CONCORD, N.C. – Two years after the introduction of the sprint car and late model Fast Pass options, DIRTVision has announced the new All-Access Fast Pass.

The DIRTVision All-Access Fast Pass offering subscribers access to all World of Outlaws events — both sprint cars and late models — along with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals & Summit Modified Nationals tours, the new Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series, and a full slate of Australian action, including the Ultimate Sprintcar Championship, Ultimate Speedway Challenge along with racing from Valvoline Raceway, Perth Motorplex and more.

“Our fan and subscriber base is the heart and soul of DIRTVision. As we grow, we are consistently looking to give each subscriber as much value and compelling content as possible,” said DIRTVision Director of Broadcasts Brian Dunlap. “Since its inception in 2018 the Fast Pass subscription program has increased fan engagement night in and night out. By combining Fast Pass subscriptions, our goal is to give more fans access to more content, further increasing engagement and ultimately driving attendance at the track.”

Current subscribers need not take any action. The two existing subscriptions will simply be merged into one all-access DIRTVision Fast Pass for the same price of $39 per month.

The DIRTVision Fast Pass will now offer the best sprint car, late model, modified and midget racing in the world, across the United States, Canada, and Australia.

CORONA, Calif. – Bob Patison, the President of MAVTV Motorsports Network and longtime Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Lucas Oil Products, has been honored with the Mike Swims Award of Excellence.

The award, honoring late National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series supporter Mike Swims, is presented annually to an honoree who’s shown integrity and gone above and beyond to make a lasting impact on the lives of racers, crews and fans of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

“Just to be mentioned in the same sentence as Mike Swims is an honor in itself,” said Patison. “Receiving the Mike Swims Award is simply unbelievable and I am truly grateful. He was wise beyond his years, and always a gentleman. He was a dear friend of mine.”

“Mike Swims always displayed great people skills and had a race promoting skill set beyond his years. His funny sense of humor and faith were his best attributes day in and day out,” said Ritchie Lewis, Lucas Oil Director of Race Operations. “I would like to congratulate Bob Patison on winning this year’s Mike Swims Award. Bob and Mike were very close and complemented each other’s skill sets on a daily basis when working together.”

Patison joins a respected list of past Mike Swims Award of Excellence winners, including Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, the King family and other racing industry professionals.

INDIANAPOLIS – Two-time USAC national champion Chris Windom will drive for Tucker-Boat Motorsports during the full 2020 NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series season.

Windom’s 2016 Silver Crown and 2017 AMSOIL National Sprint Car titles have him just one NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget Series championship shy of becoming the seventh USAC Triple Crown champion to have won all three national titles in his career.

It would add him to a group that includes Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley, Pancho Carter, Dave Darland, Jerry Coons Jr. and Tracy Hines.

The Canton, Ill. native, who now resides in St. Louis, Mo., believes Tucker-Boat Motorsports provides him with an opportunity to become the next in that group.

“They run a top-notch operation,” Windom said. “They pay close attention to detail, as does everyone at the top of the midget standings, but I just felt like I’ve always gotten along great with Chad. At the point I’m at in my career, this is the right move for me.”

Windom arrives at Tucker-Boat Motorsports following a successful 2019 campaign with Clauson/Marshall Racing, with whom he collected his first two career series wins at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway and Pennsylvania’s Grandview Speedway.

Following the season, Windom and CMR parted ways. He then scoped out the possible landing spots, and a deal was made with Tucker-Boat to step into a full-time ride.

“I have nothing bad to say about anybody at CMR,” Windom said. “We had a great year, and without Tyler having a record setting season, I think we would’ve been battling for a championship. I have nothing but good things to say about all those guys there.

“They definitely worked their butts off to give me a great car all year, but once I left there, I felt this was the best opportunity out there to go to.”

With primary sponsorship from NOS Energy Drink, Windom takes on driving duties for a team which won two events in 2019 with two different drivers, team owner Chad Boat at Pennsylvania’s Path Valley Speedway Park and Gio Scelzi at Placerville (Calif.) Speedway.

“I’ve had the opportunity to race with Chris for a long time,” Boat noted. “We’ve both been around USAC and done other types of racing, and I think we’ll complement each other very well. I think, as a driver, I have an understanding of what he’ll need in the car.

“We definitely have high expectations for the team that we can go out and compete for wins every night.”

"Oh yes, oh goodness" purred Pommie Mbangwa as Joe Root reverse-paddled an attempted yorker from Chris Morris over third man for six. "You've just got to appreciate the batsmanship these days. Who thinks to do that?"

It was perhaps the best T20I innings ever played by an Englishman: in the cauldron of Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, amid the pressure of a gargantuan 230 target in a do-or-die encounter with South Africa at the 2016 World T20, Root took only 44 balls to make a showpiece 83, exemplifying the combination of orthodoxy and innovation that secured him his place among the vanguard of modern batting talents.

But since the final of that tournament (in which he scored another key half-century and also claimed two first-over wickets), Root has played only 23 T20s - approximately one every two months. There is little complicated about the diagnosis: as England's Test captain and one of their few all-format players, Root simply hasn't had time to keep up with a format that continues to evolve at startling pace.

ALSO READ: Buttler, Stokes, Archer back for SA T20Is, no room for Root

Since that tournament, Root has played 136 games of international cricket, more than anyone in the world except Virat Kohli. He has regularly reiterated his desire to play more and to improve, turning down the opportunity to be rested for the Trans-Tasman tri-series after the 2017-18 Ashes and even spending last winter eking out 99 runs in seven innings for Sydney Thunder.

"For me to get into the T20I side, it will mean that I have to keep getting better," Root said before England's series in New Zealand. "If someone like Tom Banton comes in and sets the world alight, I've got to try force him out in the limited opportunities I get to play.

"If that happens, it raises the standard of English cricket in that format. That's the food chain that cricket is sometimes. You have to be at the top of it otherwise you get swept away and eaten up."

In the event, it wasn't Banton that swept Root away but Dawid Malan, and it is hard to think of a more suitable candidate to drive home the point about Root's lack of T20 exposure.

While few would argue that Root lacks any quality that Malan possesses in terms of natural talent or work ethic, his playing time in short-form cricket has been minimal in the last three-and-a-half years. Malan, meanwhile, has played in the Bangladesh Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Mzansi Super League and the Abu Dhabi T10 in the last 12 months, in addition to the Blast and four T20Is; he has hit more sixes in 2019 than Root has in his T20 career.

And so with ten months to go until England's first T20 World Cup fixture, Root finds himself sidelined, and with almost no hope of getting an opportunity to impress in short-form cricket.

"I've always felt that when I have had a block of that format, to really get stuck into it, I've generally done pretty well," Root said in October. "I felt that was the case with the last T20 World Cup. It took me a couple of warm-up games over a two-week period beforehand to really get back into it, but then once the tournament started, I found my way in."

But when can that run realistically come? Perhaps burned by his failure to get a contract two years ago, he did not put himself forward for next week's IPL auction, and the way England's international schedule fits in with domestic cricket next summer, it is hard to see how he could play more than once for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast. Aside from three outings in the Hundred ahead of the Pakistan Test series, he will have precious little chance to press his case.

Compare that with the case of Banton, the other top-order option who finds himself on the outside looking in. He is currently in Brisbane ahead of the Big Bash, will play in the PSL in February, and could go straight into the IPL season if - as expected - he is picked up in next week's auction. He would then return in time for the start of the Blast, then head into the Hundred before England's World Cup preparations ramp up.

It begs the question: why would England take the risk of picking Root? They are blessed with a surfeit of top-order batsmen, all of whom play top-level T20 cricket much more regularly than him. Perhaps, given his record against spin, he might come back into the picture before the 2021 tournament in India, but again his opportunities to play in the format are likely to be scarce.

And yet, counterintuitively, England maintain that Root is part of their T20 plans, and that they simply wished to look "in another direction" at other players in South Africa.

That explanation reflects an uneasy impasse, with all parties apparently unwilling to accept what seems to be obvious: that circumstances have not allowed Root to play enough short-form cricket for him to be among the country's best T20 batsmen. If the long-term solution is unclear, perhaps accepting that hard truth is a necessary starting point - with the World Cup hurtling into view, it must be time to break the gridlock.

Sam Billings will not put his name forward for any T20 franchise action this winter after missing out on England's white-ball squads in South Africa, but says that his disappointment will provide an opportunity to "freshen up" ahead of the new English season with Kent.

Billings has endured a chastening year on the fringes of England selection. He had been a frontrunner for a World Cup berth this summer, but was cruelly ruled out of contention after dislocating his shoulder on the opening day of the season.

Then, in the absence of a number of senior players including Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali, Billings was named vice-captain for last month's T20 series in New Zealand -a huge vote of confidence - but was unable to make his presence felt with just 34 runs in five innings, albeit with three not-outs.

Billings will now turn his attention back to Kent where, as captain, he returned to action in August and impressed in the closing rounds of the County Championship, scoring three hundreds in consecutive innings, including two in the match against Yorkshire at Headingley - form that might yet lead to a role with England Lions when they head to Australia in the New Year.

Away from England duty, he chose not to put his name forward for next week's IPL auction after being released by Chennai Super Kings back in November. He has previously featured in the Pakistan Super League for Islamabad United, and for Sydney Sixers in Australia's Big Bash.

On a personal level, I have chosen to pull out of any franchise cricket this winter as well to focus/freshen up for a big year with @KentCricket . Very fortunate to have played all over the last few years & a break from the game to refresh I feel is the best decision (2/2)

— Sam Billings (@sambillings) December 13, 2019

"All the best to the lads heading to South Africa," Billings wrote on Twitter. "Huge amount of depth esp in the white ball game atm. Of course disappointed not to be involved but wish the boys all the best. Will be working hard to get back in the mix (in all formats) in the near future!

"On a personal level, I have chosen to pull out of any franchise cricket this winter as well to focus/freshen up for a big year with @KentCricket. Very fortunate to have played all over the last few years & a break from the game to refresh I feel is the best decision."

Another man on the sidelines this winter is Liam Plunkett, England's unsung hero of the World Cup final - which, at the age of 34, may now prove to have been his final match in international cricket.Having been overlooked for a central contract in September, Plunkett possibly anticipated his omission from both squads, but nevertheless took to Twitter to register his disappointment.

"Gutted not to be involved in the England odi squad," he wrote.

PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles coach Doug Pederson called linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill's decision to hide and play through a concussion "a selfish act" and said he was disappointed in his decision-making.

Grugier-Hill told reporters Thursday that he suffered a head injury on the first play against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13 and lied to the medical staff so he could stay in the game, saying that he had hurt his shoulder.

When the symptoms failed to subside, he came clean with the team the following Thursday. Grugier-Hill was placed in concussion protocol and missed last week's game against the New York Giants.

"This goes back to training camp when we sit in here as a team and have a medical meeting and we disclose to our players and we stress how important it is for our players to, one, either self-police themselves and/or a teammate, kind of say something to a medical team member [about something] of this importance," Pederson said.

"We know how important head and neck injuries are to our league and to just the player himself and the well-being of the player. And so from that standpoint, to have this come back like this and for him to admit what he has said and done, is very disappointing for me as a head coach after putting our players through meetings and instructing our players.

"It's not a reflection on the team or anything like that, it's just one guy who made a bad decision, a bad choice. I take football aside. I say, hey, this is a well-being issue. Had he maybe gotten hit again in that game, who knows what could have happened."

Grugier-Hill has since been cleared from concussion protocol.

Pederson said he has not yet decided whether to discipline Grugier-Hill. He noted that standards have changed in the NFL, and with an ongoing effort to protect not just players but the sport of football, there is less room than ever for this kind of action.

"In a sense it's a little bit of a selfish act to take it upon yourself and make that decision when he could have gotten checked out and, by the way, probably would have been cleared to go back in the game at that point," Pederson said. "I'm disappointed."

In other injury-related news, Pederson said that Alshon Jeffery will undergo surgery in the near future to repair a Lisfranc injury. Pederson did not commit to a recovery timeline.

Johnny Sexton is in a race to be fit for Ireland's Six Nations opener against Scotland on 1 February.

The 34-year-old is set to miss the remainder of Leinster's European Champions Cup Pool One campaign having injured his knee during last weekend's win over Northampton.

Leinster boss Leo Cullen did not give an exact timescale for Sexton's return.

"You would love if he was back (for Leinster), but it's probably more realistic for Ireland," Cullen said.

"He's seeing somebody in the UK and he'll go back there just to get an update in a couple of weeks.

"He's working hard to try and get himself back as quickly as possible, but he won't be a millions miles away hopefully."

Ireland play Scotland at the Aviva Stadium in their opening match of the tournament.

A scan on Monday revealed Sexton had suffered a significant medial tear early in the second half of Leinster's impressive 43-16 win at Franklin's Gardens.

The injury could present new Ireland head coach Andy Farrell with a selection headache at fly-half.

Sexton's World Cup understudies Joey Carbery and Jack Carty have both encountered difficulties since returning to their provinces.

Carbery is still nursing an ankle injury which restricted his playing time in Japan while Carty has found himself vying with Conor Fitzgerald for the number 10 jersey in Connacht.

JJ Hanrahan has started at fly-half for Munster in Carbery's absence while Leinster's Ross Byrne and Ulster's Billy Burns, uncapped at international level, will hope their impressive starts to the season will have done enough to warrant a place in Farrell's pre-Six Nations training camp.

Another decision facing the new head coach before the start of the tournament is that of the captaincy following Rory Best's retirement.

Sexton, a vice-captain alongside Peter O'Mahony for several seasons, skippered his country from the start for the first time against Russia in Japan.

SALEM, Ind. – Champion Racing Ass’n powered by JEGS officials have officially released the 2020 schedule for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour presented by Chevrolet Performance.

The 2020 JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour schedule will consist of 14 races, 12 of those are point events, and two non-point special events.

Next year will be the 10th season of competition for the crate late model touring series sanctioned by Champion Racing Ass’n.

“We are really excited about the 2020 schedule with the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour,” said Glenn Luckett, managing partner of CRA. “We have a great mix of events on the schedule, with some new high-profile events that will challenge our drivers throughout the season and provide some great racing for our fans!”

CRA will continue the Chase for the Championship format for determining a series champion for the 2020 season. The playoff format has produced more teams competing for a championship in every CRA division since CRA started using that format in 2017.

The 2020 racing season kicks off with the traditional non-points opener for both the ARCA/CRA Super Series powered by JEGS and the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, with CRA SpeedFest 2020 at Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Ga., on Jan. 24-25.

The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour race will be a 125-lap, four-tire event, counting yellow flag laps up to lap 100. This event has traditionally attracted the best pro late model drivers from all around the country.

The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour will kick off its 2020-point season on April 25 at Flat Rock Speedway in Flat Rock, Mich. This will be the series’ first ever event at the quarter mile.

The series was scheduled to start its 2019 points season there last season, but weather forced a reschedule, then a cancellation of the rescheduled event.

The series will head to the famed Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville for the first of three events at that historic facility in 2020 on May 2. The ARCA/CRA Super Series will also be in action that weekend in Nashville.

At the end of the month, the series will head south to Bristol Motor Speedway as part of the fourth annual Short Track U.S. Nationals event on May 30. That event will be a 100-lap, $5,000-to-win event again in 2020.

The series will then return to Anderson (Ind.) Speedway on June 13; the track was added back to the series schedule in 2019 after racing there from 2011 through the 2016 season.

Fourth of July weekend will see the series visit Jennerstown Speedway for the first time and host the first series event in the state of Pennsylvania.

The series will have a 100-lap, $5,000-to-win feature in conjunction with a 200 lap, $20,000-to-win ARCA/CRA Super Series and CARS Tour combination event on July 4.

The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour schedule is then highlighted by a return visit to Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville for the famed CRA Masters of the Pros 150 on July 18, the first time this event has been contested at that track.

The series will then visit Baer Field Motorsports Park, located just south of Fort Wayne, Ind., on Aug. 1 for a 100-lap event.

Michigan will be up next with a visit of the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour to Berlin Raceway for the tour’s only stop there in 2020. That event will once again be a combo points event for the ARCA/CRA Super Series, the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour and the Berlin Raceway super late models.

The series will stay in Michigan for a return to Birch Run Speedway for a 100-lap event on Aug. 29. This event will be the first Chase for the Championship event for the series.

A Labor Day tradition is up next as the series will head to the half-mile high banks of Winchester (Ind.) Speedway on Sept. 6 to kick off the famous World Stock Car Festival on Labor Day Weekend. That event will be the second race of the series Chase.

The series will then be the featured event at Fall Brawl 2020 at Lucas Oil Raceway on Sept. 20, the third event of the series Chase.

The JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour will crown their 2020 tour champion at Winchester Speedway as part of the 49th annual Winchester 400 weekend on Friday, Oct. 9, in its second visit of the season to Winchester Speedway.

The series will make it’s third stop at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville to close out the 2020 season with a special non-points event, as part of the famed All American 400 weekend.

More details on the All American weekend event will be released at a later date.

2020 JEGS CRA All Stars Tour Schedule

Date – Venue – Location

Jan. 24-25 – Watermelon Capital Speedway – Cordele, Ga. **
April 25 – Flat Rock Speedway – Flat Rock, Mich.
May 2 – Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville – Nashville, Tenn.
May 30 – Bristol Motor Speedway – Bristol, Tenn.
June 13 – Anderson Speedway – Anderson, Ind.
July 4 – Jennerstown Speedway – Jennerstown, Pa.
July 18 – Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville – Nashville, Tenn.
Aug. 1 – Baer Field Motorsports Park – Fort Wayne, Ind.
Aug. 15 – Berlin Raceway – Marne, Mich.
Aug. 29 – Birch Run Speedway – Birch Run, Mich.
Sept. 6 – Winchester Speedway – Winchester, Ind.
Sept. 20 – Lucas Oil Raceway – Clermont, Ind.
Oct. 9 – Winchester Speedway – Winchester, Ind.
Nov. 1 – Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville – Nashville, Tenn. **

** – non-points event