early season tournaments. "My body wasn't used to pumped because "he's such
home." Lima said business is good, carrying the extra weight. I a bigger name, such a bigger
The 32-year-old Lima (32-7) even as the early days were would gain it in a week and fight."
The Limas never returned to had his professional career in- "scary" as he fretted over the the next week I would lose it
live in Brazil. side the cage and out thrown financial impact of owning a again," he said. "I'm not going Lima wants to stay at mid-
into uncertainty in the wake closed gym. to be huge, but I'm not going dleweight and defend his
They forged a new life in of the coronavirus pandemic. "Most of them are (scared), to be super small." championship in both weight
Georgia, where Lima's love His anticipated fight with they're still a little freaked- classes, where he would join
of martial arts and Bruce Lee Mousasi was scheduled for out about coming back to the He made the jump in class Patricio Freire, Ryan Bader
movies blossomed to the May 9 in California. The gym," he said. "I can't com- because he defeated most of and Joe Warren as the only
point where he decided to postponement means it will plain, man. It's going really the top contenders, though two-division champs in Bel-
become a fighter himself. He be 369 days since Lima last good." he said he was open down lator history.
started training at 13, com- fought, a unanimous deci- Lima, who says he wants the line to giving Michael
peted in a competitive bout at sion win over Rory Mac- to fight another four or five
17 and thought, "this is it, I'm Donald that earned him the years, is in the gym game for
never stopping this again." 170-pound world champion- the long haul.
ship and a $1 million prize. "I just wanted something
"Now," he says with a laugh, for myself," he said. "I just
"here we are." Certainly not ideal, but Lima love helping people achieve
Twenty years after Lima stayed in shape in part by their goals. I want people to
moved to the United States, working out at the gym — be healthy, I want people to
he tries to put a bow on his the one he opened in Law- fight. It's something I always
fruitful MMA career when renceville, Georgia, as a pan- wanted to do. Retirement,
he fights for Bellator's va- demic wreaked havoc on his too. It's a business for me and
cant 185-pound champion- business plan. my family, too."
ship. He already holds the
promotion's welterweight His American Top Team– The bout on CBS Sports
title and would become a Team Lima gym was sched- Network with Mousasi, a
two-division champion with uled to open in April until former Bellator middle-