THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 SPORTS Grubb not worried about lineup changes CHARLOTTE: Darian Grubb will attempt to win his second tain, although he cautioned to take a wait-and-see approach ishes, which could have sparked discussions for a crew chief Harvick left other organizations to move to Stewart-Haas championship this weekend, and just like his 2011 title run until after Sunday’s race. change at the end of the season. Racing, where both believed they’d finally be able to win a with Tony Stewart, the crew chief could be paired with a dif- “We have had talks internally about what next year’s No matter what happens, Grubb said this time isn’t any- championship. “There’s thousands of things that run ferent driver next season. plans are, but there’s nothing that’s ready to be announced,” thing like 2011 because he knows he’ll be at Gibbs next year. through your mind at that moment, how you got to where Grubb was informed midway through the 2011 Chase he said. “I’m sure winning a championship with the team Four seasons ago, he wasn’t sure where he’d be working you’re at, how many people helped you get there,” Childers for the Sprint Cup championship that Stewart was not might have some bearing on some of those discussions. after the finale. “I’m still going to do the same effort and the said. “For me personally, I’ve wanted to be part of something bringing him back the next year. The duo went on to win the We’re going to wait until the Monday after Homestead to same work that I do every week regardless of who I am like this for a long time. I’ve wanted to race for a champi- title and Grubb began his search for a new job the very next even think about that stuff.” Grubb has 21 victories with working for,” Grubb said. “If it is Denny again next year, we’re onship, and I’ve never really had that opportunity.” day. He landed at Joe Gibbs Racing with Denny Hamlin, and Hamlin and Stewart, and the 2006 Daytona 500 with Jimmie going to try to win two in a row. If it’s for somebody else, It wasn’t easy as Childers built his No. 4 team practically the No. 11 team goes to Homestead-Miami Speedway this Johnson in a substitute role for suspended crew chief Chad then we’re going to try to win together.” from scratch once he got to SHR. It meant long hours, dedi- weekend racing for the championship. Hamlin is one of four Knaus. This year’s success has come in NASCAR’s new elimi- EMOTIONAL CHILDERS: In the moments after Kevin cation from his new employees and a commitment to build- drivers in the championship finale. Team owner Joe Gibbs nation-format Chase, in which Hamlin has advanced Harvick took the checkered flag at Phoenix to earn a spot in ing something they believed could be very good. He has said for several months there could be lineup changes at through the first three rounds despite a mediocre regular NASCAR’s championship race, crew chief Rodney Childers praised the SHR employees for sticking through a project JGR next season as Carl Edwards comes on board in a new season. grew emotional during the celebration. In their first year that also included expanding the organization to a fourth fourth team. It means Grubb’s position with Hamlin isn’t cer- Hamlin has just one win this year and seven top-five fin- together, Childers couldn’t help himself. Both Childers and car for Kurt Busch. —AP Northern Ireland emerge from neighbors’ shadow LONDON: They are often confused with many years for countries such as a team of a similar name, and so is their Northern Ireland. manager, but after almost 30 years in the international wilderness, Northern TEAM SPIRIT Ireland are dreaming again of the prom- O’Neill has done his homework, esti- ised land. The 1986 World Cup was the mating that 18 points should mean qual- last time the Belfast boys qualified for a ification. Already halfway to that target, major tournament, since when a differ- he has pointed out that after Bucharest ent Ireland side in green have done so on Friday, his team will have four of the several times, after being revived by remaining six games at their Windsor English World Cup winner Jack Charlton. Park home, where they have traditionally The Republic of Ireland are now man- been strong. aged by the former Celtic and Aston Villa Should they qualify for the first time in manager Martin O’Neill, not to be con- 30 years, it will be a triumph for team fused - although he frequently is - with spirit and the manager’s own organisa- the man behind Northern Ireland’s cur- tional ability, given the material he has to rent success, 45-year-old Michael O’Neill. work with. The best represented league He was appointed three years ago and in the Northern Ireland squad is the third won only one of his first 18 games, which tier of English football, from which he was one of the reasons Northern Ireland had to draft in two more players this were down in pot five when the draw week - representing Rochdale and was made for Euro 2016. Oldham Athletic - after the sort of with- For once the draw was a little kinder drawals international managers become than usual, although even optimists reluctantly used to. among the Irish support were hardly For those whose clubs are higher up expecting their team to fly out of the the food chain, the problem is a lack of traps with three wins out of three and go regular first-team football. Some of the into Friday’s tie away to Romania on top most experienced players O’Neill relies of Group F. on, like defender Aaron Hughes of “It’s been a fantastic start,” Northern Brighton and striker Kyle Lafferty of Ireland’s most capped player, Pat Norwich City, have recently dropped out Jennings, told Reuters. Jennings, who of the Premier League but cannot even played 119 times between 1964 and command a regular place at their PORTUGAL: This is a Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 file photo of Gibraltar supporters prior to the Euro 2016 Group D qualifying round soccer match 1986, making his debut in the same Championship clubs. between Gibraltar and Poland at the Algarve stadium in Faro, southern Portugal. Poland defeated Gibraltar 7-0. Days before one of world foot- game as the country’s greatest player, Lafferty has not scored for his club all ball’s biggest ever mismatches, the captain of Gibraltar laughs as he contemplates the task facing his team of amateurs against Germany.’ —AP George Best, is particularly impressed season, yet is Northern Ireland’s talisman, with O’Neill. with a goal in every one of the group “He knows Irish football, which is what matches so far. Germany to field big we need, and he’s done a brilliant job Manchester United’s Jonny Evans has with what he’s got.” The danger, Jennings been injured for some time and the cap- now feels, is getting carried away. tain and only Premier League regular this “Romania will be a tough one,” he said. “I season, Southampton midfielder Steven guns against Gibraltar just hope everyone’s not expecting too Davis, withdrew from the squad yester- much.” day. Not that O’Neill will talk his side Two of the three wins so far have been down when he addresses the media in BERLIN: World champinos Germany will field their last games have not bee so successful. go into this game.” “There is no reason for us to away from home, by 2-1 in Hungary Bucharest on Thursday. His message, as their strongest team against European minnows What is important is to have a good game and if be careless. We want to get the three points to (where O’Neill’s side were a goal down he told The Independent this week, is Gibraltar in Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier in we win 5-0 or 6-0 and the lads play well then put our qualification back on track,” said with 10 minutes left) and 2-0 in Greece. that “we’re asking lads to step up, and Nuremberg, looking for a big score to boost con- that is also OK for us.” The Germans are missing a Schneider, who took over from Hansi Flick after A straightforward 2-0 home victory they have”. fidence after a rocky start to the campaign. string of key players, including captain Bastian the World Cup. over the Faroe Islands means that they Indeed, it is Romania’s experienced Germany have been nursing a World Cup Schweinsteiger, winger Marco Reus and attack- Germany also face European champions Spain are two points ahead of the Romanians coach, Anghel Iordanescu, now in his hangover since their triumph in Brazil in July and ing midfielder Julian Draxler. in a friendly on Nov. 18 in Vigo. Gibraltar, a British and, significantly, five in front of anyone third spell in charge, who is calling are third in Group D with four points from three But even without them the four-time World overseas territory which borders the southern tip games after a less than stellar start. Cup winners should have no problems against of Spain, was accepted as a UEFA member after a else. The new 24-team format for the Northern Ireland favourites for the match They eked out a narrow 2-1 win at home to Gibraltar, who are competing in their maiden 14-year battle during which it faced fierce opposi- finals has been criticised as bloated, but on the back of their three successive Scotland before slumping to their first ever qualifying tournament.