Page 22 - AT

A22 SPORTS
Friday 15 February 2019
DAYTON 500
Continued from Page 17
A year later, Richard Petty
Motorsports is still a mid-
pack team scrambling for
sponsorship and battling fi-
nancial woes that have put
the future of the organiza-
tion and Wallace's ride on
the rocks.
How about a repeat fin-
ish at Daytona? Even the
25-year-old Wallace isn't
convinced it's in the cards.
"A lot of people hyped this
story up coming back as,
'oh, you are going to do it
again.' It's like, let's pump
the brakes," Wallace said.
"Let's get through the rest In this Sunday Feb. 3, 2019 photo provided by SailGP, SailGP
of the week and let's make USA Team, left and SailGP Australia Team practice side to side
it to lap 199." in Sydney.
Dillon and Wallace finished Associated Press
1-2 in the kind of finish NAS-
CAR was banking on as the High-tech SailGP series
genesis of a breakthrough
season for its youth move- Austin Dillon, center, talks with reporters during the NASCAR hits the water on Sydney
ment. Dillon put the No. 3 Daytona 500 auto racing media day at Daytona International
car made famous by Dale Speedway, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Earnhardt back in victory Associated Press Harbour
lane. He met a kid who
gave Dillon a lucky penny er top-five finish and was His rotation of sponsors SYDNEY (AP) — Boats skip- team.
that the driver taped to the knocked out of the playoffs were straight out of a late- pered by Australian Olym- The boats will meet in five
dashboard. Wallace took in the first round. He finished night infomercial, with at pic gold medalists Nathan races in Sydney with the
a phone call from Hank 13th in the standings. least a dozen (Pioneer Re- Outteridge and Tom Sling- two highest-scoring boats
Aaron and rekindled glory "I think I'll just respond differ- cords Management, Mile sby are among the favor- facing off against each
days with Petty. He starred ently now if I won it again, 22) on the hood of the 43. ites in the inaugural SailGP other in Saturday after-
in a docu-series on Face- trying to stay on it each Wallace has headphone races starting on Sydney noon's final.
book Watch and the driver and every week," Dillon company AfterShokz as his Harbour on Friday. "I love how everyone keeps
who has tried to build his said. "But you've still got to primary sponsor in Sunday's A fleet of six super-charged saying were the favorites,
brand on social media had have the car capable of race. F50 catamarans capable all of the guys up here
fans flocking to him for self- doing it and the speed out Dillon and Wallace each of reaching speeds up to have got incredible talent,"
ies. there each week to finish have new crew chiefs for 90 kilometers per hour (55 Outteridge said at the skip-
They were young, raced where you would like to fin- 2019. RPM promoted lead mph) will represent differ- per's media conference on
with iconic car numbers, ish, and that's first." engineer Derek Stamets to ent nations in the two-day, Thursday.
and had enough social "The Great American Race" replace Drew Blickensder- six- race event, with Sling- New Zealander Phil Robert-
media savvy that could is sprinkled with winners fer and RCR had Danny sby leading the Australian son, skipper of the Chinese
potentially attract Genera- who never again achieved Stockman replace Justin boat and Outteridge the entry, said no one is sure
tion Z to a sport in dire need the heights set on their Alexander on the pit box. Japanese entry. what to expect.
of a lift. greatest day. Trevor Bayne. Dillon wasn't much of a "Nathan is the favorite but "It's a pretty daunting
That 1-2 punch morphed Derrike Cope. Pete Ham- factor in last year's race un- I'm confident in our team thought, to be honest, lin-
into a season-long punch ilton. Ward Burton. Dillon til the final lap in overtime and I think we can beat ing up on Sydney Harbour
in the gut. would rather become the when he got a push from him if we do our job," Sling- for the first time with six
The buzz of his biggest win fourth driver to win consec- Wallace that nudged him sby said Thursday. boats going at the speeds
sent Dillon to "Live with Kelly utive Daytona 500s. Petty closer to leader Aric Almi- SailGP is the sailing league that these boats do," Rob-
and Ryan," put him on a (1973-1974) and Cale Yar- rola. Dillon spun Almirola, founded by tech billionaire ertson said. The other three
podcast with Shaq and, borough (1983-1984) both then zipped to the lead to Larry Ellison and five-time teams will be skippered by
this week, he toured Disney won two straight Daytona win a race, a trophy and America's Cup winner Rus- nationals: Britain by 49er
World tin a surprise visit with 500s, and no driver has had eventually some lessons sell Coutts. It features many class world champion
the 12-year-old boy who his name etched on the learned on how to handle of the world's top sailors Dylan Fletcher, France by
had that penny. Harley J. Earl Trophy two the magnitude of NAS- racing 50-foot, wing-sailed Nacra 17 world champion
His post-Daytona results straight years since Sterling CAR's marquee weekend. catamarans that fly across Billy Besson and the United
were chump change. Marlin (1994-95). "It was definitely hard be- the top of waves on hy- States by Rome Kirby of
Dillon was caught up in the "It seems like a hard thing to ing a first time winner last drofoils. Teams will com- Newport, Rhode Island,
Chevrolet malaise as series do," Dillon said. "This place year and juggling every- pete at five tour stops, with who also sailed with Oracle
drivers struggled in the first is not easy to win at. That's thing that comes along the finale being a winner- Team USA in the 2013 Amer-
year of the Camaro. And why it's so special, and so with it, but I would never take-all, $1 million match ica's Cup. After Sydney, the
Richard Childress Racing, many people haven't won throw that away," Dillon race between the top two tour stops in San Francisco
which celebrates its 50th here." Wallace's season un- said. "It's a championship teams to crown the 2019 on May 4-5; New York on
anniversary this season, raveled almost as soon as in itself winning here, so it champion. June 21-22; Cowes, Eng-
has slipped to a second- the last piece of confetti feels pretty dang good. But Unlike in the America's Cup, land, on Aug. 10-11; and
tier team unable to consis- was swept at Daytona. He you've got to refocus at all the boats are identical. Marseille, France, on Sept.
tently compete with NAS- failed to post another top- some point, and I think our Crews won't be allowed to 20-22 for the finale that will
CAR's heavyweights. There five finish and finished a team put together a really make changes without ap- include the winner-take-all
was no Daytona 500 shine woeful 28th in the stand- good championship effort proval of the measurement $1 million match race.q
— Dillon had just one oth- ings in the No. 43 Chevy. in the final 10 races."q