Former United States international Brian McBride has been named general manager of the men's national team, U.S. Soccer announced Friday.

McBride takes the position formerly held by Earnie Stewart, who was promoted to sporting director last August. McBride, a three-time World Cup veteran and former international teammate of Stewart, will report directly to him, and begin work immediately. McBride is currently heading to Bradenton, Florida, where U.S. men's manager Gregg Berhalter is currently holding a training camp.

"We are thrilled to have Brian McBride assume the role as general manager of the U.S. Men's National Team," Stewart said. "Through his impressive career as a three-time World Cup veteran and at clubs in England, Germany and the United States, he has earned the respect of his peers around the world. The hard-earned reputation will allow him to forge important relationships both internationally and here at home, and his understanding of the game and what it takes to succeed at the highest levels will be invaluable to our player pool and our staff."

McBride emerged from a list of 20 candidates, some of whom were from abroad. The process was coordinated by Stewart, and he was assisted by U.S. women's national team GM and head of women's football Kate Markgraf. McBride was recommended to the USSF technical committee for approval and ratification by the USSF board of directors.

McBride's primary responsibilities will be to oversee the development and management of the player pool, build and guide the culture within the national team environment, and manage relationships with clubs.

"I am incredibly honored to once again represent the national team and the U.S. Soccer Federation," McBride said. "It's critically important for everyone to understand the privilege and pride that goes with wearing the jersey, and I'm excited about the opportunity to build relationships with players and clubs that align with the philosophy and values of U.S. Soccer.

"In this position, part of my job is to work alongside Gregg and his staff in fostering a growth mentality for the USMNT and to help Earnie ensure that this mindset is present in all of our youth national teams. I look forward to working with Earnie and Kate to continue the progress we have made in the last two decades."

McBride's playing career spanned 16 years, including stints with Wolfsburg, the Columbus Crew, Fulham and the Chicago Fire. He also had loan spells with Preston North End and Everton. All told, he made 450 league and cup appearances at club level, scoring 144 goals.

At international level, McBride played 95 times for the United States and scored 30 goals.

Chelsea and United States midfielder Christian Pulisic has echoed the comments of former manager Jurgen Klinsmann, stating that the U.S. "had quality" to make a deep run at the 2018 World Cup.

The U.S. failed to qualify for the tournament, falling to Trinidad & Tobago 2-1 on the final day of qualifying, with Pulisic netting the only U.S. goal. The defeat ended a hugely inconsistent campaign, one that started off with consecutive defeats to Mexico and Costa Rica -- results that cost Klinsmann his job as manager. Klinsmann's successor, Bruce Arena was unable to turn around the Americans' situation.

It's an episode that still rankles Pulisic.

"I definitely feel that we had we had a good enough team and definitely should have qualified, so that was tough for me," Pulisic said in an exclusive interview with ESPN.

In an earlier interview, also with ESPN, Klinsmann repeated a refrain he has been making for two years, that had he remained in charge of the U.S. the team would have gone deep into the knockout stages.

"The team belonged [in] Russia," Klinsmann said. "They belonged in the World Cup. The qualification was pretty much done and then it happened, the big disaster in Trinidad which no one could ever have imagined."

Klinsmann added: "I'd take that team in Russia to the final eight, maybe even the final four because there was a building block there and there was a plan for it and the plan got interrupted and it got even more interrupted when the U.S. didn't qualify for Russia."

Pulisic is of similar mind, in terms of what the U.S. could have accomplished at the tournament.

"I think we had quality to [make a deep run]," Pulisic said. "I don't see any reason why we couldn't have. Once you get to those knockout stages, I think anything's possible, I think anything could happen."

Pulisic also spoke of his appreciation for Klinsmann, who gave the Hershey, Pennsylvania native his international debut back in 2016.

"I had a really good relationship with Jurgen, to be honest," said Pulisic. "He gave me my first chance really with the national team, so I don't have anything bad to say about him at all. I'm really thankful for everything that that he gave me."

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Leaving Washington State wasn't easy, but Mike Leach said the opportunity to compete in the SEC as the head coach at Mississippi State was too good to pass up.

Leach, who was introduced as the 34th head coach in program history on Friday afternoon, said he was drawn to the resources and commitment of Mississippi State and the Southeast at large.

"I wanted the opportunity to have another chapter in my career," said Leach, 58. "Why do you play sports? Whether you're a player or a coach, it's to have the opportunity to do something bigger than you currently are."

Part of the challenge is competing against the likes of Alabama's Nick Saban and LSU's Ed Orgeron in a stacked SEC West.

"All those guys, I know," Leach said. "This conference is loaded with quality coaches. That's what makes it exciting."

Leach said the Pac-12 also was loaded, and if he had his druthers, "I like playing against crummy coaches better."

Leach, who spent the last eight years at Washington State and won a school-record 43 games over the past five seasons, said leaving those relationships behind was the hardest part of taking a new job.

"The other side of it," Leach said, "is you're going to be dead in 100 years anyway."

In the end, Leach said he was excited to coach the kind of high-caliber athletes that Mississippi State already possesses and is able to recruit every year.

"I've always wanted a quality place where people are committed to winning," Leach said. "Just to be perfectly honest, the recruiting base here is hard to resist."

Before accepting the job at Mississippi State, Leach talked to Arkansas about its opening, sources told ESPN's Chris Low, and he was close to landing the Tennessee job two years ago before John Currie was fired as the Volunteers' athletic director.

Leach succeeds Joe Moorhead, who was fired Jan. 3 after going 14-12 in two seasons with the Bulldogs.

The details of Leach's contract were released prior to his introductory news conference. His four-year deal -- state law limits the length of his contract to four years -- will pay him an annual salary of $5 million.

He'll have an annual compensation pool of $4.7 million for his staff. Leach said he has not filled out his coaching staff yet but hopes to have that wrapped up as soon as possible.

Introducing Leach, Mississippi State athletic director John Cohen made reference to restoring discipline within the program, which had become a point of contention under Moorhead.

"We hired Mike Leach because he's a disciplinarian," Cohen said. "We hired Mike Leach because he's a brilliant tactician. Most of all, we hired Mike Leach because he's a proven winner."

Let's roll with Jan. 10 NBA things:

1. Some precarious Lakers minutes

It's really the only blemish on an otherwise dominant season: The Lakers average 100.5 points per 100 possessions with LeBron James on the bench -- three points worse than the league's clankiest offense. It's all shooting: The Lakers with LeBron sitting don't get nearly as many profitable shots -- corner 3s and attempts in the restricted area -- and they brick away from just about everywhere.

The Lakers shoot 70% at the rim with LeBron on the floor -- a number that would lead all teams -- and a middling 63% when he sits, per Cleaning the Glass. The drop-off on corner 3s is just as severe. Their expected effective field goal percentage with LeBron -- based on shot location, the identity of the shooter, and the proximity of defenders -- would top the league, but drops to around average without him, per Second Spectrum.

Some of this is bad luck, but most is shaky process. The Lakers have no identity when LeBron sits. Rajon Rondo and Alex Caruso dribble, dribble, dribble, but don't really get anywhere because defenders duck every pick. Someone burps up a contested jumper. Sometimes, the Lakers play these minutes with Anthony Davis at center. Sometimes, they pair Davis and Dwight Howard. Weirdly, they have tread water in the Davis-Howard minutes and hemorrhaged points when Davis mans the middle sans LeBron, per NBA.com. Sometimes they go wild and play without both LeBron and Davis.

It feels weird to say a dose of ballhandling would help, given both Rondo and Caruso are capable. But Caruso isn't a possession organizer, and late-career Rondo is hit-or-miss in that role against top defenses. He has been better as a connector -- a cutter and extra pass guy -- in the middle of possessions than as initiator. (Rondo got a "like" in this space for his connector role last month.)

The Lakers know this. They are looking. They will also ramp up LeBron's playing time in the postseason; there might be only five or six non-LeBron minutes in the highest-stakes games. Davis on his own should win some of those stretches. But entire quarters -- and then games, then series -- can be lost in those segments.

2. The Pacers, making it work

Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner are both centers. They are also both good, and teams in small markets can't get picky about which good players to keep. The Pacers bet Sabonis and Turner were just different enough -- on both ends -- to make it work.

Indiana is a tidy plus-6.4 points per 100 possessions with their double-center look, and the two have settled into a groove. Sabonis has managed defending power forwards, allowing Turner to protect the basket.

It works on offense because Turner has stepped back into a secondary spot-up role. Sabonis is the hub. He sets twice as many ball screens as Turner, per Second Spectrum, and he's a pivoty passing genius in open space. He has become a little braver lately shooting long 2s out of the pick-and-roll, and he has drained 53% of them. Those aren't sexy shots, but every team needs them as a failsafe.

The Malcolm Brogdon/Sabonis pick-and-roll is already one of the league's most reliable engines of offense. They have a counter for every scheme. Both can exploit switches; Sabonis takes sneering delight in mashing little guys.

Turner is shooting 35% from deep, and struts onto center stage when Sabonis rests.

The question is whether Turner is content with this arrangement. The team belongs to Sabonis and Brogdon now. Turner jacks 16 shots per 36 minutes in his solo time, but just nine when he plays with Sabonis, per NBA.com. Turner's counting stats are down. Indiana has struggled in Turner-only minutes -- especially on the glass, where Turner remains unreliable.

The Pacers continue to turn away teams who inquire about Turner, sources say. They are good, and they want to see how things look when Victor Oladipo returns. But every team in need of a big man should keep an eye on Turner.

3. Andre Drummond, turnover machine

Drummond has 99 assists and 131 turnovers. That is ... not great. He is posting by far the highest turnover rate of his career. He ranks 399th in assist-to-turnover ratio.

This is only sort of about Drummond, who enjoyed a mini-breakout as a distributor from the elbows right before the Pistons acquired Blake Griffin to do that same job. With Griffin, Reggie Jackson and now Luke Kennard injured, the creative burden on Drummond is too much. Detroit has no easy path to decent shots when Derrick Rose is off the floor. The upside of a thread-the-needle pass from Drummond might be worth the risk of a turnover.

But some of it is on Drummond. He has suffered a bunch of alarming cough-ups in the open floor, often without anyone pressuring him -- bounces off his foot, carrying violations, straight pratfalls:

It's as if the circuitry connecting his brain to his hands shorts out.

He hasn't really advanced as passer on the move in the pick-and-roll -- a crucial skill for any frequent screen-setter:

He has trouble mapping the floor -- tracking shooters and anticipating how the defense will rotate.

Detroit is still sussing out the market for Drummond, sources say. His potential availability presents interesting dilemmas for suitors. It's easy to get perhaps too low on Drummond. He's an old-fashioned brutish center valuable on defense only when he goes full throttle, and even then he isn't near the class of Rudy Gobert and Joel Embiid.

But he's a monstrous rebounder -- one of the greatest ever. A trade could motivate him. A trade to a contender could really motivate him.

He has never played alongside an elite pick-and-roll ball handler. Remember when the Jackson-Drummond pick-and-roll was a thing? Hell, remember when the Brandon Jennings-Drummond pick-and-roll was a thing for a hot second? What would Drummond look like dancing with James Harden, Kemba Walker, LeBron, Trae Young or Luka Doncic? (Note: I am not suggesting those teams as trade destinations.)

He'd surely look better, but he doesn't seem as explosive rim-running as he once was. Good teams are more curious about his defense anyway.

4. Some other Spurs are doing fun things

I'm tired of moaning about the tentpole veterans, even if DeMar DeRozan is in the midst of his best stretch of the season and LaMarcus Aldridge finally asked someone what the one arching line painted on the floor indicates.

The Spurs have won four of six, they're flirting with modernity, and some of their young guys are perking up.

Dejounte Murray is 10-of-15 from deep over his past nine games after canning only 23 triples over his entire career before then. He has made almost half his midrange shots this season.

Everyone spends time off the ball in San Antonio's system. A workable jumper would transform Murray into a threat. It might also coax Gregg Popovich into giving Murray more control of the offense. A Murray who punishes defenders for skittering under picks has major two-way potential -- maybe All-Star potential.

Lonnie Walker IV is already one of the league's half-dozen or so most telegenic players in the open court. He absolutely flies. Some guys hesitate in transition as they approach the 3-point line, expecting resistance. Walker does not know what it means to hesitate.

He's a graceful midair contortionist:

Walker is shooting 37% from deep and dialing in more on defense. Keep playing this man!

Jakob Poeltl logged more minutes alongside LaMarcus Aldridge in one playoff series last season than he has this entire season. That leaves only a dozen or so minutes per game for him, but Poeltl is making the most of them as a menacing rim protector. He is rejecting 2.8 shots per 36 minutes, up from 1.9 last season.

He is borderline balletic matching guards step-for-step:

He has been just as good zipping across the paint as a help defender.

Opponents have hit just 48.8% of shots in the restricted area with Poeltl nearby, the seventh-lowest figure among all rotation big men, per NBA.com. Other teams should be trying to steal him on the cheap.

5. Deandre Ayton and Aron Baynes together, and the vanishing of Dario Saric

The Suns are plus-6 in 50 minutes with their double-barreled center, but I'm skeptical. I get the reasoning. The Suns have to start Ayton, and Baynes has been their keystone on defense. He spaces the floor, clearing the paint for Ayton.

It just doesn't look right. Phoenix wants Baynes barricading the rim on defense, forcing Ayton to chase stretch power forwards. He is out of his depth there. Smart teams are going to run his guy off pindowns and pick-and-roll him to death.

Opponents reverse the matchups on the other end; they stick power forwards on Baynes and assign centers to jostle with Ayton. That can neuter Baynes' shooting. Power forwards are faster than centers closing out on him.

Cross-matches create chaos in transition as teams scramble to find optimal matchups, but so far that chaos seems to work more against Phoenix. Ayton is still learning the basics of NBA defense. It's asking a lot of him to toggle assignments on a dead sprint as the game whirs around him.

The Suns built their roster not to play this style. They have a decent power forward in Saric, and three rangy wings filling time there in small-ball lineups: Kelly Oubre Jr., Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson.

The Ayton-Baynes duo has marginalized Saric; he hasn't cracked 20 minutes in any of Phoenix's past five games, and didn't even reach 10 in two of them. Phoenix traded down from No. 6 in last year's draft to acquire Saric and the No. 11 pick -- which they used on Johnson. Johnson's shooting is as advertised, and he's nimbler than expected on defense.

But Saric was a key component -- a potential long-term starter. What now?

6. Get Trae Young moving, please

The All-Star conversation is becoming a premature referendum on Young: Is he a stats-hoarding gimmick enabled by a desperate-for-attention franchise?

That characterization is harsh, even if Young might be the worst defensive player in the league. Young runs more pick-and-rolls than anyone, but that doesn't mean his numbers are empty. He's a gifted passer, and he gets rid of it early when he sees an open teammate or a mismatch. His extra-long 3s stretch defenses to their breaking point -- opening lanes for everyone else.

Atlanta scores 108 points per 100 possessions with Young on the floor, and a grotesque 92 -- miles below the league's worst offense -- when he sits. You could argue that chasm is the penalty for building an all-Young, all-the-time offense; when he sits, the Hawks are clueless. Some of that is probably going on.

But this roster beyond Young and John Collins is mostly geezers, cap fodder, and guys in their first and second seasons. Young carrying them to something like a league-average offense is an accomplishment -- indicative of skills that will translate onto winning Atlanta teams.

That said, I would like to see more of this as Kevin Huerter, De'Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, and the rest improve:

Young has attempted only 58 catch-and-shoot 3s -- about 1.7 per 36 minutes. That is down slightly from last season. Young has attempted five times as many pull-up 3s. Stephen Curry's splits were never nearly so stark.

Curry lifted the Warriors' offense -- and empowered teammates -- by leveraging the threat of his shooting as a screener and cutter. He turned his jumper into a mobile weapon that could materialize anywhere, anytime. The biggest difference between Young and Curry is that Young so far has shown little appetite for that.

Of course, younger Curry had superior teammates -- guys who made good decisions with the ball while he ran around. Young has to give his teammates at least some chance to prove themselves. Nudging Young in this direction would be one reason for Atlanta to acquire one or two playable veterans.

Would we tell Doncic, Harden, LeBron or Giannis Antetokounmpo -- suns in their respective solar systems -- to give up the ball some? Maybe not. But Young has one weapon they don't, and one liability -- size.

7. The steadiness of Serge Ibaka

Three years ago, when the Raptors re-signed Ibaka to a three-year, $65 million deal, he appeared at risk of accelerating decline. He had lost some of the athleticism that made him such a feared all-court destroyer on defense. That happens to everyone. Good players compensate with improved feel and IQ. But Ibaka hadn't made much progress reading the game.

He still hasn't, really. But Ibaka staved off further decline, and established himself as a bulwark on both ends for the injury-ravaged Raptors.

Moving to center almost full time has helped. It simplifies Ibaka's responsibilities. He screens for Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet, slips into space, and flicks up midrangers. He has gorgeous chemistry with both Toronto point guards. Lowry could probably find Ibaka blindfolded, and has made a point over the past two seasons of feeding him in his sweet spots.

Ibaka's offensive rebounding and free throws have bounced back to near-prime levels since his shift to center. He is still explosive on second jumps, and has a good sense for when to chase put-backs -- when he has a crease, or when the Raptors need a jolt of energy.

His passing reads at center are more basic. Ibaka will never make the pass that surprises the defense, but he can make the simple one to the next link in the chain. That's enough.

Playing center parks him near the rim more, and he's still a deterrent there; opponents have hit just 49% of shots at the basket with Ibaka nearby, 9th lowest among 113 rotation players who challenge at least three such shots per game.

Remember: The Raptors don't win the title without Ibaka. He had some massive moments in their run: 17 points in Game 7 against the Sixers, including three gigantic triples (remember that contested pull-up over Ben Simmons from the right corner?), and 50 points over the past three games of the Finals. Nick Nurse busted out the Ibaka-Marc Gasol double-center look against Philly, and it worked.

Maybe Ibaka never became the player we dreamed he could be. Instead, he grew more comfortable in his own skin, and honed his core skills. There is dignity in that.

8. Coaches who use their challenge before crunch time

Coaches have to stop this unless they are challenging their superstar's fourth or fifth foul in the first half. Even in some of those situations, the chance of a successful challenge is not worth forfeiting that same opportunity when the game is in the balance.

I don't care if your superstar is mad about a call. I don't care if the opposing superstar just tricked the refs into a bogus 3-shot foul that puts you down by 10 in the second quarter -- a meaningful momentum swing. That deficit with 15 or 25 or 30 minutes left is not as bad as it seems. Time holds all sorts of possibilities. Someone on your team will get hot. You might benefit from a ridiculous 3-shot foul.

Superstars are adept at playing through foul trouble. Officials are loathe to foul them out on anything borderline.

Most coaches already get this. (Terry Stotts is a coaching challenge wizard.) More will save their challenges in playoff games. But coaches are blowing too many early.

9. Keep an eye on Jarrett Culver

It was hard to get a read on Culver early, but the picture became clearer as Culver got more minutes with Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins out. Culver's shot comes and goes -- he's shooting 44% on free throws! -- but he has shown a nice feel attacking off the catch. He's patient, with some change of pace guile, and more explosive than you expect when he hits the gas in traffic.

Culver has scored in double digits in six straight games.

Culver's work on defense has been most interesting. (Minnesota has been feistier on that end without Towns.) He's long and smart, with a good understanding of personnel and what the offense wants to do. He plays on his toes, capable of changing direction in a snap.

Culver seems to like defense. He butts into passing lanes, arms extended, and denies swing passes:

Ryan Saunders has sometimes assigned Culver to the best opposing perimeter player, including Ja Morant on Tuesday in Memphis. Culver has not looked out of place in that job.

It's no secret the Wolves tried to move up from No. 6 in last season's draft. They liked Darius Garland, too. Garland has more star ballhandling potential and filled a more urgent positional need, but Culver might grow into a very nice two-way wing -- the most valuable type of support player.

10. Get all the way out of here with in-game ads

I have learned to tolerate announcers blurting out mandatory advertising reads at Micro Machines Guy-speed after every home team 3-pointer or dunk. Want to squeeze sponsored content onto one side of the screen during free throws? Fine. Free throws are boring.

But I cannot -- nay, will not! -- accept audio and visual ads engulfing live game action. I've seen this most egregiously on Cleveland broadcasts; the announcers go silent while some soothing techno-voice spouts Lindsey Naegle prepackaged gobbledygook about health care or retirement plans or whatever over live action -- with grotesque visual accompaniment:

Oh hell no.

CINCINNATI -- Trevor Bauer agreed to a one-year, $17.5 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, bypassing salary arbitration after the All-Star pitcher had a contentious hearing with Cleveland last offseason.

Bauer, acquired from the Indians in July, relished beating Cleveland in arbitration the past two offseasons but complained after last winter's hearing that Major League Baseball labor relations staff attempted "character assassination" against him.

The right-hander was awarded $13 million over the Indians' $11 million offer in 2019, a year after winning a raise to $6,525,000 against Cleveland's $5.3 million offer. Bauer donated his extra winnings in 2018 to charity in what he called "69 days of giving" -- an online campaign that leaned on sexual innuendo and a reference to marijuana to raise awareness.

Bauer said MLB labor relations department representatives attempted to use the operation to "demean my character" in the 2019 hearing.

"That kind of put a black mark on what I thought was a really well-argued case on both sides," said Bauer, an unreserved right-hander who maintains he never plans to sign a multiyear contract.

Bauer can become a free agent after the 2020 season. An All-Star in 2018, his results slipped significantly last season when he went 2-5 with a 6.39 ERA in 10 starts with the Reds. That left him 11-13 overall with a 4.48 ERA in 34 games with Cleveland and Cincinnati.

The 13 losses were a career high, and his ERA was the second highest for a full season.

Bauer was the most expensive of the Reds' potential arbitration cases. He'll be part of a rotation that's counted on to help break a streak of six straight losing seasons.

The Reds also reached one-year agreements Friday with the rest of their arbitration-eligible players: right-handed starter Anthony DeSclafani ($5,975,000), reliever Michael Lorenzen ($3,725,000), catcher Curt Casali ($1,462,500) and right-hander Matt Bowman ($865,000).

Bauer trails only Joey Votto ($25 million) on the Reds' payroll this year. All-Star Sonny Gray has a $10.2 million base salary, and left-hander Wade Miley gets $6 million as part of a two-year, $15 million deal he signed with the Reds last month.

All-Star Luis Castillo made $557,500 last year and is expected to receive only a small raise.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – David Ragan’s plans for retirement will have to wait at least one more race.

Ragan, who announced last season he would be retiring from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition at the end of 2019, will join Rick Ware Racing to compete in the Daytona 500 next month at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

The 34-year-old is scheduled to drive the No. 36 Ford Fusion with sponsorship from Select Blinds and Speedy Cash.

Really excited for the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the No. 36 @Select_Blinds Ford Mustang for @RickWareRacing at @DISupdates!

Thank you to both @Select_Blinds and @speedycash for coming on board for the 62nd running of the Great American Race. pic.twitter.com/56AbAPkH2R

— David Ragan (@DavidRagan) January 10, 2020

The Georgia native has competed in 470 NASCAR Cup Series races and has two victories, one at Daytona Int’l Speedway in 2011 and another at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in 2013.

Prior to stepping away from full-time competition, Ragan spent the last three seasons driving for Bob Jenkins and Front Row Motorsports.

INDIANAPOLIS – Justin Grant will be back with RAMS Racing for a selection of premier midget events this season, beginning with the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals, Jan. 13-18.

Expected events on Grant’s calendar – made up of roughly 15 races – include the Shamrock Classic at the Southern Illinois Center, Indiana Midget Week in June, the BC39 at The Dirt Track at IMS and the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura (Calif.) Raceway.

Grant will pilot the NOS Energy Drink-backed No. 4a once again as he chases victory lane, as well as his first Chili Bowl Golden Driller next week.

“You’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and I’ve been fortunate to surround myself with the best, between RAMS Racing and NOS Energy Drink,” Grant relayed. “To have the full support of a great team and a great partner is huge. Confidence is king in the racing game and I’m confident that with Rick and Jeff’s support, as well as Lauren (Albano) and everyone at NOS Energy Drink, we can continue and further our success in 2020 – starting at the Chili Bowl Nationals.

“I can’t thank Rick Young and Jeff Taylor enough for their continued efforts with this entire team.”

Grant collected a victory last season during Indiana Midget Week, driving to victory with the NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series at Gas City I-69 Speedway in June.

His drive, determination and knowledge of his race cars made Grant an easy choice to retain in the eyes of team owner Rick Young.

“Justin is a gracious young man and we’re proud of the team that we’re building with him,” said Young. “Our goals are to help him toward his goals.”

“Justin is a multi-talented driver with success in many series,” added Rockwell Security’s Jeff Taylor. “As a business owner, I love surrounding myself with four aces in the deck, and Justin is one of those. More importantly, I love the way Justin is off the track. He’s a great husband, a great dad and a great friend. Many people don’t know that he’s not only our driver, but his own crew chief and truck driver as well.”

Grant’s longtime sponsor, NOS Energy Drink, returns to RAMS Racing with him again this season.

“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with RAMS Racing and Justin Grant,” said NOS Energy Drink Marketing Director Lauren Albano. “Justin has been with us since the beginning of our dirt experience and has continued to deliver far beyond expectations. It’s a blast watching him on track and we look forward to the 2020 season kicking off at the Chili Bowl Nationals next week.”

INDIANAPOLIS – Anthony D’Alessio is stepping up to challenge for AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series rookie-of-the-year honors during the upcoming season.

D’Alessio, in conjunction with Parallax Motorsports, will field one entry as an owner and driver for the 2020 slate, which features 46 events at 23 different venues, most of which D’Alessio will be experiencing for the first time.

His challenge begins in February at Florida’s Bubba Raceway Park with Winter Dirt Games XI.

“I am beyond excited for the upcoming season,” D’Alessio said. “It is a dream come true, and I can’t wait to hit the track in February in my home state of Florida. I want to thank everyone who has helped me get this far. We still have plenty of work to do.”

The 19-year-old from Apollo Beach, Fla., is approaching the 2020 season with tenacity and drive, after relocating to Indiana in 2018 to pursue his dream of becoming a professional race car driver.

In preparation, D’Alessio ran Indiana Sprint Week in 2019, along with racing at many local Indiana tracks in his first full year in a non-winged sprint car.

D’Alesso made one AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series feature in 2019, winning his heat race and finishing 20th at Kokomo Speedway during Indiana Sprint Week.

He moved from Florida with a plethora of racing experience and several accolades.  Starting at a young age in go karts as well as one season in dirt modifieds, he transitioned to sprint car racing in Florida, earning 2016 Top Gun Sprint Car Series Rookie of the Year and 2017 Rookie of the Year honors with the Southern Shootout Sprint Car Series.

COSTA MESA, Calif. – MotoAmerica has announced that it will host Flat Track at the Brickyard as part of the MotoAmerica Superbikes at the Brickyard weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Aug. 21-23.

The two days of racing will mark the first time motorcycle flat track racing has been held at the speedway.

Held in conjunction with round eight of the MotoAmerica Series, the Steve Nace Racing Promotions flat track events will feature Amateur and Pro-Am racing on the Brickyard’s quarter-mile dirt track that’s located inside turn three at the speedway on Aug. 21.

The following day, the AMA All-Stars will take over the oval with a full slate of racing, including a round of the Hooligan National Championship and a special invitational Bultaco Astro class. The Bultaco Astro class features many previous national number plate holders and former flat track champions all riding the Bultacos. Additionally, proceeds from the Bultaco Invitational will go to fund the Class of ’79, a charity for injured racers.

Spectator entry to the Flat Track at the Brickyard will be free when purchasing a MotoAmerica Superbikes at the Brickyard ticket.

“As most of our fans know, I started my career racing flat track and it’s always been near and dear to my heart,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “Everyone at MotoAmerica is pumped that we are going to be working with Steve Nace and his group to bring flat track racing to the Brickyard for the first time in conjunction with our five MotoAmerica classes. We will have a lot going on during our MotoAmerica Superbikes at the Brickyard event as we continue to build this into a real motorcycle festival. Our fans are going to love it.”

“We’re thrilled to bring our series to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of the MotoAmerica weekend,” said Steve Nace of SNRP. “It will give our racers and teams a great opportunity to race in front of a different crowd. Who doesn’t get excited about racing at the Brickyard? We’re all looking forward to August 21-23 and putting on a show for MotoAmerica and our flat track fans.”

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti said midfielder Andre Gomes will make a return to training next week -- just two months after suffering a horrific leg break which was expected to keep him sidelined for the entire campaign.

Gomes was injured during a 1-1 draw with Tottenham following a collision with Son Heung-Min, for which the South Korea international was initially red carded, before the decision was later rescinded.

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It was expected the ex-Barcelona man would not play until next season, but Ancelotti said Gomes has made big strides in his recovery.

"Andre Gomes can come back next week, and start to train individually here," the Italian told a news conference ahead of Everton's clash with with Brighton. "It is good news.

"He is doing well in his recovery. It is going fast so I hope as soon as possible he can be with us, because he's a fantastic player."

Ancelotti also said he would stand by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, following reports he was looking to replace the England No. 1.

"I read that I'm looking for a goalkeeper, this is not true," he added. "I have a great goalkeeper, who is the goalkeeper of the national team."