INDYCAR-INDIANAPOLIS 500-GORDON
Jeff Gordon to drive pace car in Indianapolis 500
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β Jeff Gordon will drive the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 next month.
The four-time NASCAR champion is retiring at the end of this season. He has a background in open-wheel racing, but Gordon has never run the Indianapolis 500.
He’ll take the field to the green flag in the May 24 race, watch some laps with his wife and children, then fly to North Carolina to compete in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 that evening.
Chevrolet made the announcement Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Gordon turned some laps in the Corvette Z06 pace car. He is a long-time Chevrolet ambassador.
Gordon grew up in nearby Pittsboro, Indiana. He won the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indy in 1994, and last year added his record fifth victory at the speedway.
NASCAR-DANICA-GODADDY
Danica Patrick losing GoDaddy as primary car sponsor
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Danica Patrick is losing GoDaddy as her primary car sponsor.
The internet domain giant has decided to pull its sponsorship of Patrick’s No. 10 Chevrolet, which is fielded by Stewart-Haas Racing.
The 33-year-old Patrick is in the final year of her contract at SHR and landing a primary sponsor could be key to her NASCAR future.
GoDaddy wants to sign her to a personal services contract but will no longer sponsor her car.
Phil Bienert, the chief marketing officer at GoDaddy, says “we love Danica and all she does to empower and inspire people, especially women, which is why we are working to keep her in the GoDaddy family. … The fact Danica is having a record-setting season makes it tough to leave this motorsports sponsorship, without a doubt.”
NETS-HAWKS
Horford, Teague help Hawks hold off Nets 107-97 for 3-2 lead
ATLANTA (AP) β Al Horford and Jeff Teague scored 20 points apiece, helping the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks hold off the Brooklyn Nets 107-97 Wednesday night in an NBA playoff series that’s closer than anyone envisioned.
Shaking off a dislocated finger, Horford flew around the court in the fourth quarter when it looked like Brooklyn was on the verge of bouncing all the way back from an early 17-point deficit. In the final minute, Teague darted into the lane for a couple of baskets that helped the Hawks seal another hard-fought victory.
Atlanta leads 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, which heads back to Brooklyn for Game 6 Friday night. The Hawks can wrap it up, but the eighth-seeded Nets seem intent on taking this series to the limit.
Alan Anderson led the Nets with 23 points off the bench. Jarrett Jack added 18 as the Brooklyn backups totally dominated Atlanta’s bench.
NATIONALS-BRAVES
Zimmermann does it all to help Nationals win 2nd straight
ATLANTA (AP) β Jordan Zimmermann won for the first time in four starts and hit a three-run single to help the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 13-4 on Wednesday night.
Denard Span, who had five hits the previous night, added a three-run homer in the ninth. The Nationals banged out 15 hits again, giving them 30 hits and 26 runs scored over the last two games.
Zimmermann, who had just 12 RBIs in 264 career at-bats coming in, had a bases-loaded single in the four-run fourth inning to give Washington the lead for good. On the mound, Zimmermann (2-2) gave up eight hits, one walk and four runs β three earned β with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
Washington has won two straight after dropping six in a row. Atlanta has lost seven of nine.
Braves starter Alex Wood (1-1) allowed six hits and five runs, striking out eight in five innings.
WOODS-GREENBRIER CLASSIC
Tiger Woods commits to play in Greenbrier Classic
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) β Tiger Woods has added the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia to his summer schedule.
The tournament announced Wednesday that Woods has committed to the PGA Tour event at The Greenbrier resort starting July 2.
Woods missed the cut in his only appearance in 2012.
Jack Nicklaus said earlier this month that Woods told him he would be at the Memorial, which is June 4-7.
On his website and Twitter feed, Woods said he’s also playing in the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, the British Open at St. Andrews and the Quicken Loans National in late July.
Woods is No. 116 in the world and did not qualify for the Match Play Championship this week in San Francisco. His next tournament is The Players Championship starting May 7.
