Trevor Bayne Becomes Youngest Winner in Daytona 500 History

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Reutimann, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Crashes, Sprint Cup, NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- For all the talk of a new track surface, a different style of racing and promises of the "wildest" Daytona 500 ever, Sunday's much-anticipated NASCAR season-opener still ended up like so many of those that have preceded it -- decided in the final laps.

Making his first-ever Daytona 500 start, 20-year-old rookie Trevor Bayne held off Carl Edwards, David Gilliland and Bobby Labonte to earn the venerable Wood Brothers Racing team its fifth Daytona 500 victory and first since NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee David Pearson's win in 1976.

"Am I dreaming? Is this real? I don't even know where to go,'' a stunned Bayne exclaimed to his team on the radio as he crossed the finish line and drove his No. 21 Motorcraft Ford to victory circle, where he was too young to even drink the traditional celebratory champagne.

The race lived up to its billing, easily setting records for caution flags (16) and lead changes (74 among 22 drivers), but in the end it was a a great show of poise heading to the checkered flag that made Bayne the youngest winner of NASCAR's most prestigious trophy - one day after he celebrated his 20th birthday.

A five-car accident at the front of the field with four laps remaining in the 200-lap regulation period set up the first of two green-white-checkered overtime periods and all but eliminated several of the strongest cars, including Ryan Newman, Regan Smith and Clint Bowyer, who exchanged the lead in the closing 15 laps.

Robby Gordon's spin on the first restart sent cars scrambling, and fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 Chevrolet was collected in the melee, setting up the final two-lap shootout among Bayne and the veterans.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/02/20/trevor-bayne-becomes-youngest-winner-in-daytona-500-history/

Rachel Bilson Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams Rachel Nichols

Family of Slain Pace Player Indignant Over Grand Jury Ruling

A grand jury in a suburb north of New York City Monday declined to indict a police officer in the death of Danroy Henry, Jr., a Pace University football player shot while driving his car outside a bar in the Westchester County town of Thornwood.

Henry's father and his lawyer said they were not surprised by the decision and vowed to take the case to the United States Department of Justice and to pursue a civil suit.

"My faith was never in district attorney (Janet) DiFiore," Danroy Henry, Sr., said in a telephone conference call. "Our faith is in God. We were hoping she would surprise us but we had no faith in her."

Henry died a week before his 21st birthday and a few hours after the homecoming game from wounds caused by bullets fired from the gun of Aaron Hess, a police officer in Pleasantville, N.Y., who responded to a call to quell a disturbance in a parking lot after 1 a.m. on Oct. 17.

Although Henry was not involved in the fighting, Hess shot him from the hood of Henry's moving car. Police and witnesses disagreed as to whether police had told Henry to move his car or if Henry's actions put the officer in danger.

In a prepared statement, DiFiore said the grand jury of 23 persons heard testimony from 85 witnesses, including two passengers in the car with Henry and also from Hess, who testified without protection of immunity from prosecution. More than 100 exhibits were admitted into evidence at a proceeding which began on Jan. 10.

 

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Source: http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2011/02/14/family-of-slain-pace-player-indignant-over-grand-jury-ruling/

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NASCAR Makes Another Small Rule Change for Daytona 500

Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway, Sprint Cup, NASCAR

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- NASCAR has made another change to cars for the Daytona 500, this one because temperatures are expected to reach 80 degrees Sunday during the season-opening race.

Sprint Cup officials say teams can add an extra inch to grill openings, allowing more air to flow to engine-cooling radiators.

The change was made following the final practice session Saturday and should help drivers keep their engines cooler at speeds nearing 200 mph around Daytona International Speedway on Sunday.

NASCAR made three changes earlier in the week, reducing the size of the horsepower-sapping restrictor plates, adding a pressure-relief valve to cooling systems and reducing the size of grill openings. The moves were made to slow downs cars after speeds topped 206 mph.

The 43-car field will take the green flag at about 1:15 p.m. ET.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks and other supplemental copy have been inserted by AOL.

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2011/02/19/nascar-makes-another-small-rule-change-for-daytona-500/

Whitney Able Whitney Port Willa Ford Xenia Seeberg Yamila Diaz

Heat Outlast Wizards at Home as Dwyane Wade Puts Up 41 Points

Filed under: Heat, Wizards, Chris Bosh

MIAMI -- The Miami Heat got back to their winning ways after a tough loss to the Chicago Bulls the night before with a tougher than expected 121-113 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Competing on the second night of a back-to-back set, the Heat looked a bit sluggish in the opening quarter of the game as the Wizards looked nothing like a team who have only managed one road victory in 29 games. The surprisingly tough victory made it seven wins in a row at home and placed the Heat a half-game behind the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference lead.

Wade red hot from the field

Dwyane Wade got it going in the second quarter scoring 18 of his team's first 19 points with 9 straight baskets, enabling the Heat to score more than twice as many points as they did in the first quarter. Wade's 41 points came off a season high 18 field goals out of 27 attempts, though oddly enough he was wobbly from the free throw line going 3-for-9. In his finest moments, he was unstoppable as he attacked the basket while also effortlessly draining shots from all over the field including a pair of three-pointers.

"I hit some jump shots and that opened up my game," Wade explained. "I finally got it going and at the same time we needed to get back and get the lead so it was kind of one of those moments."

Wall impressive in his debut against the Heat

Even with Wade's offensive explosion, both teams played mostly even in the first half and deep into the third quarter as a result of Wizards guard Nick Young's 38 points along with prized rookie John Wall's 24 points and 12 assists. It was Wall's first game against the Heat due to injuries holding him back the first two games of the season series.

 

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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/heat-outlast-wizards-at-home-as-dwyane-wade-puts-up-41-points/

Julie Benz Julie Berry K. D. Aubert Karen Carreno Karolína Kurková

NHL Trade Deadline: San Jose Sharks

Filed under: Sharks, Western, Trade Deadline

Over the past several years, Doug Wilson has engineered some of the league's biggest trades, including those that brought Joe Thornton, Dan Boyle and Dany Heatley to San Jose.

None was a trade-deadline deal, though Thornton was acquired during the season. Still, Wilson has a reputation for wheeling and dealing boldly when required, even if he downplayed the possibilities of anything major when he spoke to FanHouse this month.

"You never say never, but a lot of it is based on supply and demand," Wilson told FanHouse. "Last year, the market in defensemen and centermen was sparse - if you have one, you're keeping them. But you never know. If there's anything out there that makes sense, our history speaks for itself."

Wilson already has done some tinkering with the deadline approach, acquiring Ben Eager and Kyle Wellwood in January and Ian White this month, and considering that the team is on an upswing, there's a sense in San Jose that the Sharks might not do much more.

Wilson told FanHouse that all along, the best possible answer would be for the Sharks to hit their stride - that would do more than most trades, anyway.

 

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Source: http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/26/nhl-trade-deadline-san-jose-sharks/

Marla Sokoloff Marley Shelton Mary Elizabeth Winstead Megan Ewing Megan Fox

Preseason match 5: United vs UC Santa Barbara

MATCH SUMMARY

It took nearly the full 90 minutes, but D.C. United finally broke down the University of California Santa Barbara's defense on Tuesday evening in the 81st minute. Only moments after coming on as a substitute, 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft selection Blake Brettschneider bagged this third goal in two matches after volleying home a Brandon Barklage cross. The club is now 5-0 in exhibition matches in 2011. 

Source: http://www.dcunited.com/news/2011/02/preseason-match-5-united-vs-uc-santa-barbara

Rihanna Robin Tunney Rosario Dawson Rose Byrne Rose McGowan

Man Has $50,000 Puck Shot Overturned? It Must Be a Movie

by Greg Couch

Filed under: Sports Business, Sports Business and Media

"All right everybody, let's hear it for Tropical Time and let's hear it for Bush Bavarian. If you're going to drink a beer, you might as well make it Busch Bavarian.''

That's how Jackie Moon, played by Will Ferrell in the movie Semi-Pro, made the introduction.

You know how Ferrell movies are just too ridiculous? How they could never come true?

Think again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen,'' he said. "I want you to welcome this man that's going to attempt the impossible, the $10,000 free throw from the other side of the court. The moonshot.''

That was the movie, about a fictional and fledgling team from the old ABA, running ridiculous stunts and promotions to try to stay alive.

This is real life: On Saturday night, the Indianapolis Ice of the United States Hockey League held its own impossible-shot promotion. Shoot the puck the length of the ice into the far net, which was blocked off entirely except for a three-inch slot at the bottom.

 

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Source: http://www.fanhouse.com/2011/02/15/man-has-50-000-puck-shot-overturned-it-must-be-a-movie/

Rachel Bilson Rachel Blanchard Rachel Hunter Rachel McAdams Rachel Nichols