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sports Diabierna 6 november 2020

Rough racing sets up aggressive Truck Series title race

(AP) — The underappre- ing up to the Xfinity Series or
ciated Truck Series opens Cup Series. "A championship
NASCAR's championship will probably go a long way."
weekend with an under-
the-lights Friday night Moffitt is also trying to com-
shootout that could be the plete an impressive comeback
most entertaining event at from fracturing both legs in a
Phoenix Raceway. motocross bike crash. Mof-
fit was in the accident on the
The path to the winner-take- first day of NASCAR's 10-
all finale has been a flat-out week shutdown at the start
demolition derby with two of the pandemic and used the
consecutive weeks of wild layoff to recover.
driving. Wrecks, both delib-
erately caused and the result Moffitt and GMS teammates
of over-aggressive driving, Sheldon Creed, an X-Games
have made the Truck Series gold medalist and two-time
race the one to watch. Stadium Super Trucks Series
champion, and rookie Zane
This final four showdown for Smith are in Chevrolets.
NASCAR's feeder series pits Enfinger is in a Ford, and
a trio of drivers from GMS the finalists have combined
Racing against veteran Grant to win 11 of the 22 races this
Enfinger, the lone driver season.
from ThorSport Racing to
advance. GMS Racing and All four drivers had to physi-
Thorsport are stalwarts of the cally muscle their way into
series that combine to field the championship race via
nine full-time entries. racing that could be consid-
ered both daring and dumb.
Brett Moffitt is in the GMS Smith likened last week's
group and looking for a sec- elimination race at Martins-
ond truck championship in ville Speedway to the chaos
three years. And just like his of a local track referred to as on the Cup side, people are advance to Phoenix. Enfin- "I think it's over the line for
situation in 2018 when Mof- "The Madhouse," and said going to be retiring soon and ger, at 35 the veteran of the fi- sure and I feel like I've had
fitt won the title for Hattori Truck Series drivers are all those seats have got to be nalists, won last week's mess to stoop down to those lev-
Racing Enterprises but lost hungry to climb NASCAR's filled," Smith said. at Martinsville and finds the els," Moffitt said. "You're
his job because he doesn't national ladder. Of the four racing for the series "unfortunately, pretty not going to win unless you
bring sponsorship, Moffitt is title, only Creed found the rough" because of how diffi- are agressive as (others). It's
again likely looking for a ride. Smith said it is clear top jobs aggressive racing appropriate. cult it is to pass. people getting rushed up too
are opening in the Cup level soon and they think they've
He doesn't have an extension with a spate of retirements — "We're in the playoffs, right? "I don't like that, but that's the got to win right away and
with GMS for next season seven-time NASCAR cham- This is what we've been world we live in in the Truck they tear up a lot of good
and isn't sure what he will be pion Jimmie Johnson and working for all year," Creed Series," Enfinger said. "You (equipment) every week.
racing in 2021. Clint Bowyer run their final said. "It's just racing hard and have to be so aggressive, es-
races races Sunday — and I think you are going to see pecially on restarts to be able "I hope the guys that are not
"I'm confident I will have the push is on for 21-year- more of that this weekend." to make anything happen." racing for a championship
something, I don't know if old Smith and his peers to fill are smart about the way they
it's exactly where you want those seats. Creed and Enfinger are each Moffitt isn't sure the racing race," he added. "A full season
but the goal is to stay in com- tied with a series-high four the title contenders can be as- ultimately comes down to
petitive equipment," said "I feel like there's a big move- wins, and each won in the sured of a clean race. one race and hopefully every-
Moffitt, who is open to mov- ment in the sport right now, last round of the playoffs to one calms down a little bit."

Verdict in landmark Russian doping case expected this year

(AP) — A verdict in the two months, the Court of said it expected the ruling by base from the Moscow test- World Cup in soccer.
landmark doping case Arbitration for Sport said a panel of three judges to "be ing laboratory that was long
that could strip Russia of Thursday. notified to the parties by the sealed by Russian state au- The International Olympic
its identity at the Olym- end of this year." thorities before it was handed Committee and the gov-
pics is expected within After a four-day hearing, CAS over to WADA investigators erning body of hockey are
The hearing was for a dispute last year. Data had been de- among the third parties who
between the World Anti- leted, altered and added. were involved in this week's
Doping Agency and its Rus- closed-doors hearing. It was
sian affiliate, known as RU- RUSADA refused to accept held with most of the judges
SADA. The Russian agency the non-compliance order — who are from Australia, It-
was ruled non-compliant in and the four-year slate of aly and France — lawyers and
December. punishments proposed by witnesses joining by video
the WADA executive com- link because of the coronavi-
"WADA is satisfied with how mittee. rus pandemic.
we presented our case and we
now look forward to receiv- WADA's requested punish- WADA had requested the
ing the decision of the Panel," ments included a ban on proceedings be opened to
the global watchdog's presi- Russia's flag, anthem and the media and other observ-
dent, Witold Bańka, said in a team name at next year's To- ers. That needed a consensus
statement. kyo Olympics, the 2022 Bei- which was denied by other
jing Winter Games, and other parties.
The case centers on a data- major sporting events like the