Times wires
Monday, May 23, 2011
autos
andretti, foyt join forces for indy 500
An Andretti and a Foyt are teaming up to put Ryan Hunter-Reay back in the Indianapolis 500.
After a disastrous weekend for Michael Andretti's team, the owner and his father's old rival have reached a deal to get Hunter-Reay, the only American to win an IndyCar race since April 2008, into A.J. Foyt's No. 41 car for Sunday's race.
"We've been competitors for many years, but it's still the kind of relationship when someone is really down and out, you don't turn your back on them — at least I can't," Foyt said in a statement. "This is going back to the way racing used to be, where if people were in a lot of trouble, you tried to help each other."
Hunter-Reay will start from the back of the field.
Jarrett leads second Hall class: Ned Jarrett, who won 50 races over his career, claimed two NASCAR championships and once beat the field by 19 miles at Darlington Raceway, was inducted into NASCAR's Hall of Fame on Monday in Charlotte, N.C.
Jarrett spoke of the commitment he made to his health when plans were announced to build NASCAR's only Hall of Fame so that he'd live long enough to be inducted.
"I've worked extremely hard on my health the last several years for this purpose," said Jarrett, 78. "I wanted to live for other reasons, too, but that was a big reason I wanted to be around for a while. I am truly honored to be among this class."
He is part of the five-member second class, which includes 105-race winner David Pearson and 84-race winner Bobby Allison. Also in the class is Petty Enterprises patriarch and three-time Cup champion Lee Petty and Bud Moore, a decorated World War II veteran and two-time Cup championship team owner.
et cetera
Golf: Sergio Garcia has withdrawn from British Open qualifying because of an infected fingernail. Garcia, 31, who has played in every British Open dating to 1998, had to qualify because he has fallen to No. 73 in the world. He joined other PGA Tour players in the International Final Qualifier in Plano, Texas. … Citing back problems, Fred Couples has withdrawn from this week's Senior PGA Championship in Louisville, Ky.
Soccer: Argentina players took banned drugs before a qualifying match against Australia for the 1994 World Cup, Diego Maradona said. Maradona made the claim on Argentine television and accused FIFA vice president Julio Grondona, the head of Argentina's Football Association, of knowing about the doping. Grondona had no immediate comment. … Brandi Chastain, Briana Scurry and Tony DiCicco are joining ESPN as studio analysts for this summer's Women's World Cup in Germany. Chastain and Scurry were members of the 1999 U.S. team that won the World Cup, and DiCicco was its coach. … Freddy Adu was selected to the U.S. roster for next month's Gold Cup. In their second game, the Americans take on Panama on June 11 in Tampa.
Times wires