TULSA, Okla. – Chance Crum will tackle a new challenge next month when he heads to the River Spirit Expo Center for the 34th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals.

Crum, a seasoned micro sprint driver from Snohomish, Wash., will make his rookie appearance at the Super Bowl of Midget Racing with Kyle Beilman Racing in the No. 31b Esslinger-powered Spike.

The 22-year-old University of Washington-Bothell senior has turned laps at Tulsa Expo Raceway in the past during the Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout, but the Chili Bowl will be his first time there in a midget.

“Man, it’s cool that we’re even talking about this,” Crum told Sprint Car & Midget by phone on Monday. “Garrett Andrews at CSI Shocks (Competition Suspension Inc.) actually helped put this together for us. We got to talking to Kyle (Beilman) about doing this deal and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

“I’m very fortunate to having some great people helping me out to make this Chili Bowl run possible,” Crum continued. “I want to give a big thank you to Cody and Rachelle Anderlini, with the Anderlini Group of Companies, for their role in making this year’s Chili Bowl a reality for me.”

Crum has spent time in 600 micros, 1200cc mini sprints, Focus midgets and 360 sprint cars on the West Coast, but the Jan. 13-18 Chili Bowl Nationals will be his first appearance in the crown jewel midget race.

Despite the intensity of coming into Tulsa as an event rookie, Crum is carrying a big smile knowing he has a chance to finally debut on one of the biggest stages in dirt-track racing.

“I’m excited for it. It’ll be my first time there and I know there’s a lot to learn … but being in a really good car and working with some really good people, I think, takes some of those nerves off,” Crum explained. “I’m going to have a really good opportunity here and there’s going to be, of course, a lot of pressure. But I’m looking forward to the chance of going up against some of the really talented drivers that’ll be there and trying to learn as much as I can along the way.”

Crum noted that he’ll have a sizable learning curve during Chili Bowl week, but hopes that his diversity of resume and experience jumping from one type of race car to another will aid him in adapting quickly.

“The biggest thing that’s different is just the additional power that the open midget has,” Crum noted. It’s a lot, requires a lot more throttle control and a lot more car control. I’m very fortunate in that I get to race a lot of different kinds of cars in open wheel, so I’m hoping that having that ability to adapt well will help out in trying to learn.

“The good news is that I’ll be racing at the Tulsa shootout two weeks before, so that will also help me with getting some track time beforehand.”

With all of that in mind, Crum knows where he’s aiming, goal-wise, in his rookie Chili Bowl appearance.

“I know I’m going to have a really good car, so it’s going to come down to how quickly I can learn and adapt,” said Crum. “An event like the Chili Bowl just takes so much luck, you know what I mean? There’s so much that goes into it to make something (great) happen. Ultimately, I’d love to try and make the A-main on my prelim night; I think that would be a high bar to set for myself. I’m going to really push myself to be able to get there.

“But I know we’re working with some great people and they’re going to be giving me everything that I need to go forward. I just going to have to learn as fast as I can and try and make some magic happen.”

ADAIRSVILLE, Ga. – The Sweetheart 40 at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn., on Feb. 15 has been added to the Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series schedule.

The Sweetheart 40 will be the eighth event of the nine-race series, and it will mark the return of Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series for the first time since 2015.

“We are looking forward to returning to 411 Motor Speedway with the Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series,” Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series Director Adam Stewart said. “Mitch McCarter, his family and staff have one of the finest racing facilities in the country. The racers and the fans always get great racing action at 411 Motor Speedway.”

The Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series Winter Shootout Series begins at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Ala., with the 29th annual Icebowl on Jan. 4-6. The next three races take place at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., with the Sunshine Nationals on Jan. 16-18.

The Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series returns to East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL for the 44th Annual Winternationals with three races on Jan. 31-Feb. 1. After the 411 Motor Speedway Sweetheart 40 on Feb. 15, the Winter Shootout Series will conclude with the Cochran Clash at Cochran Motor Speedway in Cochran, Ga., on March 7.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FOX Sports and NHRA have released NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series television schedule, highlighted by live FOX broadcast network coverage of four consecutive summer events.

The four-straight events include the Western Swing (Denver, Sonoma and Seattle), as well as the U.S. Nationals from Indianapolis on Labor Day Weekend.

The 24-event FOX NHRA season opens Sunday, Feb. 9, with the 60th Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals live from Pomona, Calif., at 5 p.m. ET on FS1. Fifteen of the season’s final 16 events are scheduled to air live, including the season finale Auto Club NHRA Finals from Pomona.

The season also marks the 50th anniversary of the NHRA Pro Stock Division.

“The 2020 season really gives us a magical opportunity to revel in the history of NHRA Pro Stock drag racing,” said FOX NHRA play-by-play announcer Brian Lohnes. “This class, that kind of burst its way out of the Sportsman ranks, has captivated fans with razor-thin margins of victory since the 1970 NHRA Winternationals. We’re going to have a load of fun celebrating the history of Pro Stock in 2020 and honoring the legends who built the class from the ground up.”

Lohnes and two-time NHRA Funny Car champion Tony Pedregon return to the booth for the FOX NHRA broadcast team, with reporting from two-time NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national champion Bruno Massel, Amanda Busick, Jamie Howe, Lewis Bloom and John Kernan.

FOX Sports and NHRA also are scheduling 16 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series broadcasts, and 12 E3 Spark Plugs Pro Mod Drag Racing Series broadcasts across FOX Sports networks.

NHRA races will appear in Canada and the Caribbean through FOX Sports Racing, as well as through the FOX Sports app.

2020 FOX NHRA TV Schedule
Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, Calif. – Feb. 9, 5 p.m. ET – FS1
Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals, Phoenix – Feb. 23, 9 p.m. ET – FS1
AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, Gainesville, Fla. – March 15, 9:30 p.m. ET – FS1
DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Las Vegas – April 5, 9 p.m. ET – FS1
Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals, Houston – April 19, 8:30 p.m. ET – FS1
NGK Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, Charlotte, N.C. – April 26, 6 p.m. ET – FS1
NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta – May 17, 2 p.m. ET – FS1
Virginia NHRA Nationals, Richmond, Va. – May 31, 5:30 p.m. ET – FS1
Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals, Topeka, Kan. – June 14, 6:30 p.m. ET – FS1
NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals, Bristol, Tenn. – June 21, 2 p.m. ET – FS1
Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, Norwalk, Ohio – June 28, 2 p.m. ET – FS1
Route 66 NHRA Nationals, Chicago – July 12, 3 p.m. ET – FOX
Dodge Mile-High NHRA Nationals, Denver – July 19, 4 p.m. ET – FOX
NHRA Sonoma Nationals, Sonoma, Calif. – July 26, 4 p.m. ET – FOX
Magic Dry NHRA Northwest Nationals, Seattle – Aug. 2, 4 p.m. ET – FOX
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Brainerd, Minn. – Aug. 16, 2 p.m. ET – FS1
NHRA New England Nationals, Epping, N.H. – Aug. 23, 2 p.m. ET – FS1
NHRA U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis – Sept. 7, 11 a.m. ET – FS1
NHRA U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis – Sept. 7, 1 p.m. ET – FOX

NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship Schedule (times subject to change):
Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals, Reading, Pa. – Sept. 20, 1 p.m. ET – FS1
NHRA Carolina Nationals, Charlotte, N.C. – Sept. 27, 2 p.m. ET – FS1
AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals, St. Louis – Oct. 4, 7 p.m. ET – FS1
AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals, Dallas – Oct. 18, 2 p.m. ET – FS2
Dodge NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas – Nov. 1, 4 p.m. ET – FS1
Auto Club NHRA Finals, Pomona, Calif. – Nov. 15, 4 p.m. ET – FS1

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings recalled goalie Calvin Pickard from Grand Rapids of the AHL.

With starter Jimmy Howard nursing a groin injury, Pickard should get at least one start during the Red Wings' set of back-to-back games Saturday and Sunday, at Toronto and vs. Arizona, respectively.

The Red Wings, in last place in the Eastern Conference, announced the move Thursday. Pickard played one game for the Red Wings earlier this season, a 6-1 loss at Philadelphia on Nov. 29.

The 27-year-old Pickard has played in 105 NHL games, posting a 2.96 goals-against average for Colorado, Toronto, Philadelphia, Arizona and Detroit. He has a 3.03 GAA in 19 games for Grand Rapids.

On Wednesday, Detroit placed Eric Comrie, who had been Howard's backup, on waivers, clearing a roster spot for Pickard.

"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" is here, and to celebrate the ninth and final installment of the Skywalker saga we used the Force to find out which soccer stars most closely match characters from a galaxy far, far away. We give you football's version of Star Wars.

Usman Khawaja has spoken of his "shock" at being omitted from Australia's one-day squad for the tour of India after being the team's second-highest run-scorer in 2019.

Khawaja was one of seven members of the World Cup squad that did not make the new-look team for the three-match tour of India next month.

It follows his omission from the Test side during the Ashes which continued into the current season after a lean start to the Sheffield Shield meant he did not make the Pakistan or New Zealand series.

However, his one-day form had been much more compelling with 1085 ODI runs at 49.31 for the year - making him the sixth-highest scorer overall - followed by a strong Marsh Cup campaign with 398 runs at 79.60.

"In all honesty I wasn't expecting to be dropped," Khawaja said after making 66 in the Sydney Thunder's victory over Melbourne Renegades. "Normally when you're getting dropped, you feel like there's a chance. When I was at the Ashes over there, I thought, 'there's a chance [of getting dropped] here.' You sort of see it coming.

"I didn't really see this one coming. It took me by a little bit of shock."

"They can't really tell me to score more runs because I'm one of the highest run-scorers in international cricket. I scored plenty of runs and did plenty well when I came back here, so I don't think there was too much they could say, and there wasn't too much I wanted to say back to them.

"It's disappointing, I copped it on the chin and I'm just looking forward to playing for Thunder now."

Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff (injury) were the other players to miss the India trip as thoughts start to turn to the 2023 World Cup.

"It's going in the direction we want to go over the next three and a half years to the next [50-over] World Cup," captain Aaron Finch said. "And while you don't look that far ahead right now, still have one eye on the planning towards it and build towards there."

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani has completed his throwing program, the final step in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, and was cleared to return to his native Japan, where he will rest and recover for his anticipated return to a two-way role in 2020.

Ohtani spent the 2019 season as a designated hitter, rehabilitating from surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament in his right (throwing) elbow in October 2018. He had been throwing off a mound for more than two months before having to undergo season-ending surgery to address a rare knee condition around the middle of September, which prompted him to shut down his throwing progression for a couple of months.

The Angels did not disclose how often Ohtani threw off the mound when he restarted his throwing program. They are still working to define a blueprint for building him back up as a starter for the 2020 season.

The assumption is that Ohtani, 25, will start once a week rather than every five games, which would prompt the occasional need for a sixth starter. An innings limit might be implemented. Ohtani can DH on the days he doesn't start, though new manager Joe Maddon floated the possibility during the winter meetings of Ohtani also hitting on his start days.

Ohtani currently makes up one-fifth of an Angels rotation that also includes Andrew Heaney, Griffin Canning and the recently added Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran. Ohtani's recovery, combined with Heaney's injury history and Canning's youth, motivated the Angels to add durable starters in Bundy and Teheran, with the latter agreeing Thursday on a one-year, $9 million contract.

The Angels still have the financial flexibility to add a top-tier free-agent starter such as Hyun-Jin Ryu or Dallas Keuchel, though they also have a hole at catcher.