Sports

NASCAR All-Star Race back to North Wilkesboro

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2023

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Associated Press

Sep 28, 2023, 01:58 PM ET

RALEIGH. N.C. — The NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race will remain at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2024 after this year’s event — the first race for NASCAR’s top series there in 27 years — attracted a capacity crowd thrilled to return to stock car roots.

State legislators joined NASCAR and track executives on Thursday at the North Carolina Legislative Building for the announcement, which keeps the .625-mile (1-kilometer) asphalt oval, located almost 160 miles (258 kilometers) west of Raleigh, on the Cup Series schedule for another year.

The May 19 non-points exhibition race remains in its traditional slot on the weekend before the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR President Steve Phelps said the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro and the circuit’s first street race, held in Chicago, were the signature events of 2023 during NASCAR’s 75th anniversary season.

“Neither of those events disappointed,” Phelps said. “We are so thrilled to be coming back with the All-Star Race.”

North Wilkesboro was one of NASCAR’s original venues, hosting more than 90 Cup races before it closed in 1996 as the circuit sought to build popularity in other markets. The oval fell into disrepair until Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., local boosters, and state officials pushed efforts to rejuvenate the track.

Federal and state funds helped complete renovations, resulting in the September 2022 announcement that it would return in 2023.

NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports, which owns both the Charlotte and North Wilkesboro speedways, also said Thursday that North Wilkesboro will be repaved for the first time since 1981 in time for next year’s race.

Kyle Larson dominated this year’s race, which was held before 35,000 fans on the patched-up asphalt track, on the way to the $1 million prize in the winner-take-all event.

The final state budget taking effect next week includes an additional $4 million for the speedway to perform repairs and improvements as long as it agreed to host one more NASCAR Series race there by the end of 2028.

The 2024 All-Star Race satisfies that requirement, according to state Rep. Jason Saine, a top budget-writer.

“It’s right to be in North Carolina. It feels great to have it in North Carolina,” Saine told reporters, “and it means that tourists are going to come from everywhere and spend a week in North Carolina, spending dollars.”

Gov. Roy Cooper also has been a big supporter of returning NASCAR to North Wilkesboro and attended this year’s race.

Phelps said that “feeling the love from the state and its politicians is really important, and it influences decisions that we make.”

It’s unclear whether Thursday’s announcement improves North Wilkesboro’s chances for a return to a regular stop on the Cup Series points race schedule. Phelps said that holding races in non-traditional markets attracts those who have never attended a NASCAR race before.

“We want to make sure that we stay tied to the history and the DNA and the roots of NASCAR, but continue to push the boundaries on bringing our sport to different places,” he said.

The All-Star Race originally started in 1985 and was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway every year but one until 2021. It was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1986, and at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021 and 2022.

Speedway Motorsports this year moved it to North Wilkesboro. The All-Star Race has only ever been run at venues owned by Speedway Motorsports.

Sports

Sources: ECU to elevate interim Harrell to HC role

Published

2 hours ago

November 25, 2024

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Sources: ECU to elevate interim Harrell to HC role

Pete Thamel, ESPNNov 25, 2024, 09:40 AM ET
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East Carolina is set to promote interim coach Blake Harrell to be the school’s next coach, sources told ESPN on Monday.

Harrell is 4-0 since taking over on Oct. 20, and East Carolina is 7-4 overall on the season.

ECU’s board still needs to meet to formally approve a contract for Harrell, sources told ESPN. That meeting is expected to be called in the upcoming days and a decision is expected to be formalized this week, sources said.

East Carolina brass have been impressed with the “contagious energy” that Harrell has brought to the job, as there’s a belief at ECU that the job should be one of the best in the AAC in its current iteration. ECU has a 50,000-seat stadium and a passionate fan base, and the coaching search was centered around someone that could maximize the job.

Harrell has rallied the team with a hands-on style, as he’s scaled back practices to keep players fresh and put a focus on maximizing their experience since taking over.

The players have responded with wins over Temple, Florida Atlantic, at Tulsa and at North Texas.

ECU fell behind 21-0 to UNT on Saturday and stormed back for an emphatic 40-28 win. In the aftermath of that emotional victory, the players amplified their rallying cry to keep Harrell as the head coach.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Katin Houser, who has thrown 13 touchdown passes in Harrell’s four games as interim coach, posted “Wewantharrell” on social media to express his support for Harrell to get the full-time job. Others who went public with their support included veteran tailback Rahjai Harris and senior tackle Parker Moorer.

Harrell, 46, was promoted to interim from his job as East Carolina’s defensive coordinator. He’s got deep rooting in the Carolinas, as he graduated Western Carolina and has an MBA from Lenoir-Rhyne. He coached in high school in North Carolina and began his full-time college coaching career with jobs at Lenoir-Rhyne and The Citadel.

Harrell also had a stint outside the Carolinas at Kennesaw State as the defensive coordinator in 2019, where he had a top-five FCS defense.

Harrell is set to take over for Mike Houston, who was fired in his sixth season after going 27-38. ECU hasn’t won a league title since Skip Holtz led them to a Conference USA crown in 2009,

Harrell’s expected promotion marks the first of the six American Athletic Conference jobs to fill this year. The remaining open jobs are Tulsa, FAU, Rice, Charlotte and Temple.

ECU plays Navy on Saturday to close out the regular season. A win would mark just the second time since 2014 that ECU has won eight games.

Sports

Sources: Kikuchi, Angels agree to 3-year deal

Published

3 hours ago

November 25, 2024

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Sources: Kikuchi, Angels agree to 3-year deal

Jesse Rogers, ESPN Staff WriterNov 25, 2024, 09:21 AM ET
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Left-handed starter Yusei Kikuchi is in agreement with the Los Angeles Angels on a three-year, $63 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday.

Kikuchi, 33, had a great second half to his season last year after being traded from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Houston Astros, compiling a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts.

Overall, he had a 4.05 ERA in 2024, making 32 starts split between the two teams. He made 32 starts in 2023 as well while appearing in 32 games in 2022 and 29 games in 2021. That durability undoubtedly helped secure his current deal with the Angels.

The six-year veteran will be joining his fourth team after breaking into the big leagues with the Seattle Mariners in 2019. His best season came in 2023 when he went 11-6 with a 3.86 ERA for the Blue Jays, helping them make the postseason. His contributions to the Astros last season also helped them reach the postseason, something his new team hasn’t done since 2014.

Kikuchi’s signing adds to a busy offseason for the Angels who already inked another starter, Kyle Hendricks, to a free agent deal. The team also added catcher Travis d’Arnaud via free agency and traded for outfielder Jorge Soler. Los Angeles has been by far the most aggressive team in MLB so far this winter.

MLB Network was the first to report Kikuchi’s signing.