Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Tuesday 25 July 2017

Kasey Kahne ends

victory drought at

marathon Brickyard 400

By MICHAEL MAROT received intravenous fluids.
AP Sports Writer Other drivers said tempera-
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kas- tures inside the cockpits
ey Kahne needed a break topped 130 degrees.
Sunday — and got it. The wacky race had a little
The 37-year-old driver bare- of everything — 14 cau-
ly reached the overtime tions and 55 caution laps,
line before the last caution both race records, three
flag came out in a crash- red flags and a 1-hour,
marred Brickyard 400, al- 47-minute rain delay. Nine-
lowing Kahne to complete teen cars did not finish. It
a six-hour marathon and lasted so long, drivers were
snap a long winless streak. racing against the impend-
He crossed the yard of ing darkness as much as
bricks under caution with they were themselves.
daylight fading and his For Kahne, his 18th career Kasey Kahne (5) kisses the yard of bricks on the start/finish line after winning the NASCAR Brick-
muscles cramping, just win might have been the yard 400 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, July 23, 2017.
ahead of Brad Keselowski sweetest of all. Associated Press
and Ryan Newman. He had only three top-10
“I had a great car out front. finishes in the first 19 races. — went out in a crash with turn. On the ensuing restart, first overtime when his car
I had a pretty good car all His future with Hendrick Mo- 49 laps to go. Truex’s car slid Kyle Larson hit the wall on was bumped from behind,
day long. I was really hap- torsports was in question, up the track going through the front straightaway to sending it sideways through
py,” Kahne said. “Unbeliev- and after going almost the first turn and the Toyota bring out another caution. the field. Six cars got col-
able to win in Indianapolis. three full years and more teammates both wound Things again went awry lected in the crash, bring-
Unbelievable to win a Cup than 100 races without a in the wall. Busch led the when Jimmie Johnson, Ke- ing out yet another red flag
race — it’s been a while. win, he was finally back in first 71 laps, 87 of the first selowski and Kahne went and adding more laps to
I know it’s great for my victory lane. 110 and swept the first two three-wide through the the race.
team.” “It puts him in the chase,” stages ahead of Truex. third turn on what was sup- Kahne finally ended it
But even before kissing the team owner Rick Hendrick “That’s the way it goes,” posed to be the second- by reaching the line just
bricks and posing for pho- said after his 10th Brick- Busch said. “Just chalk it up to-last lap. But Johnson’s ahead of Keselowski as
tos, Kahne’s long-awaited yard victory. “It puts him in to another one we found a smoking car started spin- another multi-car crash oc-
victory celebration was put the playoff. We’re excited way to lose.” ning and hit the wall to curred behind him.
on hold as he dropped to about that.” The finish was even wilder. force overtime. “As much as I didn’t need
the ground and his crew Kahne’s last win came in Over the last 16 laps, there “I wouldn’t call it an absur- him winning I’m happy for
members tried to rub out Atlanta in August 2014. were five crashes and two dity, I just think it was a cra- @kaseykahne,” Clint Bow-
the cramps he fought By any measure, it was a red flags. zy race,” Keselowski said. yer wrote on Twitter. “Peo-
through late in the race. wacky day. The craziness began when “There was some crazy ple have written him off
Afterward, Kahne went The two fastest cars on Kurt Busch, Erik Jones and strategy.” lately. HUGE win under ex-
to the speedway’s infield Indy’s 2.5-mile oval — Kyle Clint Bowyer got together Trevor Bayne got into the treme pressure.”q
medical center where he Busch and Martin Truex Jr. coming out of the fourth mix with two laps in the

NASCAR’s Earnhardt Jr. headed

to NBC broadcast booth in 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Dale and perhaps even the perfect match. NBC Sports
Earnhardt Jr. will have a Olympics. Executive Producer and
new way to voice his rac- “I’ve always just drove race President of Production
ing opinions next season — cars. So this is probably the Sam Flood said Earnhardt
on television. first real job I’ve had in 20 has already contemplated
NASCAR’s most popular years,” Earnhardt said on a following Chris Collinsworth
driver will join NBC Sports conference call. “This is an around for a “Sunday Night
Group’s coverage of stock incredible opportunity for Football” game or watch-
car racing next year and me to start an entirely new ing an Xfinity Series race in Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) talks with his crew after dropping out
there may be more options career.” the television truck just to of the NASCAR Brickyard 400 auto race at Indianapolis Motor
once he climbs out of the He seems like a natural, see how things work. Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, July 23, 2017.
car for good. too. “His love of the sport and Associated Press
The agreement with NBCU- Earnhardt has been voted his passion for the history of related symptoms. races, and he missed two
niversal announced Mon- the series’ most popular the sport makes him look at But discussions with NBC races during the 2012 play-
day will allow Earnhardt to driver 14 consecutive times it in a different way,” Flood didn’t begin until after offs also because of con-
pursue “a wide range of and provides some of the said. “It’s fun to hear how Earnhardt announced in cussion-related symptoms.
opportunities in the com- most thoughtful analysis in curious he is about TV.” April he would retire after The 42-year-old Earnhardt
pany’s media businesses, the series. Add those traits Earnhardt got a brief taste this season, in part because intends to compete in two
including movies, televi- to his down-to-earth ap- of broadcasting last year, of his injury history. Two big Xfinity races next season
sion, podcasts, and other proach and his desire to working with Flood while crashes last summer forced and plans to be involved in
areas” including football succeed and it could be a he dealt with concussion- him out of the final 18 the sport in other ways.q