Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 sports
Tuesday 20 February 2018
NASCAR’s youth movement may be good for business

By JENNA FRYER be the primary sponsor for
AP Auto Racing Writer the No. 43 Chevrolet this
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) weekend at Atlanta Motor
— Daytona Day was noth- Speedway.
ing short of a rousing suc- There has been much angst
cess for NASCAR, which over NASCAR’s problems,
was able to celebrate both and there are many issues,
its storied past and youthful including the disappoint-
future on its biggest stage. ing television rating for the
The Daytona 500 is the most Daytona 500. The 5.1 over-
important event of the year night for Fox was down 22
for NASCAR. With Austin Dil- percent from last year.
lon’s victory in the famed It’s problematic, and NAS-
No. 3 and Bubba Wallace’s CAR needs to find new
history-making, second- reasons for fans to watch.
place finish, NASCAR got There had been much
perhaps its most promising hand-wringing over the re-
glimpse to date of the next tirements of Jeff Gordon,
generation. Tony Stewart, Dale Earn-
Dillon wrecked Aric Almirola hardt Jr. and Danica Pat-
on the final lap in overtime rick , but it may have been
at Daytona International unnecessary worry.
Speedway to drive the car Why? Because their re-
owned by his grandfather, placements are really racy
Richard Childress , back Austin Dillon, right, is congratulated by his grandfather, Richard Childress, after winning the NASCAR and showed Sunday they
into victory lane 17 years Daytona 500 Cup series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., aren’t content to simply
to the day that Dale Earn- Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018. turn laps in a pack, collect
hardt was killed in an acci- Associated Press a paycheck and take a
dent on the final lap of the No. 43 for Richard Petty, the road to NASCAR’s top weak at the knees,” Wal- chartered flight home.
season opener. It came 20 was the first black driver in series. Baseball Hall of Fam- lace said. Wallace sparred with 2016
years after Earnhardt’s only the Daytona 500 field since er Hank Aaron called him Wallace noted what the winner Denny Hamlin on
Daytona 500 victory, and 1969. His finish was the high- before the Daytona 500, kind words from Aaron and the final lap, then criti-
in just the fifth appearance est of any black driver in and Lewis Hamilton, the Hamilton really mean for cized Hamlin afterward.
for the No. 3 in “The Great the 500 since Wendell Scott only black driver in Formula the sport. “People are tun- Ryan Blaney led a race-
American Race” since was 13th in 1966. One, tweeted he would ing in and hopefully notic- high 118 laps and wrecked
Earnhardt’s death. Wallace has rocketed to be cheering for Wallace. ing the new face and the Kurt Busch, last year’s win-
Dillon and much of his Rich- fame in the last month and When told about Hamil- new change that’s coming ner, trying to win the race.
ard Childress Racing crew won new fans following an ton’s well-wishes, Wallace to NASCAR,” he said. Chase Elliott was wrecked
celebrated into the wee emotional, post-race scene admitted to “fan-girling Wallace entered the sea- racing for points at the end
hours Monday by getting that included a long, tear- out.” “I look up to him. He son without sponsorship for of the first stage. Alex Bow-
tattoos, permanent ones, ful embrace with his mother does so many great things the full season, but NASCAR man started from the pole
on their buttocks. that symbolized the strug- in the F1 world. ... Then he Racing Experience an- and was the top Hendrick
Wallace, driving the iconic gles Wallace has faced on sent out a tweet and I got nounced Monday it would Motorsports driver.q

Christian Coleman breaks world indoor record in 60 meters

By GLEN ROSALES “I was just trying to come When the time was posted, numbers, I’m about win- ningham won her third
Associated Press out with the win,” Cole- Coleman celebrated, rais- ning. You win, it gets you straight high jump, clear-
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) man said. ing his arms and bouncing on the team. I don’t focus ing 6 feet, 5 1/2-inches,
— Christian Coleman “I knew it would take back down the track. on numbers, I focus on win- then received her champi-
broke the world indoor something special with a “I just love this sport and it’s ning my race.” onship medal from father
record in the 60 meters in great group of guys in the so competitive,” he said. Nelvis had to come from Randall Cunningham, the
6.34 seconds Sunday to field and so I was just run- “Either you’ve got it or you behind to win it, surging former NFL quarterback.
win his first U.S. title in the fi- ning to win. The world re- don’t on this day. over the final hurdle to kick “That was a good moment
nal event of the USA Track cord was just icing on the And I love racing in the big it to the finish. with my dad,” she said.
& Field Indoor National cake really.” races when everybody is “The thing is, I’m always “I’ve never really accept-
Championships. Despite the record, he said watching. I just flourish in backing off coming off ed an award from him or
Coleman had run a world- there’s room for improve- those moments. It’s not the last hurdles so I just say, anything like that since I
best a month ago at the ment. really my personality but ‘You better run your ass was a little kid.
Clemson Invitational, but “My start was decent but when the lights are on, it off,’” she said. It felt good to have him
the mark was not recog- every time I feel like I got just comes out.” “I came off that hurdle there with me.”
nized because electronic a lot of work to do,” Cole- Sharika Nelvis set the and I just took off.” In other performances of
blocks were not used. man said. “And so, when crowd buzzing with an For Nelvis, Coleman and note, Shelby Houlihan du-
This time there was no I transitioned and I stood American record in the 60 most other winners and plicated her feat of last
doubt when he put on an up, I felt as good as I have hurdles at 7.70. runners-up, at stake was a season by sweeping the
extra burst about midway ever felt. “I feel great,” she said be- spot on the U.S. team that two distance races, this
through the run, pulling I kept running and saw fore getting a hug from a will compete in the world year winning the 3,000 and
away from former cham- that tape and got that fellow competitor. championships March 1-4 1,500, and Paul Chelimo
pion Ronnie Baker, who fin- line. It was a world record “It’s been a long road. I fi- in Birmingham, England. did the same on the men’s
ished with a personal best and it was pretty special. A nally got my break and I’m Among those who will side, becoming just the
of 6.40. pretty special race.” happy. I’m never about make the trip, Vashti Cun- second man to do so.q