Auto Racing
Almirola plays weatherman to win the pole position
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Aric Almirola has a fast car.
Turns out, he’s a pretty good weather forecaster, too.
Almirola claimed his second career pole Saturday when rain washed out qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway, forcing the field to be set based on practice speeds.
Almirola and his teammate at Richard Petty Motorsports, Marcos Ambrose, both went out for Friday’s first practice thinking there was a decent chance of rain the next day. So they hooked up in the draft with the idea of putting up a fast time. The strategy worked to perfection – Almirola posted a blistering lap of exactly 202 mph, Ambrose was third at 201.876, and the rain came Saturday.
Jeff Burton will start from the outside of the front row based on a speed of 201.987.
Chase leader Matt Kenseth will start from the 12th spot. His closest challenger, Jimmie Johnson, got the 11th position.
Castroneves’ mistake costly as Dixon wins IndyCar title
FONTANA, Calif. – Scott Dixon won the IndyCar championship, using a fifth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway to deny Helio Castroneves his first title.
Will Power won Saturday night’s season finale – a year after he crashed in this race to blow his own title chances and salvage the night for Penske Racing.
The big prize went to Dixon, who won his third series title and gave Target Chip Ganassi its 10th championship since 1990.
Penske came up short for the sixth time since Sam Hornish Jr. gave Roger Penske his last IndyCar championship in 2006. But the team owner made a major error, calling Castroneves to pit lane before the pits were open.
Castroneves had to serve a drive-thru penalty that dropped him a lap down. He finished sixth.
NFL
‘Bum is gone to heaven,’ Wade Phillips says
HOUSTON – Bum Phillips, the folksy Texas football icon who coached the Houston Oilers during their Luv Ya Blue heyday and later led the New Orleans Saints, died Friday. He was 90.
“Bum is gone to Heaven,” son Wade Phillips tweeted Friday night. “Loved and will be missed by all – great Dad, Coach, and Christian.”
Phillips died at his ranch in Goliad, Texas.
Wade Phillips is the Houston Texans’ defensive coordinator.
Born Oail Andrew Phillips Jr. in 1923 in Orange, Texas, Phillips was a Texas original in his blue jeans, boots and trademark white Stetson – except at the Astrodome or any other dome stadium because he was taught it was disrespectful to wear a hat indoors.
Phillips loved the Oilers and when coaching the team in the 1970s, he famously said of the Cowboys: “They may be ‘America’s Team,’ but we’re Texas’ team.”
He took over as coach of the Oilers in 1975 and led Houston to two AFC Championship games before he was fired in 1980. He was responsible for drafting Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell, the player who largely was credited with the success of the franchise. He left Texas to coach the Saints in 1981, going 27-42 before retiring after the 1985 season.
WNBA
The Dream dies for their coach and general manager
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Dream decided not to renew the contract of general manager and head coach Fred Williams.
The team said in a news release Friday that Williams’ contract will end Nov. 30. He will move to a consultant position as a new head coach and general manager takes over.
As the Dream coach, Williams had a 24-20 regular season record and a 5-6 playoff record. The team made it to the WNBA Finals this year but was swept in three games in the best-of-five series by the Minnesota Lynx.
Associated Press
