ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2021 SPORTS 15 NASCAR to run road course again on Feb 21 in a points-paying event Busch streaks past Elliott, Blaney to win Busch Clash DAYTONA BEACH, Florida, Feb 10, (AP): Kyle Busch snagged the first win of the new season, streaking past NASCAR champion Chase Elliott Tsegay sets new world indoor record in 1,500m after Elliott spun leader Ryan Blaney LIEVIN, France, Feb 10, (AP): over double European indoor indoor record by running 3:59.58. in the final stretch of the exhibition Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia set a champion Laura Muir and her “I’m very happy to set a world Busch Clash. new 1,500 meters indoor world indoor record,” Tsegay said. “I Blaney had chased down Elliott on record by finishing in 3 minutes have been training really hard and I the road course at Daytona 53.09 seconds at a meet in north- ATHLETICS set myself a target to break the International Speedway to take the ern France. world indoor record.” lead with two laps remaining in 35-lap A world bronze medalist, Tsegay Tsegay took more than two sec- Speedweeks opener. Elliott, winner of followed the fast tempo set by the teammate Melissa Courtney- onds off the previous record set by NASCAR’s last four road course races pacemaker and held on to prevail Bryant. Muir set a new British Genzebe Dibaba in 2014. dating to 2019, didn’t let Blaney pull away and set himself up for one final a good start,” Busch said. “Winning make sure you win the race and don’t until 2022 because of the pandemic, and chance at the win. never hurts anything, but there is some let the third-place guy win.’” NASCAR used the Daytona road course stuff for us to get a little bit better on, The Clash has always been the in August last year for a points-paying CAR RACING for us to grow on.” opening event of Speedweeks, which race when it had to alter the schedule to Elliott finished second and Blaney traditionally spans two weekends complete the season. Elliott won the was third. The two are close friends off before the season-opening Daytona inaugural Daytona road course race. He stalked Blaney into the chicane Kyle Busch celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Clash the track and chatted at Blaney’s dam- 500. NASCAR this year is experi- The Clash was much smoother than headed into the turn four final push auto race at Daytona International Speedway, on Feb 9, in Daytona Beach, aged race car after the finish. menting with a condensed schedule last year’s race on Daytona’s oval, a and as Elliott closed in on his bumper, Florida. (AP) “If I’m sorry for trying to win a and all the racing spans six days and crash-fest in which every single car the two made contact and Blaney spun race, then I’m in the wrong business,” concludes with Sunday’s big show. was in at least one incident and only into the wall. It cost Elliott his momen- Gibbs Racing. It was Busch’s second championship round for the first time Elliott said. “Obviously, I don’t mean This year’s running was the first six cars were running at the end. The tum and Busch sailed by for the sur- win in the exhibition - he also used a since 2014 and his No. 18 Toyota crew to wreck anybody. I feel like you’ve time on Daytona’s road course, a plan race also had 12 lead changes - one prise victory. last-lap pass to win in 2012 - and the was overhauled during the winter. got to go for it at an event like this.” announced before the 2020 season less than August’s race here that had “I just knew to keep my head down 10th for Gibbs. JGR also won last Gibbs made so many changes to Blaney chalked it up to hard racing began. NASCAR moved from the tra- 30 additional laps. and keep focus ahead and just seeing if season’s Clash. Busch’s crew, he joked he felt like in the first event since November’s ditional oval to answer fans’ calls for NASCAR will run the road course I could hit my marks to have a shot For Busch, the win comes after a he’d been the one fired and moved to a season finale. more variety on the schedule, and fig- again on Feb. 21 in a points-paying like that if something like that were to disappointing one-win season for the new ride. “Of course he didn’t mean to wreck ured it would be a final race in the event. The race was moved to Daytona materialize,” Busch said. 2019 NASCAR champion. He strug- “I’m not sure that we’re mature me, but I ended up wrecked,” Blaney current car before the Next Gen model because of pandemic restrictions in Busch led only the final 300 or so gled in the second half of the season, enough or we’re ready enough in order said. “I told him, ‘If you are going to was introduced. California, where NASCAR was feet of the race for the victory for Joe failed to advance to the final four to win as a group, but I feel like this is make a move like that, you better But the Next Gen has been delayed scheduled to race at Fontana. Alabama holds off South Carolina No. 14 West Virginia ‘sweeps’ Blackhawks pip Stars in OT Texas Tech with 82-71 victory LUBBOCK, Texas, Feb 10, (AP): 10 for 11 from the foul line altogether. Sean McNeil scored a career-high 26 Devan Cambridge’s 3-pointer with points and No. 14 West Virginia fin- 13:08 to play gave Auburn a 40-38 for second straight victory ished a regular-season sweep of sev- lead it never surrendered. Vanderbilt enth-ranked Texas Tech with an 82-71 led 25-23 at halftime. victory over the Red Raiders. Cambridge finished with 11 points The Mountaineers (14-5, 7-3 Big and Allen Flanigan 10. Jaylin Williams 12) won their third consecutive game grabbed 10 rebounds for Auburn. and ended a four-game skid in Kent St. 71, Bowling Green 67 Lubbock 15 days after a thrilling 88-87 win at home when Miles McBride hit In Bowling Green, Ohio, Danny the go-ahead jumper in the final sec- Pippen had 16 points and 11 rebounds onds. to carry Kent State to win over McNeil was 5 of 7 from 3-point Bowling Green. range, including one with the shot Tervell Beck had 18 points for Kent clock about to expire late in the second State (11-5, 8-4 Mid-American half. Conference), Jeremiah Hernandez McBride scored 18 of his 20 points scored 11, Gabe O’Neal 10 and in the second half coming off a career- Malique Jacobs grabbed 10 rebounds. best 31 points in a win over Kansas. Mac McClung scored 17 points before fouling out for the Red Raiders BASKETBALL (14-6, 6-5), who saw a three-game winning streak end a day after reach- ing their highest ranking of the season. Trey Diggs had 18 points for the Falcons (10-9, 6-7), who now have Alabama 81, S. Carolina 78 now lost six straight. Justin Turner In Columbia, S.C., John Petty Jr. added 18 points and Daeqwon scored 20 points and Alabama held off Plowden had 15 points and eight South Carolina to bounce back from rebounds. its first Southeastern Conference loss Arkansas 81, Kentucky 80 of the season. The Crimson Tide (16-5, 11-1 SEC) In Lexington, Ky., Jalen Tate scored were off to their best league start in 65 15 points, including two free throws years before falling to 10th-ranked with 4.3 seconds left, and Davonte Missouri this past Saturday. Davis made a steal on the ensuing pos- Justin Minaya cut South Carolina’s session as Arkansas edged Kentucky deficit to 79-78 with 2 seconds left, but 81-80, snapping an eight-game losing James Rojas was quickly fouled and streak in the series. made both free throws to seal the vic- Moses Moody added 14 points for tory. Arkansas (15-5, 7-4 Southeastern AJ Lawson led the Gamecocks (5-8, Conference). Connor Vanover had 12 3-6) with 21 points, making five points and JD Notae had 11. 3-pointers. Brandon Boston Jr. scored 17 points to lead Kentucky (5-13, 4-7). Sarr had Texas 80, Kansas State 77 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. In Manhattan, Kansas, Andrew Mintz and Devin Askew added 11 Jones scored 24 points and Texas held points apiece and Keion Brooks Jr. had off Kansas State. 10. Nashville Predators center Mikael Granlund (64) and Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (37) battle for the puck in the third period of an NHL hockey game, on Feb 9, in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP) Greg Brown added 17 points and Butler 76, St. John’s 73, OT Courtney Ramey had 14 for the Longhorns (12-5, 6-4 Big 12), who In Indianapolis, Bryce Nze scored snapped a three-game skid. 19 points with 10 rebounds and Aaron Lightning rally past Predators 6-1 for 6th win in row Mike McGuirl missed a 3-point Thompson scored 17 distributing 10 attempt from half court in the waning assists and Butler beat St. John’s in seconds for the Wildcats (5-16, 1-11), overtime.