Times staff, wires
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Autos
IndyCar issues a $5M challenge
LAS VEGAS — The IndyCar series is putting up $5 million for any driver who thinks he or she can beat the open-wheel professionals in their championship race in Las Vegas.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard issued the invitation Tuesday as the series announced its season-ending world championship will be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 16.
"A very important element of our sport is that these are the best, fastest, versatile race car drivers in the world," he said. "Well, we're here to put our money where our mouth is."
As many as five outside drivers can compete in the race if they're picked by a selection committee and qualify on the track the weekend of the race, then win the race outright to collect the $5 million, he said.
"There's some pretty big steps in there," he said. "But we're looking for the best drivers in the world, and the selection committee's not going to let (just) anybody have an opportunity to race against the best drivers in the world."
Star power and ability will be considered as the committee issues invitations, he said. NASCAR drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Tony Stewart are possibilities.
The event is the finale of a 17-race schedule, which begins March 27 in St. Petersburg.
Meanwhile, logistics company DHL signed a multiyear deal to be a co-primary sponsor for Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Soccer
FC Tampa Bay sets preseason schedule
FC Tampa Bay opens its preseason March 5 against the University of Tampa (7:30 p.m., Pepin Stadium). Other preseason games: March 12 vs. Swedish first division club BK Hacken (Fort Lauderdale); March 19 vs. Florida Gulf Coast University (4 p.m., Brandon Area Youth Soccer League); March 26 or 27 vs. UCF; March 30 vs. St. Leo University (7:30 p.m., Azalea Youth Soccer League); and April 3 at USF (7 p.m.). Ticket information will be released later.
UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 tie by host Lyon in their first-leg match, and Chelsea rolled to a 2-0 win at Copenhagen.
Et cetera
Golf: Mark Calcavecchia will play in the Outback Steakhouse Pro Am on April 15-17 at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz. This will be his first appearance in the Champions Tour event. He turned 50 on June 12 and played in two tour events in 2010. Calcavecchia, a former Florida Gator, won the 2007 PODS Championship at Innisbrook. Tom Lehman, who tied for 44th last year, committed as well. … Tim Clark (elbow) withdrew from the Match Play Championship, which begins today in Marana, Ariz., and was replaced by J.B. Holmes.
Horses: Tampa Bay Downs missed out on being the host for the 3-year-old debut of Uncle Mo, favorite for the Kentucky Derby on May 7. Uncle Mo's connections said the colt is being pointed to the Timely Writer at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach on March 12, same day as the Tampa Bay Derby. The Timely Writer, an ungraded $100,000 stakes, was created recently to lure Uncle Mo. The move paves the way for Sam F. Davis winner Brethren to possibly run in the Grade II $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at Oldsmar. Both colts are trained by Todd Pletcher.
Tennis: Second-seeded Mardy Fish of Tampa reached the second round of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships when Bjorn Phau (illness) retired. … Top-seeded Roger Federer and second-seeded Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round of the Dubai Championships.
Rodney Page, Times staff writer; Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires