Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Wednesday 25 september 2019
IndyCar closes season feeling relevant again

By JENNA FRYER affordable to go racing in
AP Auto Racing Writer IndyCar now, which I think
MONTEREY, Calif. (AP) — It is key.
feels like the 1990s again in “If we keep the rules the
IndyCar, which closed its way they are, then we
season with a throwback can get data equity, we
tour to a pair of treasured need to come back to
old haunts, a compelling these tracks the same time
championship race and every year, and that’s go-
a rookie class that proved ing to grow this fan base.
the little series can still at- I think the races are the
tract top talent. right length, and we have
Is IndyCar back? Not ex- a really key TV partner with
actly. NBC. It was a real superstar
But the slow rebuild back to event for us, and obviously
relevancy took another big for the whole series and the
step with a successful sea- IndyCar family and indus-
son capped by Josef New- try.”
garden’s second champi- The returns to Portland and
onship in three years. The Laguna Seca sparked a
American won the crown trip down memory lane for
driving for Team Penske at many in the paddock, who
Laguna Seca Raceway, a found themselves giddy
beloved and beautiful per- over the crowds eager to Josef Newgarden, left, kisses the trophy after winning the championship after an IndyCar auto
manent road course high greet old friends. In Port- race at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019.
in the hills of Monterey that land, they celebrated Greg Associated Press
had been dropped from Moore, a budding superstar inside of Andretti Autosport and was still choking back to come here and do well
the IndyCar schedule 14 on his way into a seat with next season. tears nearly two hours later. on the ovals immediately.
years ago. Roger Penske when he was Herta then won the pole — He grew up in Tennessee, Doing well in the champi-
The season finale followed killed in the 1999 season fi- he did at Portland, too — but wasn’t really interested onship itself for sure is not
IndyCar’s second consec- nale. The gathering was just and led all but seven laps in NASCAR and wanted to easy. It’s been the biggest
utive visit to Portland, an- like the old days, when driv- Sunday for his second win be an open-wheel racer. challenge I’ve had.
other old favorite from the ers and teams competed of the season. The first vic- Same with Alexander Rossi, “But yeah, I really hope
days when the open wheel all weekend then wrapped tory, days before his 19th a California kid who saw his that more Europeans come
series was the most popular up the event with a blow- birthday back in March, first race when he was 3, over here and bring Indy-
form of motorsports in the out party, and the one in made him the youngest when his father brought him Car more to Europe be-
United States. But infighting, Portland was a reminder winner in IndyCar history. to Laguna Seca and made cause there’s a big racing
greed and jealously led to of how much fun the series The victory was not enough it an annual affair. But the audience there.”
a devastating series split, used to be. to hold off a determined Fe- declining health of IndyCar As IndyCar touted its plans
allowed NASCAR to take Then IndyCar moved on to lix Rosenqvist in the race for drove Newgarden, Rossi, in safety, technology and
over as king of American Laguna Seca, where every- rookie of the year. Rosen- Herta, Santino Ferrucci — growth, an emphasis was
motorsports, and Portland one reminisced about Bry- qvist believed he had a car all Americans — to Europe placed on an upcoming
and Laguna Seca became an Herta’s 1996 loss when capable of winning Sun- for its ladder system toward hybrid system and new en-
nothing more than fond Alex Zanardi pulled off day’s finale, only to have Formula One. gine formula for 2022 with
memories of the headier an impossible pass in the his chances dashed by a Now they are all back, and lower downforce and an
days. famed corkscrew turn. The penalty in qualifying that others around the world increase toward 900 horse-
As IndyCar has clawed its topic came up time and relegated him to a 14th- are taking notice. power.
way toward a renaissance, again as Herta’s son, now a place starting position at a “I would encourage any- The vision for the series is
it has in many ways re- 19-year-old phenom in the track where passing is quite one to come over here. I very simple right now: Re-
turned to its roots. series, dazzled in every ses- difficult. The Swede had the know many guys are look- visit what made racing Indy
“I think the teams, when sion. drive of the race in finishing ing to do it, and some of cars so very popular and
you look at them top to Colton Herta was fast as fifth and denying Herta a my friends, they’re always get back to that model.
bottom, it’s competitive,” soon as he got his Harding sweep of all the awards. asking about IndyCar, “It’s very important that we
said Roger Penske, who Steinbrenner Racing car Then came the celebration how are the ovals,” said remain true to our DNA,
won his 16th championship onto the circuit, and just for Newgarden, who was Rosenqvist. “Maybe a lot and our DNA is fast, loud,
and 18th Indianapolis 500 an hour before qualifying unusually emotional over of drivers are scared of the authentic and unapologet-
this season. “I think the rules it was announced he and this second championship. ovals, which I can under- ic,” said Jay Frye, president
are in great shape, and it’s his team would be pulled He sobbed after the race, stand. I challenge anyone of IndyCar.q

MLS lifts ban on anti-Nazi symbol following fan protests

By ANNE M. PETERSON to the left that was first used by an anti-Nazi porters’ groups maintain the Iron Front repre-
AP Sports Writer paramilitary group in the 1930s. The league sents opposition to fascism and persecution
Major League Soccer is lifting its ban on signs had said the emblem violated a ban on politi- — a human rights issue, not a political stance.
and banners featuring an anti-Nazi symbol for cal displays included in the MLS fan code of Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders sup-
the remainder of the season and the playoffs. conduct adopted this season. porters’ groups, as well as the Independent
A handful of fans in Portland were prohibit- MLS maintained the symbol is political be- Supporters’ Council, protested the ban, and
ed from attending matches this season after cause it has been appropriated by antifa, some fans across the league continued to
challenging a ban on the Iron Front, a sym- loosely organized militant groups of anti-fas- use the symbol on flags, banners and signs at
bol with three arrows pointed downward and cists that sometimes engage in violence. Sup- games.q