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sports Tuesday 31 May 2022
Ericsson's 500 win helps fuel Swedish momentum in IndyCars

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Felix first career win at Road
Rosenqvist sensed Swedish America in 2020.
race fans started following Rosenqvist moved to Arrow
IndyCars earnestly again in McLaren SP last year and
2019. while he hasn't yet returned
Marcus Ericsson's Indianap- to victory lane, the 31-year-
olis 500 victory will only fuel old has won one pole, post-
the momentum. ed four top-10 finishes and
After becoming the sec- was in contention for the
ond 500 winner from Swe- win Sunday before finishing
den, Ericsson's homecom- a career-best fourth, giving
ing later this summer could the Swedes two spots in the
be fit for a king. top five.
"I'm planning to go home "Obviously, people that fol-
for mid-summer, that could low me and Marcus, the
be a good mid-summer word kind of gets spread
party, right?" he said Sun- around," Rosenqvist said.
day, winning with a Hul- "There was a big spike in
ski Chocolate, a Swedish- 2019 when we both came
based company as his here and now it's a consis-
primary sponsor. tently growing fan base in
First, Ericsson must com- Marcus Ericsson, of Sweden, poses with the Borg-Warner Trophy during the traditional winners Sweden. With all the new
plete a weeklong victory photo session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 30, 2022. talent in Sweden, I think we
tour. That's followed by rac- Associated Press have a good future in the
es next Sunday at Detroit U.S."
and the following Sunday a rookie, was cut loose by ers are already full-time what's happening in North- The question is how much
at Road America before a Schmidt Peterson Motor- IndyCar drivers — Ericsson, ern Europe today to the will Ericsson's big victory
two-weekend break may sports and bought a ride Rosenqvist and 21-year- transformational South help?
finally allow Ericsson to bask with Chip Ganassi Racing. old rookie Christian Luund- American contingent he Drivers with previous Formu-
in the celebration of his Since then, Ericsson relied gaard of Denmark. Add helped lead two decades la One experience, such as
home country. on the advice Brack of- 21-year-old Rinus VeeKay ago. Ericsson, Romain Grosjean
But the 31-year-old Erics- fered all those years ago of the Netherlands and "It does," the Brazilian said. of France and Takuma
son doesn't mind the busy to produce three top-five Ericsson's teammate, de- "I can't even pronounce Sato of Japan, have found
schedule, especially given finishes in each of the past fending series champion those guys' names because more success in America
the long, arduous path he three seasons and three Alex Palou of Spain, and they are Swedish, but I think than overseas.
took to join his mentor Ken- wins including Sunday's. there's a distinctly influen- all these guys are watching Two-time world champion
ny Brack atop the world of Brack isn't surprised by the tial European flavor devel- what's happening and they Fernando Alonso of Spain
IndyCar racing. Brack won results — and understands oping. should. If you have enough may return to the 500 at
the 500 in 1999. how Sweden will embrace With American drivers such talent, why don't you come some point, too.
And Ericsson's rapid ascen- its newest star. as Colton Herta and Josef to a place where if you're There's no indication the
sion is likely to keep the in- "It's great to see, so a big Newgarden, Mexico's Pato good, you're going to have influx of talent or opportuni-
terest in American racing congratulations," Brack O'Ward of Mexico, the 500 your opportunity?" ties are abating.
percolating throughout Eu- said on an impromptu runner-up, and a strong Rosenqvist and Ericsson The series already fields 26
rope. phone call Sunday. "I don't but aging group of South certainly found it in Ameri- full-time entries, its high-
Ericsson's trek could serve think you realize yet what American drivers continu- ca. est total in a decade, and
as a model for other inter- this means for your career, ing to win the hearts of In- They made the jump to- at least three additional
national racers. After failing but you will find out in time." dyCar fans, there's no indi- gether after Rosenqvist's teams — Cusick Motors-
to make the podium in 97 While Ericsson's victory cation the pool of global F1 quest ended. He ini- ports, Paretta Autosport
Formula One starts, Erics- sweeps Sweden, it's a boon talent is abating. tially landed with Ganassi's and Dreyer & Reinbold
son left for IndyCars in 2019. for the series, too. Four-time Indy winner He- team, earning 2019 rookie Racing — would like to run
He finished 17th in points as Three Nordic country driv- lio Castroneves compares of the year honors and his full time.q

Kody Clemens brought up by Tigers for

possible MLB debut

By DAVE HOGG 10-day injured list because time All-Star who won 354
Associated Press of a strained neck. games in a major league
DETROIT (AP) — Kody Cle- A third round pick in the career from 1984-2007 and
mens, the 26-year-old son 2018 amateur draft, Clem- struck out 4,672, third be-
of seven-time Cy Young ens was hitting .283 at To- hind Nolan Ryan and Ran-
Award winner Roger Clem- ledo with eight homers and dy Johnson.
ens, was brought up by the 31 RBIs in 45 games. Draft- Among the players impli-
Detroit Tigers on Monday ed as a second baseman, cated in the 2007 Mitchell
for a possible major league he has played first, second, Report, Roger Clemens de-
debut. third and left this season. nied using performance-
Detroit recalled the infield- Detroit needed depth be- enhancing drugs. In 2012,
er/outfielder from Triple-A cause of Grossman's injury he was acquitted of charg-
Toledo of the International and Miguel Cabrera's bad es he lied to Congress when Detroit Tigers' Kody Clemens is shown during a spring training
baseball workout Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, in Lakeland, Fla.
League and put outfielder back. he denied allegations of Associated Press
Robbie Grossman on the Roger Clemens was an 11- PED use.q