Page 22 - ATD 27MAY2017

A22 SPORTS
Saturday 27 May 2017
IndyCar braces for change, promotes younger drivers

MARK LONG opment driver who spent sport’s Rossi drank the tra-
AP Sports Writer the 2015 learning the ropes ditional victor’s milk after
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — No from IndyCar champions winning on fuel mileage.
one needs a spotter to see Dixon and Dario Franchitti. “Every time you’re in the
this coming. He managed one podium car, you have a lot to
With former Indianapolis finish in 12 starts as a rookie prove,” said rookie Zach
500 champions Helio Cas- and one start since. Se- Veach, who is making
troneves and Tony Kanaan bastian Saavedra, Wade his second IndyCar start.
in the twilight of their rac- Cunningham, Jay Howard, “You’re only as good as
ing careers and possibly Raphael Matos and Tristan your last race.”
driving their final IndyCar Vautier are just a few of the And with essentially three
season, the open-wheel highly touted youngsters top teams — Chip Ganassi
series is on the verge of a who have not really broken Racing, Andretti and Team
fairly significant shift. through in the big leagues. Penske — the number of
Even IndyCar officials are “It’s really hard to bring out prime seats are few and far
braced for the change, sponsorship dollars these between.
having created a “What’s days for anybody to get “Does something have
Next” advertising cam- a ride in IndyCar,” Karam to change? Yeah,” driver
paign that puts several said. “It’s hard. It’s no easy Marco Andretti said. “I’d
younger drivers in the spot- task in racing in general, think somebody who wins
light. to try and get sponsorship an Indy Lights champion-
Americans Josef Newgar- dollars. That’s the hardest ship should have a better
den and defending Indy Defending Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi answers task as a race car driver shot at a full-time ride. This
500 winner Alexander Rossi a question during a press conference for the Indianapolis 500 is finding that sponsorship is super competitive and
as well as popular Cana- IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Thursday, money.” every time they can show
May 25, 2017 in Indianapolis.
dian James Hinchcliffe Associated Press But there’s hope on the what they got, it’s impor-
are part of the push. So horizon, mostly because tant. Does something have
are Graham Rahal and said. “They definitely have “You see a lot of guys can there’s sure to be open to change? Probably. I just
Ryan Hunter-Reay. Throw some good young talent. maybe get one break in In- seats and opportunity. don’t know what. This busi-
in Conor Daly and there is I don’t know how that will dyCar, do a few races, but “There’s some guys that ness is always going to cost
no shortage of potential play out. But if you look at it’s very hard to stay here are on their way out,” money. You need a sup-
candidates to become Newgarden, and I know and work your way all the Karam said. “I feel like port system. Sponsors.”
the face and future of In- they are pushing Conor way up to being a consis- there’s a lot of them that And a little luck.
dyCar. quite hard. But I think in the tent driver,” said Spencer say this is your last year and “There’s so much work that
Then again, there’s no racing community, the re- Pigot, the 2015 Indy Lights then they just come back goes into this behind the
guarantee any of them sults are still a big deal.” champion who made his another year. If they’re still scenes that people don’t
can fill the leading roles so Winning is everything, or at IndyCar debut last year. competitive, why not keep see or realize to put a car
long held by Castroneves least mostly everything. “It’s a very big challenge, driving? There’s some guys on the grid or put a driver in
and Kanaan. The duo has Auto racing is unique in but it is very rewarding if it in the next couple of years a seat,” Pigot said. “It’s not
nearly 50 CART and In- sports because it often re- pays off.” that are going to be out, so always about the best driv-
dyCar victories between quires a blend of talent and The list of up-and-comers we’ll see.” ers and best cars. There’s a
them, including four India- money. Some drivers have who have come and gone Winning surely would help. lot of guys who are good
napolis 500 wins. the talent and struggle to is lengthy and growing ev- It’s unlikely that a youngster enough to be here and
“You can see from their find the financial backing. ery year. or rookie would win “The qualified enough to race
marketing who they are Others bring all-important Sage Karam was once In- Greatest Spectacle in Rac- the 500 and they aren’t,
pushing,” four-time series sponsors but can’t get to dyCar’s next great hope, a ing,” but it happened last and it has nothing to do
champion Scott Dixon the winner’s circle. Chip Ganassi Racing devel- year when Andretti Auto- with their talent.”q

Quintana reclaims pink jersey

with 2 stages to go in Giro

Dumoulin couldn’t keep up breakaway, finally tasting Before Friday’s stage, Du-
with his main rivals in the fi- victory after two second- moulin apologized to Nibali
nal uphill finish of the three- place finishes and one and the pair shook hands.
week race and trails Quin- third-place result. If anything, Dumoulin’s
tana, the 2014 winner from Landa required nearly comments appeared to
Colombia, by 38 seconds. five hours to complete the have motivated Quintana
Two-time winner Vincenzo 191-kilometer (119-mile) and Nibali, who temporar-
Nibali is third overall, 43 sec- route from San Candido ily dropped Dumoulin on
onds behind Quintana. to Piancavallo. He finished a downhill section midway
With Thibaut Pinot of France nearly two minutes ahead through Friday’s stage.
fourth overall, 53 seconds of Rui Costa, with Stage 17 While the Dutchman
Colombian rider Nairo Quintana wears the pink jersey of the
overall leader as he celebrates on the podium after the 19th back, the top four are winner Pierre Rolland cross- caught up on the ensuing
stage of the Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, from San grouped within less than a ing third. On Thursday, Du- Sella Chianzutan climb,
Candido to Piancavallo, Friday, May 26, 2017. minute.“It’s pretty compli- moulin criticized the tactics he didn’t have the legs to
Associated Press cated. We have to adapt of Quintana and Nibali, keep up on the 15.4-kilo-
PIANCAVALLO, Italy (AP) — to go in the Giro d’Italia the strategy day-by-day,” saying they were merely meter climb to Piancavallo,
Nairo Quintana reclaimed on Friday, setting up what Quintana said. racing to make him lose which began at an aver-
the pink jersey from Tom could be a tense finale in Spanish rider Mikel Landa — remarks that earned a age gradient of nearly 10
Dumoulin with two stages Milan on Sunday. won the 19th stage in a sharp rebuke from Nibali. percent.q