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SPORTS Thursday 7 March 2019
IndyCar welcomes A.J. Foyt and Robert Wickens back to track

By JENNA FRYER in his head, and another at-
AP Auto Racing Writer tack last year that his team
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — characterized as more se-
The first IndyCar race of the vere “and more dangerous
season will see both A.J. because he had been sen-
Foyt and paralyzed driver sitized to bee stings from his
Robert Wickens back at the first encounter.”
track. A few weeks ago, Foyt said,
Wickens suffered a spinal he was planning to move a
cord injury in a crash last tree on his Texas ranch with
August and has been reha- a bulldozer when a friend
bilitating in Denver the last offered to do it instead and
several months. The Cana- wound up being attacked
dian said he will be part of by bees.
IndyCar’s driver autograph “I was in another tractor
session and participate in with a closed cab and saw
a fan event Sunday before them chasing him and he
the race in St. Petersburg, was slapping at them and
Florida. going backward to get
Wickens made his IndyCar away,” Foyt said.
debut on the streets of St. “And I thought, ‘Man, I’m
Petersburg last year, start- glad I’m not in that one.’
ing from the pole and lead- He got stung pretty good,
ing every lap until he was his face was swollen and
spun by Alexander Rossi he got a black eye. He
with two laps remaining. He In this Feb. 17, 2019, file photo, former race car driver A.J. Foyt speaks at a news conference was lucky they were honey
had four podium finishes before the start of the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, in bees, not killer bees, be-
and was sixth in the stand- Daytona Beach, Fla. cause he could get away
ings when he was injured Associated Press from them. I felt sorry for
with three races remaining. Daytona 500 and acknowl- narrowly avoided yet an- he said. “So I stopped be- him.”
Foyt, meanwhile, has not edged he has been slowed other encounter with bees. fore the whole thing went Foyt said at Daytona in
been to an IndyCar race by poor health and a dis- The bulldozer incident oc- under. I had to have two February that he’s ceded
since June. The four-time like for hearing aids, but his curred, Foyt said, as he was guys help pull me out be- daily operations of A.J. Foyt
Indianapolis 500 winner workload remains about digging and the “’dozer cause I was in quicksand, Racing to his son, Larry, and
had back surgery in July the same. just slipped down.” I couldn’t climb out myself, only gets involved with the
and then a staph infection, Foyt said through A.J. Foyt “It was real muddy and I and I lost a shoe.” team when they ask him
the third for the 84-year-old Racing on Wednesday that tried to go faster to get up Foyt has twice been at- for money. The team fields
Texan. he had to have a bulldozer and out but the machine tacked by bees — a 2005 cars for Tony Kanaan and
He attended last month’s pulled from a pond and just slipped further down,” attack that left 200 stingers Matheus Leist.q
Oklahoma coach defends QB Kyler Murray against TV critique

By CLIFF BRUNT Not good at all in any of ner at every level speaks
AP Sports Writer those areas and raising ma- for itself. Last season, he led
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — jor concerns about what the Sooners to a Big 12 title
Oklahoma coach Lincoln this guy’s going to do.” and a spot in the College
Riley on Wednesday ripped “What I don’t like about Football Playoff in his only
the criticism of former that is you’ve got a guy season as a starter at Okla-
Sooners quarterback Kyler on TV doing this reporting homa. He also was the No.
Murray by a NFL Network — and I know Charley Cas- 9 overall pick in the 2018
analyst. There has been serly’s had a decorated Major League Baseball
talk that Murray, the Heis- career in the NFL and has draft. “If I was going to pick
man Trophy winner this past done a lot of tremendous out a guy that I was going
season, could go to the Ari- things,” Riley said. “To me, to complain about their
zona Cardinals with the No. it always seems strange — leadership, I would proba-
1 overall pick. The NFL Net- you go on the deal and say bly pick a guy that maybe
work’s Charley Casserly, a your sources, No. 1, and has had a season end with-
former executive with the then you’re going to go out a championship in his
Washington Redskins and on and talk like you’re an career,” Riley said.
Houston Texans, said Mur- expert on somebody that Riley said he and Cas-
ray fared poorly during in- you’ve never met. You’ve serly clearly have different
terviews at the NFL scouting never talked to his position sources.
combine, and the respons- coach or head coach at “I’ve had a number of
es from his team sources any level about him, and teams that met personally
were the “worst comments you’ve never talked to any with Kyler at the combine
I ever got on a high-rated players who’ve played that called me after and
quarterback.” with the guy about how he raved about the kid,” he
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (11) watches drills at “Leadership — not good,” leads. Now we’re going to said. “Not everybody is go-
the NFL football scouting combine with North Dakota State
quarterback Easton Stick in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 2, Casserly said. “Study hab- be an expert on how he ing to love you. He’s going
2019. its — not good. The board leads.” Riley said the fact to have plenty that are go-
Associated Press work — below not good. that Murray has been a win- ing to love him.”q