Kritik und Lob » The wear and tear of a long day finall

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Jimmie Johnson can secure a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship this week at Watkins Glen International, and hes not even thinking about it. On a rainy Friday at the storied road course in upstate New York that delayed Cup practice until late afternoon, injured star Tony Stewart was foremost on everybodys mind. Stewart broke both the tibia and fibula in his right leg on Monday night in a sprint car race in Iowa, has since undergone two surgeries, and is out indefinitely. Max Papis will drive Stewarts No. 14 Chevrolet on Sunday in the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen, where Stewart has a track-record five Cup wins. It will bring Stewarts streak of 521 consecutive Cup starts to an end, and its his absence that gives Johnson the opportunity to be the first to lock into the Chase on points. "Its not the way I want to clinch, by any means, with him not being here at the race track. Its a big loss for our sport," Johnson said. "I know that Tony is feeling bad about being injured and the effect that it has on his Cup team. Its crazy to think that he wont be a player in the Chase." Stewart was leading with five laps remaining at Southern Iowa Speedway when a lapped car spun in front of him, causing Stewart to hit that car and flip several times. He was taken from the track by ambulance. Like his fellow drivers, Johnson, a five-time Cup champion, said he didnt like some of the comments hes seen in the aftermath of the crash. Specifically, those who questioned Stewart for racing so much. It was his third crash in a month in the powerful open-wheel cars. "Its troubled me to see some people giving him a hard time about his decision to race other vehicles," Johnson said. "We always praise him for his contributions to the motor sports world and his ability to drive and race anything. He has done so much for our sport. "I personally praise him for all that he does for our sport, including driving sprint cars Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday," Johnson said. "Its unfortunate that he got hurt. I hate that hes injured, but Id be bummed if he didnt continue to race all during the week. Thats the Smoke we know and love." Stewart-Haas Racing has not named an interim driver for beyond this weekend, and said no discharge date has been decided for the 42-year-old Stewart. "Its going to be a few weeks before we even look at that," said Greg Zipadelli, competition director at SHR. "For now, it will be a week-to-week diagnosis on him." Among the names that have popped up as candidates is 21-year-old Kyle Larson, a rising star in the Nationwide Series who sits sixth in points entering Saturdays Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen. He might be a bit too young, though. "Hes in a really crucial spot in his career and (it would be good) not getting fed to the wolves too soon," Zipadelli said. "I would prefer from this point on to put one person in that we felt was capable of doing a good, solid job and trying to build some chemistry with the crews and the crew chief. "Theres a lot of those little details that make for a good day on Sundays," Zipadelli said. "The longer you get to work with someone, the better you get to know them, the better chance you have of having some consistent results. But I dont know well honestly be able to do that. The drivers that wed like to put (in the seat) are all racing for a championship, and we need to be respectful of their position." Although Regan Smith is challenging Austin Dillon for the points lead in the Nationwide Series, Smiths boss at JR Motorsports said he wouldnt hesitate giving Smith the chance to drive the No. 14 if the opportunity arose. "Id be the first to put Regans name in the hat for that kind of opportunity," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "I understand that we are racing for a championship. It would be a challenge. It would also give him an opportunity to showcase himself ... and get some guys maybe wanting to put him back in the car full-time on this (Cup) side of the deal. That would be good for him." At least Smith knows what hed face. He was forced to sub for Earnhardt in the No. 88 last October in the Chase when Earnhardt couldnt compete because of the effects of two concussions. "Its going to be a great opportunity for somebody," said Smith, who grew up in Cato, N.Y., a two-hour drive north of Watkins Glen. "Last year it happened so quick there wasnt time to think. There was nothing but a phone call. "I certainly would be open to that. You just cross that bridge and see how things line up. I think its a lot of hypothetical right now. I cant speak to any of that."Clearance MLB Jerseys . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. Wholesale Nike MLB Jerseys . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. https://www.mlbjerseyschina.us/ .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Cheap MLB Jerseys Nike 2020 . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. "We talked about wanting to be disciplined and stick with our game plan and good things will come," Draisaitl said, who had two goals for the victors. ARDMORE, Pa. -- There was at least one wiseguy waiting on more than a few of the holes. Despite that, Sergio Garcias charm offensive was mostly well received by the galleries during the opening round of the U.S. Open. Some three weeks ago, in the midst of a hissing match with Tiger Woods, the Spaniard made a racially tinged remark about inviting his rival over for dinner and serving fried chicken. Widely criticized at the time, Garcia has apologized to Woods both privately and publicly. Yet there were some lingering questions about how hed be received at Merion Golf Club this week by a sometimes-tough Philadelphia sports crowd. "There were a couple here and there, but there was -- I felt the people were very nice for the whole day. I think that almost all of them were behind me," Garcia said afterward, "and that was nice to see." The same unfortunately, couldnt be said for Garcias golf game. He shot a 3-over-par 73 Thursday, and that after recovering from a double-bogey, quadruple-bogey stumble at Nos. 14 and 15, where Garcia hooked both of his tee shots out of bounds. "The U.S. Open doesnt give you much room," he said, then conceded the margin for error at 14 and 15 wasnt his problem. "The out of bounds is close, but if you hit a bad shot, even if its far away, youre going to find it. ... I guess I was just making my week a little bit tougher," he added. "But I tried to battle as much as I could coming in." Garcia teed off alongside Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink amid cheers and a few scattered boos on the 11th hole at 7:44 a.m., and was cruising until the 14th. No sooner had his tee shot flown the coup at that hole than heavy rains came down and caused a 3 1/2-hour delay. Garcia described his return this way: "Hit another 3-wood, 7-iron to about 16 feet and managed to two-putt for par. "Sorry," he added quickly, to some laughter. "Par with the second ball." The delay may have ggiven the occasional hecklers around the course a chance to down a few beers and screw up their courage.dddddddddddd As Garcia reached the first green, where he had an 8-footer for birdie, a fan holding a beer yelled, "Hey, head case! Lets see you blow it 10 feet by." Instead, Garcia drained the putt for birdie, then made eagle at the par-5 second hole with a big drive, another 3-wood to 16 feet and made that putt as well. That left him at 4-over. "But then I hit a couple of bad shots," Garcia said. "So I dont know. It was a pretty flat round for most of the day." Not for everyone, though. As Garcia started down the No. 5 fairway, a fan lining the ropes yelled, "I ate the bones!" -- the punch line from a new round of commercials for KFC, the fast-food chain formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken. Yet just another 100 yards, as Garcia passed by, another fan said, "I hate Tiger, too!" On and on it went at nearly all of the closing holes. Many fans cheered and a few expressed loud support for Garcia, only to have someone yell something like "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!" as one did standing on a patio of a pricey home alongside the sixth fairway. The wear and tear of a long day finally seemed to show on Garcia on the par-3 ninth, his next-to-last hole. When his tee shot there fluttered off to the right and into a greenside bunker, his shoulders slumped and he walked across the tee box dragging his club behind him like a broom. Yet he hit a terrific wedge into No. 10 that bounced twice and slammed on the brakes just two feet from the hole for birdie. If only his efforts to make up with Woods had gone that smoothly. Garcia walked over to where his rival was practicing on the range Monday and offered his hand. The two shook, and briefly exchanged a few words. Garcia also left a note in Woods locker. Asked if there was a response, he said simply, "No. I havent really seen him." ' ' '