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SPORTS Wednesday 30 OctOber 2019
Column: Truex rout creates chaos in NASCAR's playoff field

By JENNA FRYER have been overshadowed
AP Auto Racing Writer by everything, specifically
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — teammates Busch and
Kyle Busch is slowly cough- Hamlin.
ing away his championship "I wouldn't have went (to
chances and Denny Ham- JGR) if I didn't think I could
lin and Joey Logano are win a championship," Truex
fighting — again. said. "I would have retired."
Chase Elliott has fast cars Give Truex and Pearn some
but awful luck, while Kevin credit for the clinic they put
Harvick has barely made on at Martinsville, where
a whisper in the playoffs. the combination of NAS-
Ryan Blaney continues to CAR's new rules package
rise on NASCAR's biggest and the Goodyear tire se-
stage and Kyle Larson es- lection resulted in lousy rac-
caped Martinsville Speed- ing in which one car can
way, his worst track in this run away with the race.
third round of the playoffs, There were three total lead
as best he could. changes and a clear dif-
It was a lot of drama de- ficulty for drivers to pass,
spite a snoozer of a Sunday which sapped any on-
on NASCAR's shortest track. track excitement from the
Martin Truex Jr. led 464 of opening race of the round Martin Truex Jr., left, and his girlfriend Sherry Pollex, right, pose with the trophy as he celebrates
the 500 laps to collect his of eight. But the frustration after winning a NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday,
series-best seventh win of was boiling through the Oct. 27, 2019.
the season. This one locked field for 500 laps and it ex-
him into the final four and ploded with a postrace, pit to spark his upset champi- ous crew member who Hamlin, a Virginia native
the right to race for the road fracas in which Ham- onship victory three weeks horse-collared Hamlin to and five-time Martinsville
championship next month, lin was hurled to the ground later. the ground in a brief, cha- winner, played to the fans
something Truex fully be- by a member of Logano's Admittedly unsatisfied with otic scrum. A day later, when he mocked Logano
lieved possible when he crew. Hamlin's response, Logano NASCAR suspended Dave with an impersonation dur-
and crew chief Cole Pearn Logano was upset that smacked Hamlin on the Nichols Jr., the tire techni- ing his postrace interview
needed a new home af- Hamlin had squeezed him shoulder and turned to cian who knocked down shown on the big screen
ter Furniture Row Racing into the wall during the walk away. Hamlin took ex- Hamlin, for this weekend's that brought the crowd to
closed after last year's sea- third stage of the race ception and chased after race at Texas. its feet.
son finale. and the incident led to a Logano, who was aggres- Martinsville's half-mile lay- He loved every minute of
The move inside Joe Gibbs cut tire that contributed sively shielded by everyone out makes it a tight little it, even though he finished
Racing has been tremen- to the reigning champion's at Team Penske ranging track and the fans were fourth and it was his team-
dously successful, even if eighth-place finish. Logano from his crew chief to his close enough to see all this mate now locked into the
Truex and the No. 19 team won at Martinsville last year publicist and an overzeal- unfold right in front of them. finale at Homestead. q

Continued from Page 18 ers fear allowing athletes legislation, some of which
The working group, led by to earn outside income could be on the books as
Ohio State athletic director could open the door to soon as next year.
Gene Smith and Big East corruption. "This is another attempt by
Commissioner Val Acker- "One of the most distinctive the NCAA at stalling on this
man, presented a status re- things about college sports issue," said Ramogi Huma,
port Tuesday to the univer- is this whole recruitment executive director of the
sity presidents who make process," NCAA President National College Players
up the Board of Governors. Mark Emmert told the AP. Association, an advocacy
Smith and Ackerman's "The whole notion of trying group. Huma said the as-
group laid out principles to maintain as fair a play- sociation has posted mod-
and guidelines, endorsed ing field as you can is really el legislation on its website
by the board, to be fol- central to all this. And using that it is encouraging "all
lowed as NCAA members sponsorship arrangements, states" to pass "to ensure This is an April 25, 2018, file photo, showing NCAA headquar-
go about crafting new in one way or another, as their college athletes are ters in Indianapolis.
rules and tweaking existing recruiting inducements is afforded economic free- Associated Press
ones, including: something everybody is dom and equal rights."
— Making clear the distinc- deeply concerned about." The NCAA has said Califor- to get to that point and us- on the open market.
tion between collegiate The shift came a month nia's law is unconstitution- ing reasonable processes "We're going to continue
and professional opportu- after California passed a al, and any states that pass to get there," Drake said. to communicate with legis-
nities. law that would make it il- similar legislation could see In addition to pending lators at the state and fed-
— Making clear that com- legal for NCAA schools to their athletes and schools state laws, North Caro- eral level," NCAA President
pensation for athletic per- prohibit college athletes being declared ineligible lina Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Emmert said.
formance or participation from making money on to compete. But the board Mark Walker has proposed "That's one of the things
is impermissible. endorsements, autograph also said it hopes to reach a national bill that would that the board is asking
— Protecting the recruiting signings and social media a resolution with states prohibit the NCAA and of me and my staff and
environment and prohibit- advertising, among other without going to court. its member schools from the membership in gen-
ing inducements to select, activities. California SB 206 "We would hope that all restricting athletes from eral, and hopefully we can
remain at, or transfer to a goes into effect in 2023. who are interested in the selling the rights to their avoid anything that's a di-
specific institution. More than a dozen states future welfare of student- names, images and like- rect conflict with our state
Some college sports lead- have followed with similar athletes would work with us nesses to third-party buyers legislators."q