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SPORTS Tuesday 23 april 2019
INDY 500 a (guaranteed) place in
Continued from Page 17 the Indy 500."
Pundits insist the race It was an interesting take
stands alone, and drivers in- from the most revered
deed spend an entire year team owner in the pad-
trying to scrape together dock: Penske drivers have
the funding needed to won the Indy 500 a record
get a car on the hallowed 17 times, and his organi-
speedway grounds. The zation was stunningly ex-
race is so special to retired cluded from the race in
Formula One world cham- 1995 when his cars failed to
pion Fernando Alonso that qualify. For added humilia-
he is returning next month tion, defending race win-
for a second chance to ner Al Unser Jr. was one of
close out his "Triple Crown" those sidelined.
quest. "I remember walking out of
The race is also just one of pit lane with 100,000 people
17 on the IndyCar sched- on qualification day and
ule, but worth double going back to my garage
points in the champion- and it was a real blow,"
ship race. Hinchcliffe was Penske told the AP. "On
fifth in the standings when the other hand, it made us
he missed the 500 last year better going forward. This is
and he plummeted to 11th a place you want to race
and never recovered to and you have to be there In this May 20, 1995, file photo, Al Unser Jr. waves after he failed to qualify for the 1995 Indianapo-
make a run at the title. It's (guaranteed) going in." lis 500, in Indianapolis, Ind.
the one event every spon- Now Chip Ganassi and Associated Press
sor wants to be part of Michael Andretti have
when they sign the checks, echoed Penske's senti- last weekend with the flu, ed the system for this year. ing together every dollar to
and Michael Andretti had ment, and Hulman and Ganassi passed the time on Hinchcliffe was knocked fill a season these days and
to scramble to buy Ryan Co. CEO Mark Miles said he Twitter responding to the out of the race in Saturday missing the 500 can deci-
Hunter-Reay a seat in 2011 understands their position. backlash. A user named qualifying last year, but the mate the bottom line.
when the team failed to Guaranteed spots will not John Day asked Ganassi, bumping will now be held The economics of IndyCar
qualify and Andretti need- happen next month for the "why now?" when there on Sunday afternoon. Any means many drivers bring
ed his longtime partners in 103rd running of the race, was no griping over Bobby cars outside the top 30 will their own money to their
the field. but there are ongoing dis- Rahal missing Indy in 1993 have a shot at the "Last teams. Not making the Indy
So when Hinchcliffe and cussions as to how to pro- or the Penske cars two Row Shootout" to snag the 500 not only means they
sponsor Arrow were sent tect IndyCar's full-time en- years later. final three spots in the field. don't get paid but also
home last year, Roger trants when it comes to the "Hey John calm down," It gives those teams an ex- hurts their ability to sell fu-
Penske was one of the first marquee race. Ganassi wrote. "We are just tra day to work on improve- ture races.
owners to publicly question Fans could not be angrier discussing options. Maybe ments, adds suspense to a If this was 1911, then sure,
the bumping tradition. Pen- at that idea. there is one that keeps ev- second day of qualifying the fastest 33 cars race and
ske also competes in NAS- Ganassi a week ago at eryone happy. Maybe not." for television purposes and that's just fine.
CAR, which has a charter Long Beach enlivened the Team owners and the Indy gives teams a last-ditch But this is 2019 and teams
system that guarantees full- debate by openly aligning 500 purists both make com- chance to make the show. — and we're only talking
time entrants make every with rival Penske. pelling arguments. It's a lifeline for teams strug- about 20-something full-
race, and he told The As- "He knows what it's like not The traditional "Bump Day" gling to make the race, time entries, leaving about
sociated Press that bump- to be in that race," Ga- is a part of the Indy 500 and a pretty fair conces- 10 open spots in the field —
ing had grown antiquated nassi said. "Thank God I mystique and adds a cru- sion. For the time being. at least need the assurance
because "the world has don't know what that's like. cial wrinkle of drama to Motorsports is simply not as they will have a spot in the
changed." But obviously I agree with qualifying weekend. The healthy as it was when Pen- race. Maybe that means
Penske said it was time for him. When you're making race against the clock to ske's cars failed to make the more than 33 cars race?
IndyCar "to step back and a commitment all year for make the field of 33 can be race nearly 25 years ago. As Penske noted, the world
look at this and be sure that the series, a commitment is heartbreaking — it sure was His sponsors absorbed the has indeed changed, and
people who commit for a just that." for Hinchcliffe last season blow then, as Arrow did last sometimes business trumps
full season know they have Bedridden and bored all — and IndyCar has updat- year, but teams are scrap- tradition.q
Lloyd Pierce replacing Nate McMillan

on USA coaching staff

By TIM REYNOLDS Pierce, the Golden State the World Cup gold-medal
Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Warriors' Steve Kerr and Vil- game, and will then travel
Pierce has been added lanova's Jay Wright will be to India for a pair of pre-
as an assistant coach for the assistants under head season games on Oct. 4-5.
USA Basketball this sum- coach Gregg Popovich "It's an honor to receive this
mer, when the Americans of the San Antonio Spurs. opportunity to represent
will compete in the FIBA The World Cup stretches our country and to work
World Cup in China and try through Sept. 15. The de- with such great coaches
to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo mands of the schedule and and staff," Pierce said. "My
Olympics. the travel would have likely family and I are excited
Pierce is replacing Indiana been too daunting for Mc- about and committed Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce reacts in the first half of
Pacers coach Nate McMil- Millan — whose Pacers are to enjoying this journey." an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers Wednes-
day, April 10, 2019, in Atlanta.
lan, who withdrew because scheduled to open train- I think he's really a good Associated Press
of scheduling conflicts. ing camp not long after addition."q