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sports Diamars 31 mei 2022

Ericsson's 500 win helps fuel Swedish momentum in IndyCars

By MICHAEL MAROT The question is how much
AP Sports Writer will Ericsson's big victory
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) help?
— Felix Rosenqvist sensed Drivers with previous For-
Swedish race fans started fol- mula One experience, such
lowing IndyCars earnestly as Ericsson, Romain Gros-
again in 2019. jean of France and Takuma
Marcus Ericsson's Indianap- Sato of Japan, have found
olis 500 victory will only fuel more success in America
the momentum. than overseas.
After becoming the second Two-time world champion
500 winner from Sweden, Fernando Alonso of Spain
Ericsson's homecoming later may return to the 500 at some
this summer could be fit for point, too.
a king. There's no indication the in-
"I'm planning to go home for flux of talent or opportunities
mid-summer, that could be are abating.
a good mid-summer party, The series already fields 26
right?" he said Sunday, win- full-time entries, its highest
ning with a Hulski Choco- total in a decade, and at least
late, a Swedish-based com- three additional teams —
pany as his primary sponsor. Cusick Motorsports, Paretta
First, Ericsson must com- Autosport and Dreyer & Re-
plete a weeklong victory tour. inbold Racing — would like
That's followed by races next to run full time.
Sunday at Detroit and the on the advice Brack offered European flavor developing. tainly found it in America. That could open the door to
following Sunday at Road all those years ago to produce With American drivers such They made the jump togeth- even more Swedes as Erics-
America before a two-week- three top-five finishes in each as Colton Herta and Josef er after Rosenqvist's F1 quest son's 500 win gives him In-
end break may finally allow of the past three seasons and Newgarden, Mexico's Pato ended. He initially landed dyCar's top spot as the new
Ericsson to bask in the cel- three wins including Sun- O'Ward of Mexico, the 500 with Ganassi's team, earning points leader.
ebration of his home country. day's. Brack isn't surprised runner-up, and a strong but 2019 rookie of the year hon- "It's something you dream of
But the 31-year-old Ericsson by the results — and under- aging group of South Ameri- ors and his first career win at for so long. To actually do it,
doesn't mind the busy sched- stands how Sweden will em- can drivers continuing to win Road America in 2020. you have to pinch yourself,"
ule, especially given the long, brace its newest star. the hearts of IndyCar fans, Rosenqvist moved to Arrow he said. "All that support
arduous path he took to join "It's great to see, so a big con- there's no indication the pool McLaren SP last year and (from Sweden) is very im-
his mentor Kenny Brack atop gratulations," Brack said on of global talent is abating. while he hasn't yet returned portant to me. I'm extremely
the world of IndyCar racing. an impromptu phone call Four-time Indy winner Helio to victory lane, the 31-year- thankful for that. I hope they
Brack won the 500 in 1999. Sunday. "I don't think you re- Castroneves compares what's old has won one pole, posted enjoyed that moment."
And Ericsson's rapid ascen- alize yet what this means for happening in Northern Eu- four top-10 finishes and was
sion is likely to keep the in- your career, but you will find rope today to the transforma- in contention for the win
terest in American racing out in time." tional South American con- Sunday before finishing a
percolating throughout Eu- While Ericsson's victory tingent he helped lead two career-best fourth, giving the
rope. sweeps Sweden, it's a boon decades ago. Swedes two spots in the top
Ericsson's trek could serve for the series, too. "It does," the Brazilian said. five.
as a model for other inter- Three Nordic country driv- "I can't even pronounce those "Obviously, people that fol-
national racers. After failing ers are already full-time In- guys' names because they are low me and Marcus, the word
to make the podium in 97 dyCar drivers — Ericsson, Swedish, but I think all these kind of gets spread around,"
Formula One starts, Erics- Rosenqvist and 21-year-old guys are watching what's Rosenqvist said. "There was
son left for IndyCars in 2019. rookie Christian Luundgaard happening and they should. a big spike in 2019 when we
He finished 17th in points of Denmark. Add 21-year-old If you have enough talent, both came here and now it's
as a rookie, was cut loose by Rinus VeeKay of the Nether- why don't you come to a a consistently growing fan
Schmidt Peterson Motors- lands and Ericsson's team- place where if you're good, base in Sweden. With all the
ports and bought a ride with mate, defending series cham- you're going to have your op- new talent in Sweden, I think
Chip Ganassi Racing. pion Alex Palou of Spain, and portunity?" we have a good future in the
Since then, Ericsson relied there's a distinctly influential Rosenqvist and Ericsson cer- U.S."

Kody Clemens brought up by Tigers for possible MLB debut

By DAVE HOGG baseman, he has played first, second,
Associated Press third and left this season.
DETROIT (AP) — Kody Clem- Detroit needed depth because of
ens, the 26-year-old son of seven- Grossman's injury and Miguel Ca-
time Cy Young Award winner brera's bad back.
Roger Clemens, was brought up
by the Detroit Tigers on Monday Roger Clemens was an 11-time All-
for a possible major league debut. Star who won 354 games in a major
league career from 1984-2007 and
Detroit recalled the infielder/out- struck out 4,672, third behind Nolan
fielder from Triple-A Toledo of the Ryan and Randy Johnson.
International League and put out-
fielder Robbie Grossman on the 10- Among the players implicated in the
day injured list because of a strained 2007 Mitchell Report, Roger Cle-
neck. mens denied using performance-
A third round pick in the 2018 ama- enhancing drugs. In 2012, he was
teur draft, Clemens was hitting .283 acquitted of charges he lied to Con-
at Toledo with eight homers and 31 gress when he denied allegations of
RBIs in 45 games. Drafted as a second PED use.