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Diamars 15 Februari 2022

NASCAR’s Next Gen car arrives for 2022

2020 suspension for using a the country where folks don’t car a year and the Next Gen
racial slur. make it to many NASCAR didn’t see racing action until
Larson had an unbelievable races as part of his packed the Coliseum, where it ran
return, winning 10 times, the 2022 extracurricular sched- just fine. The car held up well
Cup Series title and the All- ule. But his goals? Larson in car-to-car contact — “we
Star race, all while also criss- hasn’t set any just yet. can bump and bang,” Clash
crossing the country to run a winner Joey Logano declared
sprint car in his spare time. This season at last marks the — but its still a wildcard.
Larson is a fan favorite and debut of the Next Gen, a new
represents the kind of grass- car years in development and NASCAR held an industry
roots racer NASCAR fans built to address many head- crisis meeting in Nashville in
have long embraced. aches. The Next Gen was a December to hash out driver
collaborative project between concerns about performance,
(AP) — Kyle Larson bal- side the Los Angeles Memo- But many others relate to the NASCAR and its stakehold- and many of those same
anced a car seat on a suit- rial Coliseum.
case while the thick strap 29-year-old for other rea- ers and the car is designed to drivers now sit on a seven-
cut costs, help smaller teams person board of directors of
sons: He’s a father and a fam-
from another bag pulled The Clash for more than
tight around his neck. four decades opened “Speed- ily man, a symbol of redemp- close the gap on the big guys, a “Driver Advisory Council”
tion, a changing of the guard. make it cost capable for new announced last week.
Both his kids were spin- weeks,” which has now been
ning on the metal stan- whittled down to just six days Larson is also half-Japanese ownership to enter the sport
and the first Cup champion and give the manufacturers The council gives the drivers
chions outside LAX and of cars on the track. NAS-
Larson couldn’t find the CAR’s decision to move the to emerge from NASCAR’s greater brand identity. an organized voice to push
diversity program.
for tweaks or change.
bus to the rental cars. event away from Daytona In-
ternational Speedway, its only He will again visit pockets of The pandemic delayed the
“Just what a champion looks home since its 1979, angered
like, huh?” he laughed. purists but it was a smashing
success and NASCAR must
The NASCAR champ. He’s now figure out how take ad-
just like us. vantage of the buzz through
Daytona and the next 37
NASCAR throws its version weeks of racing.
of the Super Bowl this Sun- Larson will be a key player in
day to open its 2022 season. NASCAR’s push to widen its
The Daytona 500 is the of- reach to a younger and more
ficial kickoff, though NAS- racially diverse audience. The
CAR opened two weeks pri- reigning champion returned
or to “The Great American to the series last year to drive
Race” with a star-studded, for Hendrick Motorsports
experimental exhibition in- following a nearly yearlong

Time for Messi to step up for PSG against Real Madrid

(AP) - Following its re- up on its strategy of buy- his new club since he signed in the French league. cause the season is long,” he
peated failures to win Eu- ing the greatest names in the a two-year deal with PSG last A mouth-watering matchup said.
rope’s most coveted tro- game. summer, scoring just seven between Mbappe and France
phy, Paris Saint-Germain goals in 20 appearances. teammate Karim Benzema Madrid hasn’t reached the
perfectly knows that add- Having secured the services PSG captain Marquinhos seems unlikely to unfold. final since completing a
ing up individual talents of a four-time Champions said the 34-year-old Argen- Benzema has been included straight hat trick of European
is not enough to make a League and seven-time Bal- tine great needs time to find in the Madrid squad but is Cups in 2018. Now coach
team successful on the lon d’Or winner this season the right balance in his new doubtful as he works his way Carlo Ancelotti travels to face
biggest stage. in Lionel Messi, the club surroundings but expects back from a hamstring injury the side he once coached with
hopes it will be a game- him to put on a great display that has kept him out since only one win in the past four
Since its wealthy Qatari own- changer. against Madrid, a club he tor- last month. matches in all competitions,
ers took control of the French tured during his long spell in but confidence remains high.
side more than 10 years ago, The former Barcelona great Spain with Barcelona, scor- Benzema said he has recov-
PSG has grown into a global is now under pressure to ing 26 goals and delivering 14 ered well and that a decision “Now we’re heading into
brand with strong commer- deliver against Madrid in a assists in 45 games. on whether he can play would what is the most beautiful
cial revenues. Year after year clash between a club that be taken after Monday’s final time in football,” midfielder
its roster has become more likes to brand itself the Kings “It is not overnight that one training session. Casemiro said. “We want to
and more formidable, with of Europe and soccer’s “nou- gets used to change, espe- win everything we can.”
the addition of superstars like veaux riches.” PSG hosts the cially in his case, with all the “Hopefully I can be ready but
David Beckham, Zlatan Ibra- 13-time winners in the first explosion surrounding (his I should not take any risk be-
himovic, Neymar and Kylian leg of a round of 16 match transfer),” Marquinhos said.
Mbappe. on Tuesday at the Parc des “We can see he is more and
Princes. more comfortable and confi-
And year after year the title it dent. Hopefully he’ll put on a
craves so much, the Cham- “Leo is in good condition, it’s great game.”
pions League, has remained a decisive match, those kind
unreachable despite coming of nights really matter for With Neymar just back from
close in 2020 with a runner- a player with such a talent,” injury and unlikely to start,
up finish. PSG coach Mauricio Pochet- PSG will also be counting on
tino said through a translator Mbappe to make an impact.
Taking example from the on Monday. “With his expe- The France forward, who
“Galácticos” policy in place rience, he obviously plays an has long been courted by
during Florentino Pérez’s essential role.” Madrid, has been in superb
presidency at Real Madrid, form recently and scored an
PSG has however not given Messi has adapted slowly to injury-time winner on Friday