1. www.star-telegram.com Sunday, February 8, 2009 13C
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COLLEGE NOTES
NASCAR SPRINT CUP PREVIEW
TCU varsity shows
By ANTHONY ANDRO aandro@star-telegram.com
New year, big changes alumni how to play
Title for Baylor
From staff, wire and online reports
Lance Broadway, Jake Arrie- Baylor won the men’s title
ta and three other pro pitch- with 65 points on a record-
After an off-season of mergers, layoffs and economic struggles, it’s time for racing ers pitched for the TCU’s setting Saturday at the New
alumni squad Saturday. But Balance Collegiate Invita-
5 questions for 2009 Speedweeks at Daytona
the TCU varsity obviously tional in New York City,
1. Can Jimmie Johnson re- Today
was more prepared for base- while Texas A&M took the
peat? The three-time Sprint Noon: Daytona 500
ball at this time of the year. women’s crown with 72
Cup champion has already qualifying. TV: KDFW/Ch. 4
The varsity won 6-1 over points at the Armory Track
matched Cale Thursday
the alumni in the special ex- and Field Center.
Yarborough 1 p.m.: Gatorade Duel
hibition at Lupton Stadium LSU finished second in
in the record 150-mile qualifying races.
as Matt Carpenter went the men’s standings with 60
books as the TV: Speed
4-for-4 with two RBI and points, followed by Texas
only driver to Friday
freshman Taylor Feather- with 591⁄2. In the women’s
win three 7 p.m.: Camping World
ston hit a two-run home run standings, Baylor was sec-
consecutive Truck Series NextEra Energy
in the sixth inning. ond with 68 points.
Johnson titles. He’s an Resources 250. TV: Speed
Broadway, the ex-Frogs
odds-on Saturday
Other TCU sports
star who has had bits of ac-
favorite to win No. 4. Johnson’s 12:15 p.m.: Nationwide
s Men’s swimming and
tion with the Chicago White
team is still in place, and he’s Series Camping World 300.
Sox the past two seasons, diving: The Frogs beat In-
driven by a chance to make TV: ESPN2
worked out of jams to open carnate Word 158-132 as
history. All eyes in 2009 will be Feb. 15
Tony Stewart will switch from Home Depot orange to Office De- the game with two scoreless sophomore Kyle Callens set
squarely on the No. 48 Lowe’s 1 p.m.: Sprint Cup Series
pot and Old Spice red for 2009. innings. The varsity broke a TCU diving record with a
GETTY IMAGES/RUSTY JARRETT
Chevrolet. Daytona 500. TV: KDFW/Ch. 4
through in the fifth with two 341.62 on the 1-meter
New looks
2. How will the economy
runs against Arrieta, the springboard. Junior Josh
affect NASCAR? The biggest With new sponsors, mergers and team switching, there will
Frogs’ ace of 2007. Bagby won the 50-yard free-
change likely to be seen will be be plenty of new paint schemes. A look a three of the most Crystal ball TCU’s varsity used five style (21.58 seconds) and
smaller fields. There will prob- drastic looks. Predicting the Chase field pitchers, four of them fresh- 100 free (47.67), and TCU
ably be a time when 43 cars Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet. 1. Jimmie Johnson: The safest men. Kyle Winkler started finished the regular season
don’t start a race. Teams are Fans grew accustomed to seeing Stewart in the orange-and- bet of all with four scoreless innings, with a 4-5 record.
still struggling to find sponsor black Home Depot car (now driven by Joey Logano). This 2. Carl Edwards: Emotions giving up one hit and strik- — Mercedes Mayer
dollars, and there’s no sign red-and-white number will have fans confusing Stewart with may have cost him 2008 title s Women’s
ing out seven. Walker Kelly tennis: TCU,
that’s going to change. Also Carl Edwards during the 17 races Stewart will drive with 3. Kyle Busch: Hopes to finish threw 12⁄3 innings and Kaleb 2-2 in the spring season, will
expect to see more empty seats Office Depot as the primary sponsor. as strong as he starts Merch and Erik Miller each host No. 26 Auburn today,
at tracks, as the Daytona 500 Carl Edwards’ No. 99 Aflac Ford. Cue the duck. With Stew- 4. Jeff Burton: Consistency worked a scoreless inning. starting at noon at the Ba-
has yet to sell out. art taking over the Office Depot sponsorship, Edwards is now always has him in hunt The Frogs open Feb. 20 at yard H. Friedman Tennis
an Aflac guy. The car is going to take some getting used to. If
3. How will Tony Stewart’s 5. David Ragan: Moving up No. 5 Cal State Fullerton. Center.
new team fare? The No. 14 avocado green is your favorite color, though, this black, blue Roush Racing pecking order
Chevrolet will garner plenty of and green Fusion will quickly become your favorite car. 6. Jeff Gordon: The hunt for
attention. But Stewart will also Jeff Burton’s No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet. NASCAR is title No. 5 drives him GOLF ROUNDUP
have to serve as co-owner for happy it no longer has Burton’s AT&T or Cingular car running 7. Dale Earnhardt Jr:
the Stewart-Haas team, and in the Sprint Cup. Instead, it has the old black-and-yellow Cat Jr. Nation hoping for first cham-
Rollins charges
watch over his other entry, the car back in the field. Fans should try not to get confused. pionship
No. 39 driven by Ryan Newman. Burton’s brother, Ward, used to drive the Cat car. 8. Kurt Busch: Dodge’s only
While it’s a new team, don’t be serious Chase contender
ahead of Villegas
surprised if it has some success 9. Clint Bowyer: New sponsor
because of the two drivers’ and new number for Bowyer
talent. 10. Greg Biffle: Building off Today on TV
From wire reports
4. Who’s going to challenge momentum from ’08 Chase s PGA Tour: Buick
It was easy for John Rollins
Johnson? The best bet: Carl 11. Kevin Harvick: Should to feel ignored, even after Invitational, noon, Golf,
Edwards, his primary challenger make it three RCR cars in Chase taking a three-shot lead in and 2 p.m., KTVT/Ch. 11
last year. But Johnson also fig- 12. Tony Stewart: Just making the Buick Invitational.
ures to get competition from the Chase would be big for new He played in the final have the lead, I think there
Kyle Busch, who faltered in the team group Saturday with Camilo were some fans that start to
Chase. Don’t be surprised if
Villegas, whose picture can sort of cheer me on and try
Hendrick Motorsports team- Rookie class be found in magazines that to keep me going.
mates Jeff Gordon and Dale OK, so there are only two real Rollins doesn’t even read, “But it was definitely a
Earnhardt Jr. also contend. rookie-of-the-year contenders and Charley Hoffman, who two-man fight in the gal-
Junior has a year under his belt in Joey Loga- grew up in San Diego and lery’s eyes.”
with his new team and Gordon is no and Scott had plenty of supporters at After missing a 4-foot par
driven by his winless 2008 sea- Speed. But at Torrey Pines. putt on the 18th hole,
son. Carl Edwards has the same number this season, but welcomes least it’s a Despite three-putt bo- Rollins was at 12-under 204.
5. How will the lack of test- Aflac as his new primary sponsor. solid duo,
GETTY IMAGES/JOHN HARRELSON
geys on three of his final sev- He has had a share of the 54-
ing affect teams? The guys unlike last en holes, Rollins hit enough hole lead three times with-
Number switch
who got to test tires at Texas year when solid shots on the South out winning.
Motor Speedway in December Tony Stewart’s move from Joe Gibbs Racing to his own team Regan Smith Course for a 2-under 70 and Also in the final group
Speed
were downright giddy. With no necessitated a number switch. Other drivers switching num- edged Sam had the outright 54-hole will be Nick Watney, who
testing allowed on NASCAR- bers: Hornish Jr. lead for the first time in his shot a 71 and was five shots
sanctioned tracks, it will be a Clint Bowyer: From 07 to 33. This is purely a number for the title. nine years on the PGA Tour. out of the lead.
crapshoot early for some switch, not a team switch. His new sponsors on the Richard Logano is supposed to be Rollins has two PGA Tour
teams, especially with the many Childress car will be Cheerios and Hamburger Helper. the next big thing. He’s 18 and Veazey in lead
victories, but currently is
mergers and driver switches. Ryan Newman: From 12 to 39. He’s gone from Dodge to already is behind the wheel of No. 199 in the world rank- Vance Veazey’s 2-under 68
Expect some new teams to Chevy as part of the Stewart-Haas Racing team. one of the best rides in the No. ings after a dismal year in Saturday gave him a one-
struggle early until they find Bobby Labonte: From 43 to 96. The Texan is no longer a 20 Home Depot Toyota. Don’t which his swing was altered shot lead going into the final
out what they can do. driver for Richard Petty. Labonte now pilots the No. 96 Ford be surprised to see him win a after he lost 40 pounds. round of the Nationwide
for Hall of Fame Racing. race. “Obviously, everybody Tour season-opening Pana-
Gaining steam Speed, driving the No. 82 wants to see ‘Spider-Man’ ma Digicel Championship.
David Ragan: The driver of Red Bull Toyota, might not win [Villegas] do his thing. Yes, Veazey is at 6-under 204,
the No. 6 Ford finished 13th a race this year but he’ll ruffle the cover of all the maga- with four players — Len
last season. But he had six a feather or two. His aggressive zines, all that kind of stuff,” Mattiace, Jim Herman, Jeff
finishes of 11th or better in the driving style is just what the Rollins said. “I was just out Gove and Camilo Benedetti
Chase. series needs. there doing my job, and I — tied for second.
Mark Martin: The veteran is
had fun with it. I think as the
back driving fulltime, this time Sprint Cup Series s Results. 15C
round got going, and I did
with Hen- schedule
drick Motor- Thu. Gat. Duel 1 1 p.m. Speed
sports in the Thu. Gat. Duel 2 2:30 p.m. Speed
MOTORSPORTS ROUNDUP
No. 5 Chevy. Feb. 15 Daytona 1 p.m. Fox
Martin is Feb. 22 Fontana 5 p.m. Fox
Harvick’s win drought
poised to March 1 Las Vegas 2:30 p.m. Fox
make one March 8 Atlanta 12:30 p.m. Fox
Martin
ends with last-lap pass
final run after March 22 Bristol 12:30 p.m. Fox
posting 11 Ryan Newman gets a new number, new sponsor and a new car
March 29 Martinsville 12:30 p.m. Fox
top 10s in just 24 starts in 2008. make at Stewart-Haas Racing. SPECIAL TO THE S-T/HAROLD HINSON
all crashed behind him.
From wire reports
April 5 Texas 12:30 p.m. Fox
Brian Vickers: After finishing
Kevin Harvick used a thrill- McMurray finished sec-
April 18 Phoenix 7 p.m. Fox
19th last year in the No. 83 Red
ing last-lap pass to steal a ond and Tony Stewart was
April 26 Talladega Noon Fox
Merger talk Will work for a ride
Bull Toyota, Vickers will benefit
Daytona 500 victory back in third.
May 2 Richmond 6 p.m. Fox
from a new crew chief (Ryan We’re not talking about Whether it be because of the economy, a
2007. He’s apparently got the
May 9 Darlington 6 p.m. Fox
Pemberton) and a solid team- Chrysler and Ford here. lack of sponsorship or no one willing to
Buescher wins in ARCA
move mastered.
May 16 Sprint All-Star 6 p.m. Speed
mate (rookie Scott Speed). Gone are the days of give them a chance, there are plenty of
Harvick powered past Plano native James Buesch-
Dale Earnhardt Inc. and big-name drivers without full-time work May 24 Charlotte 4 p.m. Fox
Jamie McMurray on the out- er held off NASCAR Sprint
Losing the draft Evernham Motorsports. for 2009. Here’s a look at a few of them. May 31 Dover 12:30 p.m. Fox
side of the last lap Saturday Cup rookie Joey Logano in a
Matt Kenseth: The former Here are the old teams Kyle Petty: It looks June 7 Pocono 11:30 a.m. TNT
night to complete a come- battle of 18-year-olds on the
Sprint Cup champ failed to win and what they are called like more broad- June 14 Michigan 11:30 a.m. TNT from-nowhere victory in the final lap of Saturday’s crash-
a race last now. casting is in the fu- June 21 Sonoma 2:30 p.m. TNT exhibition Budweiser marred ARCA RE/MAX Se-
year and ture as the newly
Richard Petty Motor- June 28 Loudon 11:30 a.m. TNT Shootout at Daytona Inter- ries race at Daytona Interna-
struggled sports: It’s the combo formed Petty Motor- July 4 Daytona 5:30 p.m. TNT national Speedway. It was tional Speedway that sent
with consis- of the King’s team and sports rides will go to
Harvick’s first victory in 71 three drivers to the hospital.
July 11 Chicago 5:30 p.m. TNT
tency. With Gillett Evernham Motor- Reed Sorenson and
races after going winless in The 80-lap event was
July 26 Indianapolis Noon ESPN
much of the sports. Kasey Kahne is Petty AJ Allmendinger.
2008. slowed by a series of multi-
Aug. 2 Pocono Noon ESPN
Roush Fen- the team’s top driver. Ken Schrader: The
“That was some wild rac- car wrecks, including a
Aug. 9 Watkins Glen Noon ESPN
Kenseth way Racing veteran driver, who finished last year
Earnhardt Ganassi
ing,” he said from Victory three-car accident six laps
Aug. 16 Michigan Noon ESPN
spotlight on driving the No. 96 DLP HDTV Toyota, is
Racing with Felix Sa-
Lane. “What a race. That was from the end that brought
Aug. 22 Bristol 5:30 p.m. ESPN
teammate Carl Edwards, Ken- bates: DEI and Chip likely to find some time as a fill-in driver.
wild as heck there at the out a red flag. Patrick Shel-
Sept. 6 Atlanta 6 p.m. ESPN
seth’s time may have passed. Ganassi’s team combined, David Gilliland: Gilliland couldn’t
end.” tra, Larry Hollenbeck and
Sept. 12 Richmond 6 p.m. ABC
Jamie McMurray: His time and Martin Truex Jr. and make the most of his time with Yates
McMurray seemed head- Bobby Gerhart were taken to
with Roush Fenway has been a Juan Pablo Montoya are Racing. Gilliland finished 27th in points The Chase
ed for the win until a late a nearby hospital with non-
big disappointment. He finished the marquee drivers. in 2008, his best finish. Sept. 20 Loudon Noon ABC
wreck between Greg Biffle life threatening injuries.
16th last year and if he doesn’t Stewart-Haas Racing: Sept. 27 Dover Noon ABC
and David Stremme set up a
Predicting TMS winners
make a big improvement, he Haas CNC Racing is no Oct. 4 Kansas Noon ABC
Brown leads Top Fuel
two-lap overtime sprint to
could be looking for a job soon. more. Tony Stewart and Samsung 500, April 5: Kyle Busch. He Oct. 11 Fontana 1:30 p.m. ABC the finish. Harvick, who Antron Brown raced to the
Elliott Sadler: One of the Ryan Newman are the got off to a strong start last year and Oct. 17 Charlotte 6 p.m. ABC started 23rd, was in fourth No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying po-
most personable drivers, Sadler drivers. has had plenty of success at TMS (two Oct. 25 Martinsville Noon ABC on the restart and didn’t sition Saturday in the Kra-
had an eventful off-season. Nationwide wins in 2008), just not in
Penske Championship Nov. 1 Talladega 11 a.m. ABC seem to have anything for gen O’Reilly NHRA Winter-
After being pushed to leave his Racing: Roger Penske the Sprint Cup Series. That changes in
McMurray. But as they nationals in Pomona, Calif.
Nov. 8 Texas 1:30 p.m. ABC
No. 19 Stanley Dodge team, brought in Bill Davis as a April.
closed in on the finish line, Robert Hight (Funny Car)
Nov. 15 Phoenix 1:30 p.m. ABC
Sadler threatened a lawsuit and minority owner. That Dickies 500, Nov. 8: Carl Edwards. No
he used a huge push from and Greg Anderson (Pro
Nov. 22 Homestead 1:30 p.m. ABC
both sides made up. But Sadler gives driver Sam Hornish repeat TMS winner this year, but Ed-
Denny Hamlin to slide past Stock) also will lead their
still struggled last year on the Jr. the points of former wards adds to his dominance at the
McMurray. Harvick coasted categories.
track (24th in points). driver Dave Blaney. track by winning for the fourth time. ANTHONY ANDRO, 817-390-7760
to the win as Hamlin, Jim-
s Results, 15C
mie Johnson and Kyle Busch