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Diamars 21 september 2021

Elliott and Harvick add fiery feud to NASCAR’s playoffs

(AP) - Chase Elliott, ac-
cording to Kevin Harvick,
doesn’t race very smart. In
fact, moving forward in
NASCAR’s playoffs, Har-
vick plans to run all over
the reigning Cup Series
champion.

Those were the angry words
Harvick had for Elliott after
Saturday night’s race at Bris-
tol Motor Speedway, where a
feud no one saw coming took
center stage.

Elliott is NASCAR’s most But when an aggressive se- allowed teammate Kyle Lar- “Obviously Kevin felt like it “It’s something he does all
popular driver and the de- quence for the lead — and son to catch Harvick and fi- cost him the win, which it the time. He runs into your
fending Cup champion probably the race win — re- nally, with four laps remain- very well may have. He’s go- left side constantly at other
doesn’t really make waves on sulted in a flat tire for Elliott, ing, pass Harvick for Larson’s ing to be upset,” Larson said. tracks. Sometimes it does cut
the racetrack. He’s had his he made sure to exact his re- sixth win of the season. down your left side, other
arguments with rival drivers venge. If Elliott wasn’t going Was he ever. times it doesn’t,” Elliott said.
before, but the 25-year-old to win the playoff race, then “Chase was obviously upset “Did it to me in Darling-
entered new territory when Harvick wasn’t going to vic- with the contact, was just “I’m ready to rip somebody’s ton a few weeks ago because
he decided at Bristol that he’d tory lane either. making things kind of tough freaking head off,” Harvick he was tired of racing me.
had enough of Harvick’s per- on him. It kept me in the said as the crowd roared. Whether he did it on purpose
ceived bullying. “I don’t care who he is or game,” Larson said after col- doesn’t matter. At some point
how long he’s been doing it, lecting the checkered flag. He accused Elliott of throw- you have to draw a line.”
Harvick has never backed I’m going to stand up for my- ing a temper tantrum over
down from anyone, on or off self and my team and we’re He was celebrating as Har- what should have been a Now he’s labored through a
the track, and his early ca- going down the road,” Elliott vick and Elliott jawed with standard racing incident. tough season at Stewart-Haas
reer was marked by explosive fumed. each other on pit road, Elliott Racing, where teammate
confrontations that occasion- wagging his finger in Har- “We were racing for the Aric Almirola has the orga-
ally became physical. Because To ruin Harvick’s race, as vick’s helmet-protected face. frickin’ win at Bristol, we’re nization’s only win and was
he is known as a master ma- well as Harvick’s bid to end The discussion spilled into three-wide in the middle,” eliminated from the playoffs
nipulator who can mentally a yearlong losing streak, El- the garage area, where re- Harvick said of the sequence. at Bristol. Harvick is 12th
derail the toughest competi- liott returned to the track porters picked up Harvick’s in the standings headed into
tors, most drivers make a after changing his flat tire promise to run Elliott over But Elliott indicated it’s a the start of the second round
genuine attempt not to land and deliberately slowed in moving forward, before the pattern with Harvick that of the playoffs, a three-race
in Harvick’s crosshairs. front of Harvick. By acting drivers continued their dis- he’s tired of tolerating. round in which the field will
as a rolling chicane, Elliott pute in private. be trimmed to eight.

England cricketers pull out of trip to Pakistan, angers PCB

(AP) - English cricket of- team’s tour of Pakistan fol- ing concerns about travelling According to Ahmed, New touring Pakistan in 2019.
ficials provoked an angry lowing a government alert to the region,” the ECB said, Zealand Prime Minister
response from Pakistan that warned of a possible at- “and believe that going ahead Jacinda Ardern told Pakistan The ECB said another “com-
after withdrawing their tack outside Rawalpindi Sta- will add further pressure to a counterpart Imran Khan that plexity” was the potential
men’s and women’s teams dium. playing group who have al- the country had information harm a trip to Pakistan could
from a limited-over trip ready coped with a long pe- the players could come under do to the men’s team’s prepa-
to the Asian country next The ECB didn’t detail any riod of operating in restricted attack outside of the stadium. rations for the T20 World
month, citing “increasing specific security issues in COVID environments.” Cup, which begins later in
concerns” about travel- a statement released after England men’s and women’s October.
ling to the region. a board meeting over the Within minutes, Pakistan teams were scheduled to play
weekend, instead highlight- Cricket Board chairman all of their matches in Rawal- “We understand that this de-
The decision taken by the ing “the mental and physical Ramiz Raja reacted by saying pindi. cision will be a significant
England and Wales Cricket wellbeing of our players and on Twitter: “Disappointed disappointment to the PCB,
Board on Monday came support staff.” with England, pulling out of England’s men, who were set who have worked tirelessly
three days after New Zealand their commitment & failing to play T20s on Oct. 13 and to host the return of interna-
Cricket abandoned its men’s “We know there are increas- a member of their Cricket 14, have not played an in- tional cricket in their coun-
fraternity when it needed it ternational in Pakistan since try,” the statement said.
most. Survive we will inshal- 2005. The women were to
lah.” visit for the first time and “Their support of English
were due to play three ODIs and Welsh cricket over the
In the wake of the New Zea- as well as two T20s. last two summers has been
land team’s withdrawal from a huge demonstration of
its tour on Friday, Pakistan Pakistan was a no-go zone for friendship. We are sincerely
Interior Minister Sheikh international cricket teams sorry for the impact this will
Rashid Ahmed said he had for a decade after terrorists have on cricket in Pakistan
no information about a se- attacked the Sri Lanka team and emphasize an ongoing
curity threat against the New bus in Lahore in 2009. The commitment to our main
Zealanders and that Paki- ambush killed seven people touring plans there for 2022.”
stan had given New Zealand and injured several Sri Lank-
guarantees that the players an cricketers. Pakistan’s men’s team visited
would be safe. England to play three ODIs
International teams resumed and three T20s in July.