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A16 SPORTS
Friday 24 March 2023
Sloppy racing could make it tough for NASCAR road ringers

By JENNA FRYER AP It could be more of the
Auto Racing Writer same Sunday. COTA marks
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — the first road course race of
The NASCAR field this Sun- the season for a group of
day will be stacked with drivers who specialize on
two former Formula One ovals.
world champions, an Indy- Allmendinger said he for-
Car driver and a sports car gave Chastain for taking
star who has a 24 Hours of him out of contention last
Le Mans win on his resume. year, but acknowledged
What can these so-called road racing has been hit-
ringers expect on the road or-miss for NASCAR in terms
course at Circuit of the of quality of show.
Americas? “Last year was interesting
“To get run over,” Brad to me because half the
Keselowski said. “They are road course races were
just going to get run over great races, and then half
by another driver because of them kind of weren’t.
we’ve gotten to this spot I don’t know what made
where wrecking, yeah, it’s one race good and the
cool. And we don’t see next race maybe not
these guys again, and so good,” said Allmendinger,
what does it matter if you who noted the durability of
wreck them?” Aric Almirola (10), Tyler Reddick (45), Kyle Larson (5), and Alex Bowman (48) wreck exiting Turn NASCAR’s stock cars make
That’s hardly what Kimi 4 during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Sunday, March 19, 2023, it easier for drivers to be
Raikkonen, Jenson Button, in Hampton, Ga. overly physical.
Conor Daly and Jordan Associated Press “It’s a unique thing to stock
Taylor signed up for. Raik- soned road racers Raik- encing a last-lap crash the essentially over. car racing, right? You use
konen, the 2007 F1 champi- konen has made eight ca- week before at Phoenix, “We’re all selfish, granted. the front of (the car), use
on, made his Cup debut on reer F1 starts at COTA and when former teammate But there was an etiquette the sides of it, and for the
the road course at Watkins his 2018 win there was the Denny Hamlin admitted he that did live here. Mark most part, it’s kind of ‘Have
Glen last year and seemed last of his 21 career victories intentionally wrecked Ross started it, Tony really lived at it.’ I think it’s probably

competitive until he was but probably don’t stand a Chastain. Hamlin has been by it, I think Jeff lived by it. more aggressive than it’s
run off course on a restart chance Sunday because fined by NASCAR he’s ap- It did exist.” ever been ... but it’s on us
and his race ended with a of the sloppy state of rac- pealing but Busch couldn’t Chastain scored the first to fix it. Otherwise you start
crash into a tire barrier. ing. help but note the change Cup win of his career last asking NASCAR to make
Button, the 2009 F1 cham- The Truck Series and Xfin- in etiquette on the track season at COTA with an ag- calls and I don’t think any-
pion, is making his NAS- ity Series races at Atlanta as a generation of drivers gressive final lap three-driv- body wants that. You don’t
CAR debut, as is Taylor, a Motor Speedway last week retired and were replaced er battle in which Chastain want NASCAR up in the
four-time IMSA sports car saw a record number of by a younger, more ag- essentially had to knock tower making a black flag
champion and class winner cautions in both event. gressive group. both AJ Allmendinger and on one guy for doing some-
at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two-time Cup champion The days of Hall of Fam- Alex Bowman out of his thing and then the next
Daly will be making his third Kyle Busch even lashed out ers Dale Earnhardt, Jeff way to get to victory lane. person does something
career Cup start, and first at the recent lack of re- Gordon, Mark Martin and There were nine cautions in and nothing happens. It’s
since he qualified for last spect being shown on the Tony Stewart policing the the race that contributed just super aggressive and
month’s Daytona 500. track. garage and keeping order to 19% of it being run under we’ve got to police it our-
The quartet are all sea- Busch was specifically refer- are, according to Busch, yellow. selves.” q

Adam Wainwright headed to injured list with groin injury

By PAT GRAHAM Team USA lost to Japan 3-2 117 with a 3.38 ERA over 17
AP Sports Writer in the championship game seasons with the Cardinals.
Adam Wainwright was in of the World Baseball Clas- He’s a three-time All-Star
line for his seventh open- sic on Tuesday. Wainwright who’s posted two 20-win
ing day start. Instead, the went 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA seasons, along with win-
veteran St. Louis Cardinals over eight innings to help ning two Gold Gloves.
right-hander will begin the U.S. reach the final. The Cardinals welcomed
what’s slated to be his final “We’ll continue to evaluate back to camp Nolan Arena-
season on the injured list over the next few days but do and Paul Goldschmidt,
with a groin injury. no timetable at the mo- who played for Team USA,
Cardinals manager Oliver ment,” Marmol said, ac- along with Lars Nootbaar,
Marmol told reporters Thurs- cording to the St. Louis Post- an outfielder for Team Ja-
day before St. Louis’ spring Dispatch. “There is a spot pan. The Cardinals posted
training game against the in the rotation now open, a picture of them stretch-
New York Yankees that and we’re going to have ing with the caption: “What
U.S. pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) attempts to throw out Cuba’s Wainwright could miss sev- to sit down and make sure do you think they are talk-
Alfredo Despaigne at first during the third inning of a World eral weeks. The 41-year- that we’re not missing any- ing about!?”Goldschmidt
Baseball Classic game, Sunday, March 19, 2023, in Miami. old apparently strained his thing that goes into that.” and Nootbaar were in the
Associated Press groin in a workout before Wainwright has gone 195- starting lineup Thursday.q