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By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad International Correspondent

World Squash Day attracted thousands of new players as clubs across the planet opened their doors to showcase the sport on Saturday (October 12).

Enterprising clubs on every continent proudly cleaned their courts, printed banners, made T-shirts, planned open days and laid on an amazing array of cakes, buffets and barbecues to welcome newcomers to the game.

Many clubs and federations helped to raise squash’s profile by arranging media coverage with TV channels, radio stations and newspapers.

Social media was awash with scenes of clubs promoting the joys of playing one of the healthiest games on the planet.

Club enthusiasts were joined by many of the world’s leading professionals, and some of the game’s greatest legends, who happily returned to their roots to help out on court.

In Australia, nearly 50 clubs took part and the 1981 women’s world champion Rhonda Thorne-Clayton was honoured for her achievements and contribution to the game after acting as World Squash Day ambassador for the Daisy Hill club in Logan City, between Brisbane and Gold Coast.

Club owner Bradley Hindle, who competed on the PSA Tour for many years and represented Malta in the Commonwealth Games, said: “Rhonda was a wonderful World Squash Day Ambassador for Daisy Hill and Logan City. It was an absolute joy to honour her achievements and services to squash with a beautiful canvas print at a reception at the club.

“A copy of that print will now hang on our Legacy Wall alongside all the other great Queensland squash players.”

Rhonda (pictured above with Hindle) told the crowd of more than 100 well-wishers: “Squash is the greatest game in the world. It can be played by everybody, whatever their age. It was wonderful to see all nine courts at Daisy Hill busy with juniors on World Squash Day.”

Pakistan legends Jansher Khan and Qamar Zaman – both former world number ones (and pictured below) – helped to promote the project with a special one-game challenge match before going on court with a large group of juniors at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Centre in Peshawar. The wily Zaman, aged 68, showed he had lost none of his flair by beating the eight-times world champion – 18 years his junior – 11-9.

The city of Peshawar has produced seven world champions, including Azam Khan, Hashim Khan, Roshan Khan, Mohibullah Khan, Qamar Zaman, Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan.

Jahangir, who won the British Open ten years in a row, supported a massive event promoted by the Punjab Squash Association in Lahore.

Maria Toorpakai Wazir, who famously fled Pakistan to avoid persecution for playing squash as a child, returned home to hold a coaching session for girls, which showed how times and cultures are evolving in many parts of the world where women have suffered human rights abuses.

She said: “We distributed sports equipment and squash rackets among girls in Peshawar. We were pleased to welcome a few children with disabilities. Every girl, every child should feel included, encouraged and supported.”

She then tweeted support for the World Squash Day event held in Iran, which also showed a large number of females taking to the court.

Egypt is proudly leading the way with support for female athletes in the Muslim world.

The Black Ball Sporting Club, host of two major PSA events in New Cairo, attracted TV coverage and had a visit from the Minister for Youth and Sport when they held a World Squash Day event to promote the game with dozens of juniors in attendance (see below).

Squash Director Ashraf Hanafi said: “It was a fantastic day and we recruited more than 200 new junior members, many of them from local schools. The TV coverage was broadcast at a peak time and was seen by millions of people on Egypt’s main TV sports programme.”

At the other end of the continent, the World Squash Day event at Camps Bay Squash Club in South Africa featured a game called Street Racket designed to offer a cheap introduction to racket sports with no courts required.

Camps Bay is the home club to former pros Stuart Hailstone, Trevor Wilkinson, Gunner Way, Grant Isaacs, Craig Wapnick and Mark Allen.

In India, former national champion Ritwik Bhattacharya arranged three World Squash Day events, supported by former Trinity College player Sachika Balvani. Two were held at military bases and one staged at his Start Academy headquarters near Mumbai, which provides squash training for tribal children.

In England, three-times world champion Nick Matthew spearheaded a successful campaign by England Squash to attract at least 5,000 new players on World Squash Day. Matthew’s home club of Hallamshire in Sheffield held a week-long campaign as Matthew, Declan James and women’s world No.7 Sarah-Jane Perry all appeared in promotional videos to launch the campaign. Matthew also appeared in a live interview on the popular Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 in the UK.

A total of 154 clubs registered with the project and, in return for uploading data to a special App, received cash funding and equipment bags including 18 rackets from leading squash brand Karakal.

Matthew said: “The end goal for the project, with the help of England Squash and support from so many clubs and national federations, was the feel-good factor that was felt around the world. As we always say, the key is to introduce or reinvigorate people both young and old, male or female, able bodied or not, because once they try squash it is so addictive and you want more.”

British number one Joel Makin, the current world No.12, popped in to support his hometown Hirwaun club near Aberdare in Wales.

Declan James and his manager Daryl Selby, who are currently ranked 20 and 17 in the world and have both held the England number one position this season, also took to the court. James joined the juniors at Nottingham Squash Club, while Selby led his family’s Off The Wall session in Essex.

World Squash Day was celebrated in America with events that coincided with the finals of the US Open, with a number of clubs concluding their day’s events by watching the two finals live on SquashTV.

At a special luncheon in Philadelphia before the finals, US Squash inducted Ginny Akabane and Bunny Vosters into the United States Squash Hall of Fame.

Scotland’s Greg Lobban and New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson joined renowned English coach Nick Taylor at his Infinitum Academy in Boston, Massachusetts, as they coached a large group of juniors before taking to the court for an exhibition match.

Back home in Scotland, Lobban’s father Alan took part in a 24-hour marathon at the Inverness Tennis and Squash Club to raise funds for the Highlands Hospice.

The Squashinhos project in Brazil took to the courts to provide exercise and education in a safe environment for children in Rio de Janeiro.

The campaign’s leader, English coach Danny Lee, held a timed tournament fund-raiser at the St George’s Hill Club in Weybridge, England.

He has launched a Just Giving page to raise funds for the project and said: “Squashinhos is a sports and educational development project which helps suffering children from communities in Rio de Janeiro. Three times a week they receive English and squash lessons.

“The aim is to create a healthy learning environment for these children, opening their eyes to another world away from drugs and weapons.”

There was a spirit of revival in Denmark, where experienced tournament promoter Kim Frederiksen chose World Squash Day to launch a new club in the quaintly named town of Middelfart.

He said: “We just have two courts right now, but we want to dream big to grow this wonderful game.”

In Asia, record eight-times world champion Nicol David tweeted her support for a well-supported nationwide programme set up by the Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia.

World Squash Day had an extra event in Australia. Peta Murphy, a squash-loving MP in the constituency of Dunkley, near Melbourne, hosted an open day at the Australian Parliament courts in Canberra and got on court for a fun hit with Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese.

And, to round things off, the PSA Foundation will be holding a World Squash Day Auction of memorabilia to raise funds for squash-related causes. Many star names signed some WSD shirts at major early-season events in Nantes and San Francisco and others have donated rackets and shirts to raise extra funds.

World Squash Day organiser Alan Thatcher, editor and publisher of Squash Mad and an experienced tournament promoter, was delighted with the global response to the event this year.

He said: “It was great to see so much energy for the sport all over the planet. It was wonderful to see legends of the game joining current professionals to support events in so many different places.

“One of the unexpected joys of World Squash Day is the sharing of knowledge and great ideas. Thanks to social media, everyone wants to know about the glow squash games that were played on the Fluoro court at the Squash Logic club in Melton, Australia.

“And the concept of Street Racket, which was on show in South Africa, opens up all kinds of opportunities for low-cost games which can be held in parks and school playgrounds without the need for walls.

“England Squash led the way with their brilliantly-delivered development project, and Chief Executive Keir Worth is happy to share the details of the concept with other nations.

“Ultimately, that’s the best part of World Squash Day, sharing the fun and helping others in the process.”

World Squash Federation President Jacques Fontaine summed up the event, saying: “World Squash Day has very well illustrated two key facets of our sport.

“It has been heartening to see such overwhelming evidence of enthusiasm for our sport all over the globe and we are grateful for all the clubs, coaches and top players who have helped make it such a special event on the squash calendar each year.

“This weekend has seen a wonderful coming together at facilities on all continents, introducing new players, and those already in love with squash having fun.

“Squash is a sport for all – for all the people, and for all the world. We are both inclusive and global.

“The WSF thanks all the tireless people at clubs who have made the arrangements, everybody who has participated, and Alan Thatcher who has coordinated arrangements,” concluded Fontaine.

A map showing all of the clubs and federations who registered to take part in World Squash Day events can be found here:
www.worldsquashday.net/sign-up-here/

The date for World Squash Day 2020 has been confirmed as Saturday October 10th. Thatcher added: “It’s easy to remember: 10/10/20. I hope clubs and federations will put that in their tournament diaries immediately!” 

Pictures courtesy of  World Squash Day

Ulster hooker Rob Herring has been called into Ireland's World Cup squad in place of the injured Sean Cronin.

Leinster forward Cronin has been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup.

Ireland captain Rory Best will start against defending champions New Zealand in Saturday's quarter-final in Tokyo with Niall Scannell now vying with Herring for a place on the bench.

Herring is the second player to join up with the Irish squad during the tournament, along with Jordi Murphy.

The Ulster back row forward replaced Leinster's Jack Conan, who sustained a foot injury in training more than two weeks ago.

Head coach Joe Schmidt will also be without centre Bundee Aki, who was handed a three-week ban following his red card in Ireland's final Pool A fixture against Samoa.

ROME, Italy – The NASCAR GP Italy will have a new home in 2020.

Rome will host a brand new American Festival at Vallelunga’s Autodromo Piero Taruffi on Sept. 12-13, headlined by four double-points-paying NASCAR Whelen Euro Series playoff races and thus bringing Euro NASCAR to the heart of Italy.

“We are very happy to bring the NASCAR show to the Roman fans and I’m sure this event will become one of the highlights of the championship, especially with a double-points playoff race,” said NWES President and CEO Jerome Galpin. “The track layout is amazing to provide a great racing experience to both fans and drivers and the facilities are at really high standards! NASCAR has found a perfect new home in Italy.”

Located just 30 minutes from the Eternal City’s center, Rome’s fast and sweeping 4.085-km race track, featuring an exciting mix of seven right-hand and seven left-hand turns, will pose a whole new challenge to the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series drivers.

Turns like the Roma, the Ciminis and the Semaforo will soon make their way in every NASCAR fan’s mind, while those attending the event will enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Euro NASCAR paddock, with open access to drivers and teams and a whole weekend of family entertainment.

Rome will become the 17th different European city to host a NASCAR event.

“We are really happy and honoured that Vallelunga is entering the “NASCAR world” with the first edition of a new event,” said ACI Vallelunga President Carlo Alessi. “We want it to be a true festival celebrating North American culture and US motorsports, full of passion, music and unique colors. We are sure fans from Rome and all around Italy will answer with great enthusiasm and we will be ready to welcome them.”

Vallelunga’s rich history began in 1951, when a horse racing racetrack was converted to host the first motorsport events on an oval with a sand surface. The initial asphalt road course layout was designed in 1957 by an icon of motor racing, Formula 1 legend Piero Taruffi.

It was expanded in 1963, when Vallelunga hosted the Formula 1 Gran Premio Roma. Since then, the track hosted many international competitions both for cars and motorbikes, including the World Sportscar Championship and the World Superbike Championship.

The latest improvements, beginning in 2005, brought Vallelunga’s total length up to 4.085 kilometers to enrich the fans’ experience and the top-level facilities, including an off-road track and a Safe Driving Center, bring a large number of activities to the track every year.

The Autodromo Piero Taruffi, owned by the ACI (Automobile Club Italia), is also the home of the Italian Federation’s official racing school.

The rest of the 2020 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series calendar will be released at a later date.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – After a disheartening season in 2018, the 2019 ARCA Menards Series season has been one of resurgence for Munford, Alabama’s Bret Holmes.

A full-time college student who also spends time working with his father’s excavation business that helps fund the family-owned race team he drives for, Holmeswent from parking his race cars before the season ended last fall to challenging for the series championship in a year’s time.

Holmes has been fast over the course of his career. But last year’s inconsistency caused frustration for Holmes and his father Stacy and brought about an early end to their season.

Rather than throw in the towel, Holmes reloaded. Long-time crew chief and former driver Shane Huffman joined the team after a successful run with the 2018 championship-winning MDM Motorsports organization.

Huffman brought with him the vocabulary to speak to Holmes driver-to-driver, but also brought with him years of experience building race-winning race cars and calling the shots from the pit box.

The results were immediate.

Holmes has scored 17 top-10 finishes in 19 ARCA Menards Series starts in 2019, more than any other driver, including the two fighting for the series championship, Christian Eckes and Michael Self.

The only two races he failed to finish among the top ten were the two restrictor-plate races at Daytona and Talladega.

Seven of those top-10 results have been among the top-five, including career-best third-place finishes at Michigan and Chicagoland.

The improved performance and consistency have taken Holmes to third in the championship point standings heading into the final race of the season, Friday’s ARCA Kansas 150 at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway.

Holmes is 135 points out of the lead and 95 points ahead of fourth place Travis Braden.

“We’re proud of that for sure,” Holmes said. “We have a lot of top fives, top tens, and we’ve completed more laps than anyone. That’s all because of the guys. We haven’t had a failure all year. We’ve always had a reason in the past that we didn’t finish races. We’ve stayed out of trouble this year too. We’ve had a couple I wish we could take back but overall we’ve had a really good season. It’s been a big improvement over the past.”

The one thing that has been missing throughout this resurgent season for Holmes is a visit to victory lane. That’s the final piece of the puzzle and one he hopes to slip into place on Friday night.

“We were expecting a couple of wins this season,” he said. “We are going into Kansas with that mindset. We tested there last week. We expected a little more but things don’t always work out. That’s just what part of being with a new team. Those two guys in front of us have been with the same team for the last couple of years so they’ve had an advantage because they’ve had that same feel in their cars. There’s been a big difference and feel in the cars has been so different than anything I’ve had previously.

“We had a good test and I am feeling really good about our chances to go and get our first win to close out the season.”

PHOENIX – Sports car racing veterans Johnny O’Connell and Darren Law have partnered together to create their own high performance driving event: Performance Track Day.

Envisioned to be a fantasy camp for the automotive inclined, Performance Track Day is a track experience where individuals can take their own car on track and experience what its true capabilities are as well as learning more about their own skill level.

O’Connell and Law will be running each event, onsite to provide a coaching experience like no other.

“We’re really excited to finally have Performance Track Day out and public,” said Law. “Johnny and I have been working for this for some time, and are incredibly passionate about making such a unique driving experience available, and to be able to experience that with new people will be so much fun.”

Going all the way back to 1991, Law and O’Connell have been close friends. Back then, both were instructors for the Bondurant School, while simultaneously working on their racing careers. As each earned more and more success, they left the world of instructing to fully dedicate themselves to their motorsports career.

From there, O’Connell raced for General Motors, and Law for Flying Lizard Motorsports and Brumos Porsche, each building impressive records of success as professional, championship-winning drivers.

Both would return for a second stint at Bondurant, with O’Connell working as Vice President, and Law as Chief Operating Officer.

Their passion and love for the sport, and the shared joy of instructing, brought them back together in 2014 when the seeds were planted for Performance Track Day.

“It was during this time that we both felt it would be good to one day share our skills and racing experiences,” explained O’Connell. “From there, we began laying the foundation for Performance Track Days. As both Darren and I have lengthy resumes when it comes to both racing and instructing, we discussed the idea of creating a program where both he and I get out on track with the participants.”

The first Performance Track Day will be held at the prestigious new Apex Motor Club in Maricopa, Ariz., less than 35 miles from the heart of Phoenix. Apex is the newest members-only club track in the country.

Performance Track day will utilize the recently-opened Phase 1 race track at Apex, which measures 2.27 miles with a 3,400 foot straightaway.

Participants will take their own car on track and experience its true capabilities, as well as learn more about their own potential under the guidance of O’Connell and Law.

Open to all skill and experience levels, the first Performance Track Day will be limited to thirty guests. The driver pair will run each event, onsite and on track to provide a coaching experience like no other.

Whether it’s your first time on track, or you’re an experienced professional, Performance Track Day is a one of a kind, memorable experience that will give participants the opportunity to enjoy their car and improve their on-track performance.

CONCORD, N.C. — Brad Sweet remains atop the National Sprint Car Rankings for a sixth consecutive week as World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series drivers fill the top three spots.

Sweet, who leads the World of Outlaws standings, has an average finish of 3.328 in 73 starts, including 17 victories.

Donny Schatz ranks second with an average finish of 3.564 with David Gravel third at 3.571. Pennsylvania ace Danny Dietrich and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Aaron Reutzel, who has also won 17 features, round out the top five.

Dietrich leads the Eastern region on the strength of 14 victories, while other regional leaders are Buddy Kofoid (Great Lakes), Billy Balog (Great Plains), Dominic Scelzi (West), Jacob Patton (Mid-America), Donny Schatz (Northwestern) and Carl Bowser. (Ohio-PA).

One hundred and 29 drivers have combined to win 373 features run through Oct. 13, with 706 drivers participating.

View the complete rankings by clicking below.

When Phil Mickelson makes his tournament debut at the CJ Cup, he'll do so alongside a pair of players who can boast some past success on Jeju Island. Here's a look at the marquee, early-round tee times in South Korea, where Mickelson is among a pack looking to follow Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka on the winner's list (all times ET):

7:20 p.m. Wednesday, 8:20 p.m. Thursday: Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Marc Leishman

Mickelson is making his third start of the new wraparound season, but without a top-10 finish since February he is in danger of dropping out of the top 50 in the world for the first time since 1993 and admitted this week he expects to be left off Tiger Woods' Presidents Cup squad. Thomas and Leishman shared the spotlight in the inaugural CJ Cup, with Thomas edging the Aussie in a playoff, and both return to Korea on the heels of top-5 finishes last month in Napa.

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. Thursday: Jordan Spieth, Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood

Spieth will make his first start since the BMW Championship this week, and he'll do so alongside two players who starred a year ago for Europe in the Ryder Cup. Spieth is more than two years removed from his most recent worldwide win at the 2017 Open, while Garcia won last month in the Netherlands and Fleetwood finished T-5 in Scotland in his most recent start.

8:20 p.m. Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. Thursday: Gary Woodland, Jason Day, Sungjae Im

The reigning U.S. Open champ kicked off some rust two weeks ago in Las Vegas, but he'll look to use the next two weeks to remind Woods that he'll be an asset at the Presidents Cup in Australia. Day, likewise, needs a pick from Ernie Els but appears more likely to receive it regardless of his form in Asia, while Im is center-stage this week in his hometown after securing Rookie of the Year honors last year on the PGA Tour at age 21.

8:30 p.m. Wednesday, 7:20 p.m. Thursday: Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Si Woo Kim

Koepka won this event last year to reach the top of the world rankings for the first time in his career. He returns to Korea in that same No. 1 spot but most recently missed the cut in Las Vegas. Matsuyama's quiet consistency includes nine top-25 finishes in his last 14 worldwide starts, while Kim is two years removed from his win at TPC Sawgrass and will have plenty of support from the Korean crowds.

They're Nos. 1 and 2 in the world rankings, but don't call them rivals.

Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy distanced themselves as the best players on the PGA Tour last season, each winning three times, and they've racked up four majors apiece. But asked ahead of this week's CJ Cup if he sees a budding rivalry between himself and the Ulsterman, Koepka offered a blunt reply.

"I've been out here for what, five years. Rory hasn't won a major since I've been on the PGA Tour," Koepka told the AFP. "So I don't view it as a rivalry."

The tale of the tape backs up Koepka's claim: McIlroy's most recent major came at the 2014 PGA Championship, when Koepka was in the midst of securing PGA Tour status for the first time and six months before his maiden win in Phoenix. Since then Koepka has been a dominant force in the biggest events, winning four majors while finishing T-4 or better in all four this year.

But the two had a split decision when going head-to-head in recent months. Koepka blew past McIlroy to win the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in July when the two were in the final pairing, while McIlroy returned the favor the following month when he won the $15 million FedExCup with Koepka watching. Weeks later, it was McIlroy and not Koepka who won Player of the Year honors as voted on by Tour players.

Koepka has had a firm grip on the No. 1 ranking since successfully defending his title at the PGA Championship in May, and as he gets set to defend another title this week in South Korea he isn't concerned with the player currently closest to him in the standings - regardless of recent on-course and voting results.

"I'm not looking at anybody behind me," Koepka said. "I'm No. 1 in the world. I've got open road in front of me and I'm not looking in the rear-view mirror, so I don't see it as a rivalry."