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Dialuna 8 november 2021

Keselowski set to leave Penske a winner before move to Roush

Keselowski posted a photo Saturday — also known as Michael Jordan’s
night of his No. 2 Ford in the garage race team — and will drive the No.
stall with the caption, “Closing up 45 Toyota.
shop for the night. Looking forward
to taking the 2 for one final spin to- Ganassi sold his NASCAR operation
morrow.” to Trackhouse Racing. All of it be-
longs to Justin Marks and Pitbull as
He had already posted earlier in the soon as the race is over.
week a tribute video with clips of his
greatest moments at Penske. Ganassi and Busch, the 2017 Day-
tona 500 champion, had one final
Keselowski won 34 times with Pen- lunch together before they went their
ske and stamped himself as perhaps separate ways. Ganassi gave Busch
the best of the Captain’s Cup drivers. a framed photo of a blueprint the
Keselowski moves to a Roush Fen- driver designed for a potential cool-
way Racing team — soon to receive ing system in the car from their first
a new name — that has failed to run meeting together. Busch said Ganassi
for years as a serious contender. Kurt wrote a note that said, “Thanks, Kurt,
Busch gave Roush his only Cup title for always being the leader that you
in 2004. With Keselowski onboard, have been for Chip Ganassi Racing.”
he expected his No. 6 Ford team to
immediately contend in the Daytona “It was a cool moment with Chip,”
500. Busch said. “It’s heavy.”

“We’ve got to get results next year,” While Keselowski is leaving the only
Keselowski said. team he’s known, the 43-year-old
Busch is moving on to his seventh
One sticking point in Keselowski’s team in a Cup career that dates to
decision was his desire to hold an 2000.
ownership stake in a Cup team. Ke-
selowski fielded his eponymous team “If we can run top 10 and finish
in the NASCAR Truck Series for a strong and get 10th in points, that
decade and the desire to have a piece would mean the world to me,” Busch
of a team in the elite Cup Series never said.
went away.
Busch forged a career as a survivor,
“It’s good to not to be fired and leav- just like Newman. Newman also
ing, right? Nobody was grabbing my started his Cup career in 2000, won
arms,” Keselowski said. eight races in 2003, bounced around
teams and survived a fiery, death-de-
He’s not the only driver moving on fying crash in the 2020 Daytona 500.
after the finale, and not all of them by
(AP) — Brad Keselowski laughed the RFR complex in North Carolina. choice. Life or death pales to the unease New-
when he said he was relieved Rog- man feels surrounding his uncertain
er Penske didn’t give him the “ “I want to come in to clean floors, Former Daytona 500 winner Ryan professional career, but the driver was
Fresh Prince ” treatment and toss clean walls,” he said. “So they tore the Newman has nothing on the table on the chopping block after failing to
him out of the building on his last place apart the last month. I’m going after he wraps at Roush Fenway Rac- win a race since 2017. Newman said
day with the race team. to walk into a brand new floor and ing. Matt DiBenedetto is out at Wood he truly doesn’t know if Sunday will
brand new walls. If that’s not leav- Brothers Racing. Ryan Preece, An- be his final Cup race.
Leaving by his own choice, Kesel- ing their DNA on something, I don’t thony Alfredo and reigning Daytona
owski liked where he landed. know what it is.” 500 champion Michael McDowell all His career could start and end at the
have yet to announce 2022 plans. same track. Newman finished 41st
The 2012 NASCAR champion with Up first, Keselowski makes one fi- at Phoenix driving for Penske in his
Team Penske is ready to get to work nal ride Sunday at Phoenix Raceway “Some of them didn’t know where Nov. 5, 2000, debut.
in his new job as driver (with an a for the team he spent essentially his they were going, abruptly, this sum-
ownership stake) at Roush Fenway entire 12-year career with. Kesel- mer,” Busch said. “My phone hasn’t rung,” Newman
Racing. Keselowski wanted a fresh owski and Penske have talked about said. “The fact is, there really aren’t
start — and ordered a fresh coat of finishing strong and maybe add one Busch is done with Chip Ganassi any quality rides out there that are
paint — ahead of his Tuesday visit to final checkered flag to the collection. Racing and signed with 23X1 Racing available.”

UMass fires coach Walt Bell after 2-23

record over 3 seasons

(AP) — Massachusetts has school Rhode Island. The Bell had been an offensive
fired coach Walt Bell after lone victory for UMass this coordinator at Arkansas State,
he went 2-23 over three season came against Con- Maryland and Florida State
seasons with the Minute- necticut (1-8), which made a before landing his first head
men. coaching change earlier this coaching job in Amherst,
season. Massachusetts.
The 37-year-old Bell took
over one of the the toughest The Minutemen played only The Minutemen have not
jobs in major college foot- four games last season, losing won more than four games
ball in 2019, but showed few them all, after the school ini- in any season since moving
signs of turning it around. tially canceled the fall foot- up to FBS in 2012. UMass
UMass fell to 1-8 on Sat- ball season because of the has been playing as a football
urday, losing 35-22 to FCS pandemic. independent since 2016.