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SPORTS Friday 28 June 2024
Age is just a number in drag racing, where older drivers like John

Force excel at high speed

By PETE IACOBELLI somewhere around 11,000
AP Sports Writer horsepower more than 10
Tony Schumacher has a times that seen in an F1 car,
ready answer when fans for example.
wonder how much longer The love of the sport, Brown
the 54-year-old, three-time believes, is the fuel to keep
world champion will keep going in a sport where en-
climbing drag racing’s lad- gines can burst into flames
der in the National Hot Rod or a tiny wobble can send
Association. a car airborne or hurtling
“About 10 years,” Schum- into a wall.
acher said. “That’s what “I think this drag racing,
I’ve told them for the past the people that are in the
20 years.” sport, they’re consumed by
Age is just a number in it, I think,” he said.
drag racing, where cars That had to be the case
hurtle down the track for a for Chris Karamesines, the
quarter-mile at more than “Golden Greek,” who ad-
300 mph (483 kph), a blur vanced in a Top Fuel event
of speed and roaring noise at age 86 with a then-re-
that is over in a few sec- cord run of 305 mph (491
onds before a parachute kph). Karamesines retired
helps bring the vehicles to a in 2020 with granddaughter
stop. Such terrifying speeds Funny Car driver John Force looks to get back on track for the last day of qualifying at the NHRA Krista Baldwin taking over
are far above those seen Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park, May 21, 2016, in Topeka Kansas. his ride.
in Formula 1, NASCAR and Associated Press “It’s been 63 years of fun,
IndyCar, but those races and I have loved every
last far longer. That is part Funny Car event for 15 Force was involved in a fi- in drag racing, from the roll minute of it,” Karamesines
of the reason drivers in their straight years starting in ery crash last week at an cages and padding within said at his retirement.
70s and even 80s can rely 2009. Antron Brown, 48, has event in Virginia. He was the chassis to the firesuits, Irvin Johns made history at
on their talent and experi- 75 career Top Fuel victories, talkative with rescue works helmets and restraints for age 79 last year when he
ence to safely pilot a Top winning titles in 2012, 2015 before going to a hospital, the drivers. Deaths in the won the Super Stock title
Fuel or Funny Car for a few and 2016. Matt Hagan, 41, where he remains under NHRA are rare but not un- at the Route 66 Nationals
moments and keep on win- picked up his 50th Funny observation. heard of. in Joliet, Illinois, to become
ning long after traditional Car victory in April and the Force is now in a neuro- Brown, competing this the NHRA’s oldest national
drivers on ovals and road reigning champ was nomi- logical intensive care unit week in Norwalk, Ohio, event winner.
courses call it a career. nated as “Best Driver” for to focus on a head injury, said accidents like Force’s “Seriously, I feel like you
“In our sport, unlike many of an ESPY. a switch viewed as a “wel- are in the back of every can do this for as long as
them, it’s mental,” Schum- Of course, all-time great come positive” in a recov- racer’s mind. The success- you like,” said Johns, who
acher explained. “I feel like John Force, 75, has won ery his team will take a long ful ones know how to block stepped away from racing
I got better with age.” 157 times in a career that time. As in all racing series, out the worries while focus- for more than 30 years as
He is not alone. Ron Capps, began in 1978 46 years safety improvements have ing on their driving skills. A he built a towing business in
59, has won at least one ago. been made over the years Top Fuel or Funny Car has Louisville, Kentucky. q

Steve Gleason to receive Arthur Ashe Courage Award at The ESPYS for his

work on ALS awareness

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Re- son Act, which ensures the butions to ALS awareness.
tired NFL safety Steve Glea- availability of life-sustaining Earlier this year, he released
son, who has been fighting communication devices in his memoir.
ALS since 2011, will receive the U.S. During his eight years with
the Arthur Ashe Award for “Over the past 13 years, the New Orleans Saints,
Courage at The ESPYS on I’ve been documenting Gleason’s memorable punt
July 11. our journey with ALS. My block in the team’s first
The 47-year-old Gleason aim has always been to see game back after Hurricane
spent eight years in the if we can discover peace, Katrina became a symbol
NFL before retiring in 2008. freedom, and a love of of recovery in the city.
Three years later, he went life, even in the midst of ex- The Ashe award is given
public with his diagnosis of treme adversity,” Gleason to a sports person who has
amyotrophic lateral sclero- said in a statement Thurs- made a difference beyond
sis, also known as Lou Geh- day. the field of play by fighting
rig’s disease. “Being recognized at The for what they believe in.
Gleason established his 2024 ESPYS is not just an Among the past recipients
nonprofit, Team Gleason, honor, but a powerful plat- are the USA Gymnastics Former NFL football player and ALS patient Steve Gleason,
to help people with ALS live form to further help and sexual abuse survivors, Bill second from right, and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, left,
purposeful lives by provid- serve others.” Russell, Kevin Love, Maya participate in ceremonies in commemoration of Lou Gehrig Day
ing programming and sup- In 2019, Gleason was Moore, Vitali Klitschko and before a baseball game between the Seattle Mariners and the
port services. It successfully awarded a Congressional the U.S. women’s national Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, June 2, 2024, in Seattle.
Associated Press
lobbied for The Steve Glea- Gold Medal for his contri- soccer team.q