Connect with us

Published

on

CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR champion Kyle Larson has emerged as a candidate for an Indianapolis 500 ride and said Saturday he has permission from Hendrick Motorsports to run the iconic race if a deal can be completed.

Larson told The Associated Press he has spoken to both team owner Rick Hendrick and vice chairman Jeff Gordon about his desire, and Hendrick’s only caveat was that Larson not run the Indy 500 this season.

If he does land a ride, though, Larson said he’d run “The Double” and compete in both the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Only four drivers have previously attempted to run the 1,100 miles in two different states on the same day, and Tony Stewart in 2001 was the only driver to complete all the laps.

Kurt Busch in 2014 was the last driver to attempt the feat.

“Nothing’s changed. I would love to do it,” Larson told AP. “It’s just timing and I want to be in the best equipment possible. But I’ve told Jeff and Rick that I’d like to do it and it’s kind of up to them to find something.”

Kyle Busch also has permission to run the Indy 500 when he joins Richard Childress Racing next season, but conversations with McLaren to run a fourth car for Busch have fizzled over the limited budget offered by potential sponsor Menard’s for the effort.

Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson, who last month retired from full-time racing after two seasons in IndyCar and his own Indy 500 debut, also wants to run The Double next season.

But for it to work for Larson, Busch or Johnson, they’d all likely need to partner with a Chevrolet team, and the options are limited. Team Penske has been reluctant to run a fourth car at Indy, which would leave Arrow McLaren SP as the best viable Chevy choice. The McLaren lineup finished second, fourth and 11th in this year’s race.

Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, who finished third this year, has also emerged as a candidate for a seat with McLaren. The team is expanding next year to three full-time entries with the addition of Alexander Rossi to the lineup, and team head Zak Brown has so far remained undecided on if he wants to field a fourth car in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Grassroots racing fans are eager to see Larson at Indy, as his dirt background and dominance in smaller series across the country has made him a popular figure. Although his name is now being mentioned in IndyCar circles for a potential seat next May, Larson said he was unaware of any ongoing negotiations involving his participation.

Continue Reading

Sports

USC QB pulls off fake punt wearing No. 80 jersey

Published

on

By

USC QB pulls off fake punt wearing No. 80 jersey

LOS ANGELES — No. 20 USC pulled off a remarkable fake punt against Northwestern in Friday night’s 38-17 win by sending out third-string quarterback Sam Huard in the same uniform number as the Trojans’ punter.

Wearing a No. 80 jersey, Huard came on the field with the punt team in the second quarter and completed a 10-yard pass to Tanook Hines. The first down extended the Trojans’ second drive, which ended with a TD run by Jayden Maiava.

This bit of trickery was quite legal, apparently: Huard wore No. 7 earlier this season for the Trojans, but he is listed as No. 80 on the USC roster for this week after Lincoln Riley’s team quietly made the change.

USC punter Sam Johnson also wears No. 80. College football teams frequently feature two players wearing the same number.

Huard, who is a couple of inches shorter than the 6-foot-3 Johnson, grinned widely as he high-fived teammates on the way off the field. He is a former five-star recruit who began his college career at Washington.

Bowling Green pulled off a similar stunt in last season’s 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.

Third-string Falcons quarterback Baron May switched his uniform number before the game from 8 to 18 — very similar to punter John Henderson‘s No. 19 jersey.

Late in the first quarter, May came on the field instead of Henderson and threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Johnson Jr. — although Arkansas State overcame it for a 38-31 victory.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

Missouri’s Norfleet (shoulder) ruled out vs. A&M

Published

on

By

Missouri's Norfleet (shoulder) ruled out vs. A&M

No. 22 Missouri will be without star tight end Brett Norfleet (shoulder) when the Tigers host undefeated No. 3 Texas A&M on Saturday in Columbia.

Norfleet, a junior from O’Fallon, Missouri, has started in each of the Tigers’ eight games this fall and enters Week 11 leading all SEC tight ends with five touchdown receptions. His 26 catches on the season rank third-most among Missouri pass catchers, trailing only wide receivers Kevin Coleman Jr. and Marquis Johnson.

Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz told reporters that Norflett sustained a separated shoulder in Missouri’s 17-10 loss at Vanderbilt on Oct. 25. Drinkwitz later described Norfleet as “day-to-day” during the Tigers’ bye in Week 10, and the veteran tight end was listed as questionable in Missouri’s student-athlete availability report Thursday night.

Norfleet’s absence comes with Drinkwitz and the two-loss Tigers essentially facing a playoff elimination game against the Aggies on Saturday. Missouri will also be without starting quarterback Beau Pribula in Week 11 after the Penn State transfer dislocated his ankle at Vanderbilt. Freshman Matt Zollers, ESPN’s No. 6 pocket passer in the 2025 class, is set to make his first career start Saturday, facing Texas A&M coach Mike Elko and an Aggies defense that ranks 18th nationally in defensive pressures (137), per ESPN Research.

“For our team, it’s really about us focusing on helping Matt execute at the highest level possible,” Drinkwitz said this week. “We’re excited about Matt’s opportunity and what he’s earned. He has done a really good job in practice of leadership, stepping up, embracing the moment, embracing the opportunity.”

Missouri (6-2) kicks off against Texas A&M at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Continue Reading

Sports

Sources: Kansas State RB Edwards leaves team

Published

on

By

Sources: Kansas State RB Edwards leaves team

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards has left the Wildcats and is expected to enter the transfer portal, sources confirmed to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Edwards has been hampered by injuries this season and has played in just four games. He has only 34 carries for 205 yards.

In 2024, Edwards finished with 546 rushing yards while averaging 7.4 yards per carry with seven total touchdowns.

He began his career in 2023 at Colorado before transferring to K-State.

The Wildcats (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) are off this weekend.

Continue Reading

Trending