INDIANAPOLIS – The 500 Festival and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing will support Dillon Welch during the upcoming BC39 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sept. 4-5..

Through the partnership with the 500 Festival and DRR, the No. 81 Tucker-Boat Motorsports Toyota-powered midget car  will feature branding of the 500 Festival’s mini-mini kids’ run that will take place Oct. 5, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The mini-mini provides a unique opportunity for kids ages 5-12 to run or walk in one of four different race distances that take place at the world-famous Yard of Bricks.

The mini-mini event logo and a tag line, “Kids Run Here,” will be featured on Welch’s No. 81 Tucker-Boat Motorsports Toyota-powered midget car at the BC39 USAC event.  The mini-mini event logo and tag line was previously featured on both Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Indy cars for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, where Sage Karam and J.R. Hildebrand also served as spokespersons and ambassadors for the mini-mini. Additionally, DRR team owner, Dennis Reinbold, served as a 500 Festival board director from 2002-2008.

Welch currently lives in Charlotte, N.C., but was born and raised in Carmel, Ind. He graduated from Ball State University where he won two regional Emmy awards and worked numerous Ball State sporting events in the production truck as well as broadcasting. Welch began racing at age seven and still continues to combine his broadcasting career and racing. Welch is a member of the NBC Sports television announcer crew for the NTT IndyCar Series, the Motor Racing Network radio announcer crew and is co-host of the popular “Rip the Fence” motorsports podcast.

Dillon competed in the inaugural BC39 midget event at IMS in 2018 where he qualified for the 39-lap main event. Earlier this year at Tulsa, Okla., Welch finished seventh in the Chili Bowl Nationals, the largest midget car racing event in the world with more than 350 entries from 33 states.

“We are excited to be a part of this great dirt track event at IMS and to partner again with DRR to promote the mini-mini where kids can finish their own race at the legendary yard of bricks on Oct. 5,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “We enjoyed a great month of May with the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team in this year’s Indy 500 and we wish Dillon the best in his racing events at the BC39 races.”

“Dreyer & Reinbold Racing is invested in the Indianapolis community. We teamed with the 500 Festival in May to promote the mini-mini with our two DRR cars in the Indy 500,” said Dennis Reinbold, DRR team owner and Indianapolis businessman. “Now, we wanted to assist Dillon in his quest to compete in the popular BC39 midget races at IMS. The BC39 event gives us the opportunity to provide awareness for programs that meaningfully engage the youth throughout the state of Indiana.”

“I am so excited to represent the 500 Festival and their outstanding mini-mini kids run,” said Welch. “Growing up in the Indianapolis area, I know the importance of the 500 Festival and what it has meant to the city of Indy and the state of Indiana. They have been an important part of the community beyond the month of May in Indianapolis for decades. It is wonderful to be associated with a great organization such as Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. I want to thank everyone involved in the 500 Festival mini-mini at IMS on Oct. 5.”

Real Madrid will face Paris Saint-Germain while defending champions Liverpool have been paired with Napoli, Salzburg and Genk in the Champions League group stage this season.

Madrid eliminated the Parisians in the round of 16 in the 2017-18 edition of the competition and have been linked to PSG's biggest stars -- Neymar and Kylian Mbappe -- in recent years.

Madrid and PSG are joined in Group A by Club Brugge and Galatasaray. The previous two times Los Blancos were placed in the group -- in 2002 and 2016 -- they won the competition.

Liverpool, who were drawn in Group E, were matched with Napoli at the same stage last season, with the teams splitting 1-0 victories at home.

Group A: PSG, Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Galatasaray

Group B: Bayern Munich, Tottenham, Olympiakos, Red Star Belgrade

Group C: Manchester City, Shakhtar Donetsk, GNK Dinamo, Atalanta

Group D: Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lokomotiv Moscow

Group E: Liverpool, Napoli, Salzburg, Genk

Group F: Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, Slavia Prague

Group G: Zenit, Benfica, Lyon, RB Leipzig

Group H: Chelsea, Ajax, Valencia, Lille

Ever since his infamous "seagulls and trawler" speech, delivered in 1995 after he was banned from football for nine months, Eric Cantona has been known to be good for a quote.

So it was that, upon receiving the UEFA President's Award from Aleksander Ceferin at Thursday's Champions League group-stage draw, the former Manchester United forward delivered -- how can we best describe it? -- an "idiosyncratic" acceptance speech.

Wins the 2019 UEFA President's Award... Gives bizarre cryptic speech to confuse everyone in attendance.

Eric Cantona, ladies and gentlemen ? pic.twitter.com/qNgZB0cFoW

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) August 29, 2019

"Soon the science will not only be able to slow down the ageing of the cells, soon the science will fix the cells to the state and so we will become eternal. Only accidents, crimes, wars will still kill us but unfortunately crimes and wars will multiply. I love football. Thank you."

We'll be honest and say we are not sure what exactly the great man meant, but the good news is that Cantona still loves the sport that he illuminated as a player!

Two months after announcing his retirement amid high drama, Ambati Rayudu had made a giant U-turn. According to the Hindu, the 33-year old batsman has sent an email to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) saying his decision to retire was an "emotional one" and that he was "willing to play in all formats of the game" again.

On their part, the HCA want Rayudu to groom the next generation of Hyderabad batsmen, with chief selector Noel David going as far as saying "he has at least five years of cricket" left in him.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank Chennai Super Kings, VVS Laxman and Noel David, who have been very supportive during the tough time and are instrumental in making me realise that I have enough cricket left in me," Rayudu wrote in an email to Prof Ratnakar Shetty, a member of the Committee of Administrators currently overseeing affairs of the HCA.

"I am looking forward to a wonderful season ahead with a very talented Hyderabad team and help the team realise its full potential. I will be available from September 10 to join the Hyderabad team."

Rayudu sent out mixed signals last week when he stated his desire to play in the IPL. He is presently contracted to Chennai Super Kings. He has featured in a number of matches for Grand Slam CC in the TNCA League in Chennai.

"It is great news for us. I still believe he still has five years of cricket and groom youngsters which is more important for us. Last year without him, we struggled in Ranji Trophy," David said. "Rayudu's class and experience will prove to be very handy for Hyderabad and will surely have a major positive influence on the other players as he will be playing in all the formats.

"Hopefully he carries on the good work and leads from the front and I am confident of Rayudu getting support from all quarters."

Rayudu announced his retirement after he wasn't chosen as a replacement for the injured Shikhar Dhawan despite being named one of five stand-bys for the World Cup. He also courted controversy for a not-so-cryptic "3D" tweet aimed at chief selector MSK Prasad who had said that Vijay Shankar - the player ostensibly picked over Rayudu in the initial 15 - had three dimensions to his game, capable of contributing with bat, ball and in the field

Last year, Rayudu announced his retirement from first-class cricket to focus on his limited-overs career with the World Cup in mind. He played the last of his 97 first-class games in November 2017. Hyderabad finished seventh in Group B in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season.

WILLIAMSBURG, Ohio – Effective immediately, Moler Raceway Park is now operating under the direction of Robert and Joey Starett along with Blake and Mariah Naylor.

They have reached an agreement with Brad McCown and Kim Moler to take over operations at the southwest-Ohio, dirt oval.

“We just want to give the local drivers a facility, where they are proud to race on a weekly basis,” said Blake Naylor, who is the track’s new Director of Operations. “Our team likes to live our life based upon the concept of, ‘Do more than required when less will get the job done’. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity to be in a position to make our mark on the racing world.”

Naylor has a background in the racing world as a driver in divisions ranging from Go Karts to Chevettes and most recently super late models. As he moves into his new role at the facility, he will be putting his racing career on hold in an effort to place all of his focus on helping MRP succeed. His wife Mariah is also a key member of the new staff. She is heading the concession stand effort, while also providing additional help wherever needed.

Meanwhile, Robert Starett recently ventured into the super late model division. When not at the track he and his wife Joey own AirMax, a heating and air conditioning company. The husband-and-wife duo also enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren as well as their horses.

Naylor, who lives just a few minutes from the facility, made his debut in his new role back on Aug. 16 during the Ike Moler Memorial. He also oversaw operations during last Sunday night’s “Back to School” program.

“Moler Raceway Park is a place that has thrived in the past, and our staff knows that with a lot of hard work that we can get it back to its full potential,” Naylor commented. “I want to thank Brad [McCown] and Kim Moler for all of their help in this transition. They’ve been great to work with. Last but not least, I want to thank all of the fans and racers, who believe in us and our vision for MRP. There’s some really great things in the works.”

The staff is currently in the process of adding more dates to the remainder of the 2019 schedule. On Sept. 13 a racing program has been added, which will include late models, sports mods, compacts and mini sprints. An additional date is being scheduled for Sept. 20. On this night late models, crate late models, modifieds and sport mods will share the spotlight.

“We’ve had to shuffle some dates to avoid scheduling conflicts with neighboring tracks, but we still plan to race at least a few more times this season,” Naylor revealed. “We have some major improvements planned for the facility in the offseason, and in the near future we’ll also be working with race teams, who would like to do private testing at the track.”

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. – Veteran dirt late model driver Don O’Neal is returning to competition after recovering from knee surgery.

O’Neal, the driver of the No. 5 entry for Clint Bowyer Racing in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, underwent surgery in June to correct an injury suffered in an off-track incident at South Carolina’s Cherokee Speedway.

Following an extensive rehabilitation process, O’Neal has been cleared to compete and will return to the No. 5 entry this weekend for a trio of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events at Kentucky’s Ponderosa Speedway, Ohio’s Portsmouth Raceway Park and West Virginia’s Tyler County Speedway.

While O’Neal was recovering from surgery, Pennsylvania late model driver Michael Norris took over the reigns of No. 5 entry for Clint Bowyer Racing.

GREAT NEWS!! Dr cleared Me to race this weekend!Couldn’t be more excited to get back in that @Asgrow_DEKALB @ihearttraeger #5.Many thanks to @TheCrusherKid for filling my seat for me. Your a great young man &It definitely won’t be the last time you see this kid in a top series ?

— Don O’Neal (@DonONeal5) August 28, 2019

COSTA MESA, Calif. – MotoAmerica will travel to the Pacific Northwest for the first time next year to compete at Ridge Motorsports Park near Seattle, Wash., on June 26-28.

The rest of the provisional 2020 MotoAmerica schedule in the near future.

Ridge Motorsports Park was designed by Steve Crawford, the man who also designed Thunderhill Raceway Park in Northern California. It’s nestled in a picturesque portion of Washington State with views of Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens. The circuit blends with its surroundings and features 16 turns with more than 300 feet of elevation, including a 50-foot plunge down the Ridge Complex. The track opened in 2011 but has recently undergone upgrades to allow it to host large spectator events, such as MotoAmerica.

The track is centrally located in Shelton, Wash., roughly 90 miles from Seattle, 140 miles from Portland, Ore., and 60 miles from Tacoma, Wash., in Mason County. Having a round at The Ridge will also please MotoAmerica’s Canadian fans as it is just a four-hour drive down the I-5 from Vancouver, British Columbia.

“We’re excited to be taking the MotoAmerica Series to the Pacific Northwest next year,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “We know we have a lot of fans up there who haven’t had the chance to see Superbike racing up close in a long, long time. This is going to be a great event and Tracie Schmitt and the staff at the Ridge Motorsports Park have welcomed us with open arms and are as excited as we are that we are going to be racing at their track. We know our riders, teams and fans will enjoy the circuit and the surrounding area. Riders always like the challenge of a new circuit and the layout looks to have very fast and technical sections that will be exciting for them to race on. It’s a beautiful place and it promises to have great racing. We can’t wait to get there in June.”

“This is a big moment not only for Ridge Motorsports Park, but for the Shelton, Washington, community,” said Tracie Schmitt, the general manager of Ridge Motorsports Park. “MotoAmerica will be the first nationally televised event for this young facility and the first nationally televised road course event that’s been held in Washington state in decades. We are proud of the relationship we’ve built with the MotoAmerica team. To finally make the announcement of the MotoAmerica Komatsu Superbike Championship at Ridge Motorsports Park is an exciting moment for everyone involved.”

Ridge Motorsports Park has been undergoing constant improvement and a grand opening of its 9,800-square-foot Performance Center is scheduled for September. Additionally, a spectator bridge will be constructed, among other on-going projects prior to MotoAmerica’s event in June of next year.

“Expansion projects to support the growth of the facility and the MotoAmerica Komatsu Superbike Championship at Ridge Motorsports Park have been strategically scheduled to ensure a successful completion before the June 26-28 event,” Schmitt said. “Pit entrance will be extended to provide additional track surface supporting the transition from turn 15 to 16; design has been completed to add another creative element to the already nationally recognized 2.47-mile road course; 100,000 square feet of paddock space will be added to tie in the current paddock to the pedestrian bridge; and a newly designed facility entrance is planned and the final highlight will include the new grandstands being installed to create the extreme fan experience from each viewpoint on the property. The recent teaser announcement of Ridge Motorsports Park being added to the already successful MotoAmerica schedule, has had an overwhelming response from the fans. This is going to be a great event.”

SOUTHLAKE, Texas – Two NASCAR champions – Todd Bodine and Johnny Benson – have filed entries for Sportscar Vintage Racing Ass’n’s Vintage Race of Champions Charity Pro-Am presented by Chopard Watch at Virginia Int’l Raceway.

The Sept. 21 Charity Pro-Am is the deciding round of the VROC series. Previously announced NASCAR stars entering the race are Bobby Labonte, Mike Skinner and Wally Dallenbach Jr.

“Both of these two champions first raced with SVRA last year at VIR,” said SVRA CEO Tony Parella. “They also joined us in our Charity Pro-Am earlier this month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They are terrific race car drivers and we are honored to have them racing with us.”

Benson has 18 NASCAR victories with one in Cup, three in Xfinity and 14 in Trucks. He earned Xfinity and Truck championships in 1995 and ’08, respectively. Benson is one of 37 drivers to have won a race in all three of NASCAR’s major series – Cup, Xfinity and Trucks. Three drivers have won championships in Xfinity and Trucks – Benson, Greg Biffle and Austin Dillon.

Early in his career, Benson also scored an American Speed Ass’n championship in 1993. As a result of his success, Benson represented the Xfinity series in the 1996 IROC invitational, finishing third in the season standings. Early in his career, he also scored an American Speed Ass’n championship in 1993. He was ASA’s top rookie in 1990, and also won the same honor after stepping up to the Cup series in 1996.

Bodine earned 37 NASCAR wins, with 22 in Trucks and 15 more in the Xfinity Series. He won the Truck series championship in 2006 and again in 2010. In a NASCAR career that extends back to a single Xfinity Series race in 1986, Bodine has amassed, in addition to race wins, 21 top 10s and five poles in Cup competition, 160 top 10s and seven poles in Xfinity, and 124 top 10s and seven poles in Truck competition.

Currently, Bodine is a NASCAR analyst for FOX Sports. He ranks fourth in the VROC point standings and is in the hunt for the A Production championship, trailing leader Willy T. Ribbs by three points.

Women in racing aren’t anything new. In fact, it’s very old news. Camille du Gast, a French woman, was the first at the wheel in the early 1900s.

Today, Heinricher Racing fields Acuras in IMSA’s GT Daytona class for an all-female driving team with big-money sponsorship from Caterpillar.

Katherine Legge has been a top-tier driver for years, always just a heartbeat away from a big breakthrough. She’s more than held her own in IndyCar and IMSA, driving the Panoz Delta Wing before signing up to drive one of Michael Shank’s Acura NSX race cars.

“Racing is never easy,” Legge is quick to say. “Once you’re able to drive for one of the top teams and you’re able to see what everybody in the paddock has to go through. Everyone has a struggle to some extent, that’s what makes it worthwhile to get through (those struggles).”

For Legge, it was anything but easy in 2018. She drove like there was no tomorrow because there wasn’t. She had to get the job done at every race to make it to the next.

“Last year was tricky because we didn’t know if we were going to run the whole season,” Legge said. “We didn’t know if we were going to have the funding. We needed good results and we were in the championship hunt. We were able to put the pieces of the puzzle together and we got some help from Acura and we got down to racing.”

Legge’s grit and indefatigable spirit earned a permanent spot on Shank’s squad.

Then, Legge had a “what if” moment. What if there could be an all-female IMSA team? She formed a relationship with Jackie Heinricher, another driver running the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series. It was a star-crossed coming together.

“I had been talking to Jackie (Heinricher) for over a year,” Legge recalled. “When I met with her she told me her vision. We had the same ideas, the same drivers we wanted to use. We could only do it if we could get those drivers. My luck and her luck meshed and we took it to Mike (Shank) and asked him if he would be interested in helping us with the team side. He said, ‘Absolutely, it’s a great idea.’

“He believed in me, he believed in us and we could make a difference. Yeah, this is really Jackie’s baby. She pulled off something that a lot of people in racing have been trying to do for a very long time. And she found a major national sponsor and I’m really proud of her for doing that.”

Shank is all in.

“She (Legge) brought it to me,” Shank explained. “She had driver coached Jackie (Heinricher) a few years ago and knew her from that. Katherine just basically put the left and the right together. It took us about eight months to get the deal done. I think the deal is great, pretty unprecedented. It was super, super hard to put together and I’ll give that to Jackie for getting the deal done.”

Veteran defenseman Ben Lovejoy is retiring from the NHL after an 11-year career, announcing his decision on NHL Network on Wednesday night.

Lovejoy, 35, was a Stanley Cup winner in 2016 during his second stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he began his career.

In December 2017, he became the first active NHL player to announce he was donating his brain to concussion research.

A defense-first player who excelled on the penalty kill throughout his career, Lovejoy finished last season with the Dallas Stars following a trade-deadline deal with the New Jersey Devils. He also played in parts of three seasons for the Anaheim Ducks.

He retires with 20 goals and 81 assists in 544 career games.