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SPORTS Friday 17 august 2018

In this July 23, 2017, file photo, Kasey Kahne (5) celebrates
winning the NASCAR Brickyard 400 auto race at Indianapolis
Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.
Associated Press
NASCAR driver

Kasey Kahne retiring In this April 29, 2018, file photo, WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder speaks at a press
conference in Talladega, Ala.
after 15 Cup seasons AP Interview: Wilder to announce

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kasey Kahne announced next fight _ if Tyson Fury wins
Thursday that he will retire from full-time racing in
NASCAR and plans to focus on the sprint car team
he owns. By TERRIN WAACK Fury is virtually done. The years due to mental health
Kahne said in a Twitter post that he is at ease with AP Sports Writer only details that need to be and drug problems before
the decision after 15 years racing in NASCAR. Kahne, NEW YORK (AP) — Heavy- ironed out are the specific making his comeback in
from Enumclaw, Washington, made it to NASCAR via weight champion Deontay date and location. June.
sprint car racing and his Kasey Kahne Racing team Wilder is on a business trip Wilder said Las Vegas. Es- Fury was stripped of the
competes in the World of Outlaws series. this weekend in Belfast. He'll pinoza said that's the natu- IBF belt soon after beating
KKR driver Brad Sweet won the prestigious Knoxville be ringside as a TV com- ral option, but New York is Klitschko for not fighting a
(Iowa) Nationals last weekend and the 38-year-old mentator for Saturday's another strong contender. mandatory challenger. He
Kahne was present for the victory. fight between Tyson Fury Nov. 17 is a possible date, relinquished his WBO and
"I'm not sure what the future holds for me," Kahne said. and Francesco Pianeta. according to Showtime. WBA titles on the day his
"The highs don't outweigh the lows and the grueling But even Wilder has some- Both parties agreed that license was suspended in
schedule takes a toll on your quality of life. I need to thing riding on the out- Showtime, which has 2016.
spend more time doing the things I enjoy and love come of this matchup. shown 10 of Wilder's fights, Wilder last fought in March.
and that's spending time with (son) Tanner and my If Fury wins, Wilder plans to will get the Wilder-Fury bout "When I look at that fight
sprint car teams." challenge him to a fight — available on pay-per- between me and Fury, I
The former Hendrick Motorsports driver has 18 victo- they've already discussed view. just see two awkward fight-
ries, including a playoff-clinching win last season at — right then and there. "Wilder vs. Fury is a really in- ers up in there," Wilder said.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That win came amid "Why not?" Wilder told The triguing fight both because "One trying to outsmart the
speculation that Hendrick would part ways with Kah- Associated Press. of the styles in the ring and other. It's definitely going to
ne following six seasons, and Hendrick made it official "You got two heavyweights the personalities outside be the battle of the wizards.
two weeks later. in the same room from the the ring," Espinoza said. Who's going to be smarter?
Kahne signed with Leavine Family Racing for 2018. He same division. You got the "Deontay and Tyson are Who's going to be faster?
has one top-five finish in 23 starts for Leavine, and said champion, then you got two of the most likable and Who's going to be able to
the team offered him a ride for next year but Kahne the other champion. It's most entertaining charac- have a quick reaction?
did not want to commit to NASCAR. The Cup sched- only right." ters in boxing. . But all the "Where I'm sitting, and with
ule is 38 weekends. Wilder holds the WBC belt. entertainment aside, it is the knowledge I know and
Kahne's announcement came one day after 43-year- Fury is the lineal champi- a high-level heavyweight have in this sport, I know
old Elliott Sadler said he will walk away from NASCAR on, having beat Wladimir fight between two of the Deontay Wilder is going to
after 21 seasons. Klitschko in 2015. The lineal top guys in the division and be a bit of all of the above,"
Sadler is 43 and currently drives for JR Motorsports in champion is a title given two huge athletes at 6-6 he added.
the second-tier Xfinity Series. He spent 12 full-time sea- to the fighter who defeats and 6-7, the two tallest and The last fight Wilder tried to
sons in the Cup Series driving for Wood Brothers Rac- the last fighter to hold all biggest guys in the sport to- set up fell through. WBA,
ing, Robert Yates Racing, Evernham Motorsports and the boxing belts in a weight day." WBO and IBF champ An-
Richard Petty Motorsports. He is retiring to spend more class. And Wilder wants Both are undefeated, too. thony Joshua (21-0, 20
time with his two young children. that moniker."This fight is Wilder is 40-0 with 39 knock- KOs) and Wilder failed to
They are the latest in a growing list of NASCAR drivers real," Wilder said. "The fight outs. Fury is 26-0 with 19 come to an agreement
who have hanged up their helmets in recent years, is on." KOs. after months of discussion.
following Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Ed- As long as Fury wins. Saturday will mark Fury's Instead, Joshua will fight Al-
wards, three-time champion Tony Stewart and four- Showtime Sports president second fight since he beat exander Povetkin (34-1, 24
time champ Jeff Gordon.q Stephen Espinoza said the Klitschko. He was out of KOs) on Sept. 22 at Wemb-
deal between Wilder and the ring for more than two ley Stadium in London.q