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Rain-affected Vijay Hazare Trophy games to be rescheduled

Published in Cricket
Thursday, 26 September 2019 23:08

Matches affected by rain in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20 will be rescheduled, after nearly 17 of the 30 games scheduled in the first three days were abandoned or ended in a no result.

The tournament is being played across four cities - Bengaluru, Dehradun, Jaipur and Vadodara. Matches in Bengaluru and Vadodara, where Groups A and B are playing, have been particularly badly hit. Dehradun, where Group D games are being held, has also been affected, with only Jaipur's Group C matches progressing as scheduled.

The BCCI is working out a schedule to try and fit in as many of the affected games as possible. "We are working on the rescheduling and it should be done soon," BCCI general manager Saba Karim told ESPNcricinfo. "We want to have as many matches as possible. Three of the groups were affected, A, B and D due to unseasonal rains, so we're looking at how to accommodate those. The matches in Jaipur have gone on smoothly."

ESPNcricinfo understands that there was a meeting between the managers of Group A teams in Bengaluru and BCCI officials, where the matter was discussed, though all teams were not in favour of rescheduling games. However, with the BCCI having taken a call, the fixtures that were affected are likely to get a fresh window.

In the original schedule, there were no games slated for October 2 and October 8, and those days could be used to fill some gaps. Additionally, there are 'break' days in each of the four host cities, when no matches will be played for that particular group, and these days could also be used. A Times of India report also said that the end of the league stage could be pushed back. The last day of league matches in Vadodara and Bengaluru - the latter is also the venue for the knockouts - is October 13. Jaipur and Dehradun will have games until October 16. The knockouts start from October 20.

In Bengaluru, the first two days of the competition saw no play at all with six matches washed out. The first Elite Group A match that got underway was between Karnataka and Jharkhand on Thursday, which was the first match of the tournament at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the sub-air drainage system makes it possible to for the ground to withstand heavy rainfall and still get a full game in. The other two games on Thursday were scheduled in Alur and Bengaluru, and they, too, eventually got underway and were completed, though both were truncated games.

In Vadodara, there has not been a single result over three days, with nine games either abandoned without a ball being bowled, or mid-way through. There was no play at all on September 24, the opening day. All three matches that were scheduled on the next day began, but all had to be abandoned mid-way, and on Thursday, once again there wasn't a ball bowled. Dehradun has had one no-result each on both days on which play had been scheduled.

Some, not all, Ashes stars set to return in Marsh Cup

Published in Cricket
Thursday, 26 September 2019 23:45

Australia's Ashes squad members Matthew Wade, James Pattinson, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja are set to return for their states in the Marsh Cup this weekend after being rested from the first week of fixtures, but New South Wales' Test stars will not feature against Western Australia.

Steven Smith, David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will all continue to rest despite the Blues being desperate for a win after losses to Queensland and South Australia in Brisbane.

Western Australia have named an unchanged side to take on NSW in two matches at Drummoyne Oval after obliterating Victoria and Tasmania in their first two matches at home.

Wade will return to captain and keep wicket for the winless Tasmania while South Australia will regain their captain Head for the two matches against the Tigers at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide. Incredibly, it has been seven seasons since South Australia have hosted a domestic one-day fixture after the competition was revamped in 2013.

Victoria have added paceman Pattinson to their 14-man squad for the two matches against Queensland at Junction Oval in Melbourne.

Khawaja will return to lead the undefeated Bulls after being rested from their first two home wins against New South Wales and South Australia. Ben Cutting has also been added to the Bulls' squad after being left out of the first two games. He replaces Jack Wildermuth, who suffered a hamstring injury after his Player of the Match performance against New South Wales.

Team titles decided, Japanese girls set standard

Published in Table Tennis
Thursday, 26 September 2019 21:40

Following a 3-0 penultimate round win in opposition to Japan’s Kazuki Hamada, Hayata Suzuki and Sora Matsushima; no changes to the selection, the Chinese Taipei trio comprising Tai Ming-Wei, Huang Yu-Jen and Huang Yan-Chen recorded the same margin of victory in the final when facing colleagues Li Hsin-Yu, Feng Yi-Hsin and Yang Xhi-Xing.

A comprehensive margin of victory but arguably closer than the score-line may suggest; the opening two matches both went the full five games distance. Tai Ming-Wei beat Li Hsin-Yu (6-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8), before in a similarly tense encounter Huang Yu-Ju overcame Feng Yi-Hsin (11-9, 8-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-9) to double the advantage. Matters concluded in a rather less dramatic manner; Huang Yan-Cheng accounted for Yang Zhi-Xing in straight games (11-7, 11-4, 11-7).

Earlier in counterpart semi-final, Li Hsin-Yu, Feng Yi-Hsin and Yang Xhi-Xing had posted a 3-1 win when facing the combination of Korea Republic’s Park Gyeongtae and Park Minjun, who joined forces with Iran’s Amin Ahmadian.

Imposing performance

Impressive from Tai Ming-Wei, Huang Yu-Jen and Huang Yan-Chen, it was the same in the junior girls’ team event from the Japanese trio comprising Kaho Akae, Reina Aso and Hina Higashikawa.

After recording a 3-0 semi-final win against Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee, Chau Wing Sze and Wong Chu Yau, a 3-1 win was claimed in opposition to Chinese Taipei’s Chien Tung-Chuan, Yi Hsiu-Ting and Cai Fong-En.

Mainstay of the success in the final was Kaho Akae, she accounted for both Chien Tung-Chuan (13-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9) and Yu Hsiu-Ting (6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6). The one further win for Japan was recorded by Reina Aso, in the second match of the engagement, she beat Yu Hsiu-Ting (6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-6); for Hong Kong, the one success came courtesy of Cai Fong-En. In the third match, she defeated Hina Higashikawa (11-4, 11-9, 11-5). The Chinese Taipei trio had received a direct entry to the semi-final round.

Hard fought success

Success for Japan in the junior girls’ team event, it was the same in the cadet girls’ team competition. Sachi Aoki and Miwa Harimoto struck gold at the expense of Chinese Taipei. A hard fought 3-2 win against Chen Tsai-Ni and Liu Ru-Yun was followed by a 3-1 margin of victory in opposition to Chu Yi-Ching and Tsai Yun-En.

Backbone of the victory in the final was Miwa Harimoto; she overcame both Chu Yi-Ching (8-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-8) and Tsai Yun-En (11-8, 11-5, 11-8).

Name to note

Miwa Harimoto, the younger sister of Tomokazu Harimoto is a name to note, in the cadet boys’ team event, the player to attract the attention was Park Changgeon, he guided Korea Republic to the top step of the podium.

Partnering Kim Min-Su, facing Chinese Taipei in the later rounds, at the semi-final stage he beat both Kao Cheng-Jui (12-10, 11-6, 11-2) and Chang Yu-An (11-5, 11-9, 11-9) in a 3-2 victory. One round later by the same margin, when oppsing Zhang Huan-Qi, Yen Kun-Lin and Shih Yu-Kai, he accounted for Yen Kun-Lin (12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9) and Zhang Huan-Qi (11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-3) to seal the top prize for his team.

In the counterpart semi-final, the Chinese Taipei trio had recorded a 3-1 win in opposition to Hong Kong’s Yu Nok and Baldwin Chan Ho Wah.

Team events concluded, on Friday 27th September the focus turns to the initial stages of the junior boys’ and junior girls’ singles events, as well as the cadet boys’ singles and cadet girls’ singles competitions.

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Sarah-Jane Perry in action against Emily Whitlock in San Francisco

Kandra rocks Rosner in ONO shock
By MATT COLES – Squash Mad Correspondent

Sarah-Jane Perry and Joel Makin, both coached in Birmingham by Robert Owen, led a quartet of British players into the quarter-finals of the 2019 Oracle NetSuite Open in San Francisco.

Also through are Scotland’s Alan Clyne, who ended the hopes of England’s Declan James, and Welsh number one Tesni Evans, who beat Egypt’s Salma Hany.

England’s World No.7 Perry is through to the last eight after defeating compatriot Emily Whitlock at the Bay Club in San Francisco.

Perry, who won this event in both 2017 and 2018, needed just 18 minutes to win her second round clash as she fought back to beat her fellow Englishwoman in both games.

The pair were meeting for the second time in three weeks, having faced off in the quarter-finals of the Open de France – Nantes, where Perry got the better of Whitlock in another best-of-three clash.

Once again, Whitlock started the stronger of the two, but Perry was able to win the opening game 11-6. The same pattern occurred in the second, as Perry changed tactics to take the pace off the ball. And it worked to her advantage.

Perry said: “She played really well against me a couple of weeks ago in Nantes. I felt a little flat in that tournament, but I have been feeling better in between, and I just tried to come out and play with a little bit of confidence.

“As both games went on, I started to find my way and my rhythm and momentum. Hopefully tomorrow, I can actually start well and not wait until halfway through the game.

Amanda Sobhy stretches for a volley

“It feels a lot like last year. I think I was the No.5 seed last year as well so it is very much the same. Every opponent was tough last year and that is the same again this year. You are never thinking about any rounds further ahead, just the one that is right in front of you.”

The tournament’s No.5 seed advances through to the quarter finals, where she will face World No.1 Raneem El Welily in a repeat of last year’s Oracle NetSuite Open final.

The Egyptian superstar had to come from a game down to defeat United States No.2 Olivia Blatchford Clyne, eventually winning out 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 to seal her spot in the last eight.

Fellow American Amanda Sobhy, the No.6 seed, was in fine form, overcoming Milou van der Heijden of The Netherlands 11-6, 11-3 in just 16 minutes. No.3 seed Nour El Tayeb lies in wait in what is sure to be a blockbuster battle on the glass court.

In the men’s draw, the unseeded Raphael Kandra overcame compatriot and World No.5 Simon Rösner in the last match of the night at the University Club.

Despite being from the same nation, this was only the third time that the pair had met each other on the PSA World Tour, with Rösner having been successful in the previous two.

This meeting started off in a very tight fashion, with neither player wanting to give an inch in the opening exchanges. However, Kandra was able to take the first 11-9.

The second was slightly easier for the German No.2, who reached the semi-finals of the British Open in 2018. He secured the victory with an 11-7 scoreline in the second, setting up a clash with Egypt’s Marwan ElShorbagy in the last eight.

“Two days ago when I beat Iker [Pajares Bernabeu], I had a similar strategy of precision and pressure, and it worked quite well even though it was a different court at the Bay Club,” Kandra said.

“With the new format, you get punished for your bad shots or when you go for a silly shot. Almost 50% of those opportunities for him went into the tin luckily for me.

“I was trying to stay as mentally sharp as I could. With a maximum of three games, physically you can push yourself, but in my head I had to stay sharp and make the precise shots.”

Elsewhere on day three, Alan Clyne got the better of No.7 seed Declan James in a terrific three game tussle. The Scot won the first on a tie-break, but the Englishman fought back in the second.

However, it would be the World No.44 from Edinburgh who took the victory, after he won the deciding game 11-5. Clyne will now face World No.9 Miguel Rodriguez in the last eight at Embarcadero Plaza. 

The top two seeds, Egypt’s Mohamed ElShorbagy and Tarek Momen, safely made it through to the last eight, defeating France’s Mathieu Castagnet and Mexico’s Cesar Salazar. Momen beats Joel Makin who overcame young Egyptian Mostafa Asal in straight games, 11-5, 11-9.

Today, the action moves to the spectacular glass court in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Plaza for the quarter finals and onwards. 

Oracle NetSuite Open 2019, Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco, USA.

Men’s Second Round:
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 2-0: 11-9, 11-7 (36m)
[8] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 2-0: 11-2, 12-10 (42m)
[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 2-0: 11-4, 11-9 (20m)
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [3] Simon Rösner (GER) 2-0: 11-9, 11-7 (33m)
[4] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 2-0: 11-9, 11-1 (21m)
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [7] Declan James (ENG) 2-1: 13-11, 3-11, 11-5 (54m)
[6] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Mostafa Asal (EGY) 2-0: 11-5, 11-9 (41m)
[2] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 2-0: 11-5, 11-6 (17m)

Women’s Second Round:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt Olivia Blatchford Clyne (USA) 2-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)
[5] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Emily Whitlock (ENG) 2-0: 11-6, 11-8 (18m)
[8] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Melissa Alves (FRA) 2-1: 11-7, 6-11, 11-6 (33m)
[4] Joelle King (NZL) bt Olivia Fiechter (USA) 2-0: 11-8, 11-5 (20m)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 2-0: 11-5, 11-7 (16m)
[6] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 2-0: 11-6, 11-3 (16m)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Salma Hany (EGY) 2-0: 11-4, 11-8 (23m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Nele Gilis (BEL) 2-0: 11-3, 11-4 (21m)

Men’s Quarter Finals (Top Half):
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v [8] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v Raphael Kandra (GER)

Women’s Quarter Finals (Top Half):
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [5] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[8] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v [4] Joelle King (NZL)

Men’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half):
[4] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) v Alan Clyne (SCO)
[6] Joel Makin (WAL) v [2] Tarek Momen (EGY)

Women’s Quarter Finals (Bottom Half):
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v [6] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) v [2] Camille Serme (FRA) 

Report by MATT COLES (PSA). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Pictures courtesy of PSA and and REYNOLD CHAN (Daily Squash Report Photos)

Posted on September 27, 2019

Captain Alun Wyn Jones will become Wales' most capped player after coach Warren Gatland named an unchanged side to face Australia in Tokyo on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Ospreys lock will win his 130th Wales cap to surpass the previous record of prop Gethin Jenkins.

Gatland has kept faith with the starting side that defeated Georgia 43-14 in the opening Pool D game.

Australia have made four changes to the side that beat Fiji 39-21 in their opening match.

Wales have made one change on the bench with centre Owen Watkin coming in for full-back Leigh Halfpenny.

Gatland said he had considered bringing Ross Moriarty into the back row but refrained from doing so.

"We felt we wanted to give that team another opportunity," said Gatland.

"We thought we played pretty well in the first-half against Georgia so we felt it was not fair to drop anyone,"

Watkin's addition to the bench provides cover at centre, as Hadleigh Parkes broke a small bone his hand in the victory over Georgia.

"Owen has been coming off the bench for us and doing a good job," said Gatland.

"Hadleigh has a small fracture in his hand so has not taken much of a part in training this week.

"It is just making sure we have cover there in case that hand does give him problems during the match so then we can make a change."

Gatland also praised his record-breaking captain Jones.

"He's a great competitor," said Gatland.

"Since he's been captain we don't have as many fights at training because he used to start most of them! That's how competitive he was.

"People who get to the top have a drive and a desire to want to be successful and he's definitely done that. To become Wales' record Test player with 130 caps is special. Hopefully there are many more to come.

"He doesn't say a lot, he just leads from the front at training and matches and sets a great example for the senior players but in particular the younger players.

"We're lucky to have him in the team and captaining the side."

Australia half-backs Will Genia and Bernard Foley return instead of Nic White and Christian Lealiifano.

Dane Haylett-Petty comes in at full-back while Kurtley Beale drops to the bench.

Adam Ashley-Cooper replaces the suspended Reece Hodge on the right wing to win his 120th cap.

Hodge was banned for three matches for a dangerous tackle on Fiji flanker Peceli Yato.

"It was not too dissimilar to what we thought," said Gatland.

"We probably did not think Foley would start but his experience and running threat is something we are going to have to keep an eye on.

"With Foley there they will probably kick a bit more than they have been.

"With Beale they lose a bit of their attacking threat because he is definitely a threat for them.

"As in the past he will probably come off the bench relatively early and will be a handful for us.

"I think it's (Australia selection) is a sign of respect. That's how far we've come as a team over a number of years.

"I don't think this was always the case with Wales. Teams probably wouldn't consider our attacking threats or any threats at all."

Wales: L Williams; North, Jonathan Davies, Parkes, Adams; Biggar, G Davies; Wyn Jones, Owens, Francis, Ball, Alun Wyn Jones (C), Wainwright, Tipuric, Navidi.

Replacements: Smith, Dee, Lewis, Shingler, Moriarty, T Williams, Patchell, Watkin.

Australia: Haylett-Petty; Ashley-Cooper, O'Connor, Kerevi, Koroibete; Foley, Genia; Sio, Latu, Alaalatoa, Rodda, Arnold, Pocock, Naisarani, Hooper (C)

Replacements: Uelese, Slipper, Kepu, Coleman, Salakaia-Loto, White, To'omua, Beale.

Facebook has gained exclusive digital content rights to the ICC's global events in the Indian subcontinent. The deal, which is set to run until 2023, will bring eight major ICC events - two Men's T20 World Cups (2020 and 2021), two Women's T20 World Cups (2020 and 2022), the 2021 Women's ODI World Cup, the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup, and the World Test Championship finals of 2021 and 2023 - onto the social networking platform.

Financial details of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

The TV rights for all ICC events until 2023 belong to Star, who signed an eight-year deal in 2015.

Facebook will carry digital content including match recaps, key moments, and other feature content in the region across four years. As part of the deal, it will also carry post-match recaps for the rest of the world in this period.

"The combination of one of the world's most-watched sports with one of the world's largest platforms is exciting for the future of our game," ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said. "The record-breaking growth in digital consumption at this summer's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup demonstrated the continued power of cricket to connect and engage more deeply with diverse audiences around the world.

"Throughout the competitive bid process, we received tremendous interest from a range of platforms, all of whom recognise the phenomenal reach of cricket. In Facebook, we have a genuine partner who shares in our ambition to continue to grow and deepen engagement with cricket fans globally using its platforms."

According to an ICC release, the recent Men's World Cup garnered 4.6 billion video views across its digital and social-media platforms.

Eagles CB has movement after hit by teammate

Published in Breaking News
Thursday, 26 September 2019 23:02

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox was taken off the field on a stretcher late in the fourth quarter Thursday against the Green Bay Packers.

Maddox has movement in all extremities, the team announced. For precautionary reasons, he was sent to a hospital for further evaluation.

The entire Eagles team gathered around him while he was being tended to on the turf after being accidentally hit in the head by teammate Andrew Sendejo.

Teammates said he was joking and laughing while on the stretcher, and that helped ease their minds as they turned their focus to the end of the game.

"I was cracking jokes just to make him laugh," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "He laughed -- a lot, actually.

"It's a scary thing when it's one of your teammates -- especially somebody young like him, who's been playing really well for us. He was good. He was moving around, so that was a good sign."

Maddox's replacement, Craig James, came up with a pass deflection that resulted in a Nigel Bradham interception to secure the Eagles' 34-27 win.

"We pretty much just clicked into the mentality of, 'We've got to win it for him,'" Bradham said. "That was a critical loss for us, a guy that plays multiple positions.

"We were playing for him. He took a critical hit on that play, and hopefully everything turns out all right for him."

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The only thing that could stop Davante Adams and the Green Bay Packers' offense Thursday was the little blue injury tent adjacent to their bench.

The Pro Bowl receiver was having the most productive game of his career -- 10 catches for 180 yards -- before being forced off the field because of a toe injury midway through the fourth quarter.

"It's tough, because I feel like those are the type of moments that I'm built for," Adams said.

With Adams being examined, the Packers had first-and-goal at the 1-yard line.

They threw all four times: Incomplete. Incomplete. Incomplete. Incomplete.

Game over.

Well, that didn’t officially end the Packers’ chances in a 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. Aaron Rodgers & Co. -- sans Adams -- actually had one more possession, but the Eagles picked off a deflected pass near the goal line in the final minute.

To that point, it had been the Adams show.

Rodgers practically told the Eagles this coming in, and they still couldn’t stop it. Five days after the Packers quarterback proclaimed “four targets ... is obviously not enough” for Adams, Rodgers rectified that.

Adams caught six passes in the first quarter, the most by a Packers player in a first quarter since Greg Jennings in 2011. By halftime, he had eight catches for 158 yards -- 12 more yards than the entire Philadelphia offense.

But when the Packers needed Adams for the final two drives, he was out.

Troubling trend: So this is what happens when a real offense -- with a real quarterback -- comes to town.

Three weeks of praise heaped upon the Packers’ defense might have been the overreaction of the first month of the NFL season.

At least that’s what it looked like Thursday, when Carson Wentz and the Eagles rolled into Lambeau Field. And wait until the Packers have to play Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys next weekend. Or Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs later next month.

Good thing the Packers (3-1) feasted on the likes of Mitchell Trubisky, Kirk Cousins and an aging Joe Flacco for three important early-season victories before the schedule turned tougher.

The Packers’ pass rush disappeared. They entered the game with 12 sacks -- tied for third in the NFL through Week 3. They had none Thursday night.

They came in allowing 11.7 points per game. They gave up nearly twice that in the first half.

And the run defense. Oh, the run defense. The Eagles gashed the Packers for 176 yards on the ground.

“That’s been our in biggest issue, and we’ve talked in the room about it,” Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the day before the game. “We’ve got to get a handle on the explosive plays -- not just the runs but the passes. The praise we’re receiving as a defense, our guys know that we’re nowhere near where we can be. The film doesn’t lie.”

Promising trend? Maybe Green Bay's first loss of the season won’t be the end of the world. If the Packers had won, Matt LaFleur would’ve been the first rookie head coach in franchise history to start a season 4-0. He would’ve been the fourth NFL rookie head coach to do it in the past 15 seasons. But two of the previous three didn’t make the playoffs in that season: Josh McDaniels (2009, 6-0) and Dan Quinn (2015, 5-0).

Eye-popping Next Gen Stat: Adams reached 20.7 mph on his 58-yard reception. That was his fastest max speed on a reception in the past four seasons, according to NFL Next Gen Stats research.

Weather Stops Must See Sprints In Illinois

Published in Racing
Thursday, 26 September 2019 16:17

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Mother Nature has scored a victory against the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series’ attempt to compete at Illinois’ Rockford Speedway this weekend.

Track and series officials announced Thursday evening that the sprint car portion of this weekend’s National Short Track Championship program at the quarter-mile bullring has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.

Potential weekend schedule adjustments due to a projected washout on Friday, as well as additional wet weather expected to span from Sunday through the middle of the coming week and heavy travel distances for many of the Must See Racing teams, all contributed to the decision.

The National Weather Service is calling for a 100 percent chance of rain on Friday, as well as a 50 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms for Sunday’s matinee program.

“This early decision, while difficult and disappointing, is our genuine best effort to do the right thing for everyone involved,” said Must See Racing President Jim Hanks. “Whenever possible, we try to avoid unnecessary and avoidable lost time and travel expenses for both our race teams and valued fans.

“Based on a forecast that predicts a realistic chance of rain for the day on Sunday, as well as additional rain coming into the weekend that may compact the schedule further, the track and MSR have determined that it is the best decision to cancel the sprint car portion of the event, rather than ignore the risk and forecast of probable inclement weather.”

The Rockford rainout is the third such weather-related postponement or cancellation for Must See Racing this season, after a postponement from June 1 at Michigan’s Berlin Raceway and the cancellation of the Lake Erie (Pa.) Speedway event that was scheduled for June 15.

With the Rockford weekend scrapped, the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series now looks toward its championship doubleheader, Oct. 18-19 at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C.

Windom Leads Them All In Gas City Sprint

Published in Racing
Thursday, 26 September 2019 19:25

GAS CITY, Ind. – Chris Windom made a statement on Thursday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway, leading from start to finish en route to winning the second annual James Dean Classic.

Windom, who qualified sixth but ended up on the pole thanks to the feature inversion, took off on the initial start and never looked back. He kept a hard-charging Justin Grant at bay throughout the 30-lap distance for his first USAC sprint car victory at the Gas City quarter-mile and his fourth of the season.

“It definitely feels good to check this one off the list,” said Windom in victory lane. “I’ve had a lot of podiums here without a win in these USAC races. Starting on the front row was key tonight. The track was hooked up all night long and it was tough to pass cars, but I’m glad we were able to get it done.”

The road to victory wasn’t all smooth for the Canton, Ill., native, however – as he explained afterward.

“This is a testament to my guys; we actually blew a drive shaft out of it right before the feature and had to bust our butts to get it changed,” Windom noted. “We got it back together, though, and got us a win here finally. It’s always sweet, but when we can overcome something like that and win the race without even really being able to look at the track beforehand … it’s a pretty neat deal for all of us.”

Windom’s march was only slowed by a trio of caution flags, which began on lap seven after Thomas Meseraull spun to a halt in the infield after the engine expired on his No. 00 sprinter.

The second caution of the night waved with six to go, when Scotty Weir looped his car around in the fourth corner, followed by a final caution for debris that set up a three-lap sprint to the checkered flag.

None of that was of any consequence to Windom, however, as he pulled away on the final restart and crossed the finish line in front by .808 seconds in the end.

Tyler Courtney, who rolled off seventh, made a last-lap pass of Grant to secure runner-up honors and left Grant to settle for the final step on the podium as part of a NOS Energy Drink sweep of the top three spots.

Kevin Thomas Jr. crossed in fourth and USAC National Sprint Car Ironman Chase Stockon was fifth.

Point leader C.J. Leary, Brady Bacon, hard-charger Jason McDougal, Isaac Chapple and Max Adams completed the top 10.

To view complete race results, advance to the next page.

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O's Henderson aiming for Opening Day return

O's Henderson aiming for Opening Day return

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsShortstop Gunnar Henderson said he believes he can return from inju...

Marlins lose OF Sanchez (oblique) for four weeks

Marlins lose OF Sanchez (oblique) for four weeks

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMiami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez suffered a left oblique inju...

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