Sport

With summer quickly approaching, there’s some nasty news to consider before heading to the pool. Outbreaks of a parasitic infection tied to swimming pools and water parks are on the rise, with twice as many outbreaks in 2016 as in 2014, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC received reports of at least 32 outbreaks caused by Cryptosporidium — also known as “Crypto” —…

The 2017-18 NASCAR Next class looks more like it should be called NASCAR Now. Among the nine drivers are three series champions, two of whom are the youngest in their respective NASCAR touring series, 40 wins, and 124 top-10s in 148 starts.  “The NASCAR Next program identifies emerging talent in our sport,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “Drivers in this year’s class have…

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — At 15, Hailie Deegan is the youngest member of the 2017-18 NASCAR Next driver class. She’s also the only female in the group of nine. No pressure, right? “On the track, no one really knows I’m I girl,” Deegan said on Wednesday during a luncheon for this latest NASCAR Next class at 204 North Tryon in Uptown Charlotte. “No one really knows you’re a girl until you…

The Chainsmokers, Alex Pall (left) and Andrew Taggart, will perform as part of the new 400 Fest at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.(Photo: Doug McSchooler / for IndyStar) Following the success of Indy 500 Snake Pit concerts, which attract 30,000 electronic dance music fans, Indianapolis Motor Speedway will present two nights of similar acts as part of this year’s NASCAR weekend at the track. The Chainsmokers, Major Lazer and rapper Mac Miller…

Eavesdropping on NASCAR drivers’ in-race chatter is usually fun and quite entertaining, particularly with the frequent name-calling. But that’s not the case for the audio from the Go Bowling 400 on Saturday. Drivers love their sport, but they were reminded of the serious dangers it poses when Danica Patrick, Joey Logano and Aric Almirola were involved in a blazing, three-car wreck at Kansas Speedway. Although Patrick and Logano were OK,…

One of the things people in the NASCAR community hear a lot during these two weekends in May is, “This must be an easy time for you with the races in Charlotte because you don’t have to travel.” While it unquestionably is great to sleep in your own bed, the reality is that the two weeks in which the Monster Energy All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 take place…

Eavesdropping on NASCAR drivers’ in-race chatter is usually fun and quite entertaining, particularly with the frequent name-calling. But that’s not the case for the audio from the Go Bowling 400 on Saturday. Drivers love their sport, but they were reminded of the serious dangers it poses when Danica Patrick, Joey Logano and Aric Almirola were involved in a blazing, three-car wreck at Kansas Speedway. Although Patrick and Logano were OK,…

The Chainsmokers, Alex Pall (left) and Andrew Taggart, will perform as part of the new 400 Fest at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.(Photo: Doug McSchooler / for IndyStar) Following the success of Indy 500 Snake Pit concerts, which attract 30,000 electronic dance music fans, Indianapolis Motor Speedway will present two nights of similar acts as part of this year’s NASCAR weekend at the track. The Chainsmokers, Major Lazer and rapper Mac Miller…

In NASCAR racing, drivers really, really like to beat their rival drivers. Teams really, really like to beat their rival teams. But the most intense competition might be at the manufacturer level, where the stakes and potential rewards are sky-high. Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota all spend millions of dollars — exact numbers for each being closely guarded secrets — to win NASCAR races and, ultimately sell cars and trucks to…

The new wave of talent in NASCAR is younger than ever. So is the current wave of retirees. Forty used to the be age when drivers are hitting their peaks. Now it’s a time when drivers consider moving to the television booth, a tractor or a rocking chair. See Also Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be 43 when he hangs up his helmet at the end of the season. He plans…

NASCAR announced a variety of rule changes coming into 2017 competition, but apparently it couldn’t resist messing with the setup of the Coca-Cola 600 – the Cup Series’ next points race – at the last minute. Within the stage racing rules – also new this season – NASCAR announced the longest race on the schedule will have four stages instead of the typical three, breaking the 600-mile race into 100-lap…

RELATED: Complete coverage of NASCAR Next DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 16, 2017) – Forty wins and 124 top-10s in 148 NASCAR starts during their 2016 and 2017 seasons, to date. … Three series champions, two of whom are the youngest in their respective NASCAR touring series. … The 2016 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year and the 2015 Snowball Derby runner-up. These are just a few of the…

Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi, the “Bachelor’s” latest couple, make a public appearance. (Danny Moloshok/Reuters) NBC may want to watch its back. On Tuesday, rival network ABC revealed its strategy to peel eyeballs away from the Winter Olympics next February by announcing its own competition, the “Bachelor Winter Games,” a show that promises to “take competitive dating to a chilling new level,” the network said (via Vulture). A spinoff of…

RELATED: Complete coverage of NASCAR Next DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 16, 2017) – Forty wins and 124 top-10s in 148 NASCAR starts during their 2016 and 2017 seasons, to date. … Three series champions, two of whom are the youngest in their respective NASCAR touring series. … The 2016 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Rookie of the Year and the 2015 Snowball Derby runner-up. These are just a few of the…

Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi, the “Bachelor’s” latest couple, make a public appearance. (Danny Moloshok/Reuters) NBC may want to watch its back. On Tuesday, rival network ABC revealed its strategy to peel eyeballs away from the Winter Olympics next February by announcing its own competition, the “Bachelor Winter Games,” a show that promises to “take competitive dating to a chilling new level,” the network said (via Vulture). A spinoff of…

Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi, the “Bachelor’s” latest couple, make a public appearance. (Danny Moloshok/Reuters) NBC may want to watch its back. On Tuesday, rival network ABC revealed its strategy to peel eyeballs away from the Winter Olympics next February by announcing its own competition, the “Bachelor Winter Games,” a show that promises to “take competitive dating to a chilling new level,” the network said (via Vulture). A spinoff of…

Photos: ECR Engines If you’ve ever wondered what happens to NASCAR engines after they blow up on the track, it’s your lucky day. Here is the seriously nerdy failure analysis that goes into making sure those engines don’t fail again. Advertisement ECR Engines is a NASCAR engine developer based out of Welcome, North Carolina. Conducting its own research, development and manufacturing, the company cranks out 650 Chevrolet 358 cubic-inch, ~750…

A retired U.S. women’s soccer star has shared her first selfie seven months after undergoing brain surgery for a tumor that doctors discovered while she was pregnant.  I have been hiding myself from a camera for the past 7 months. I didn’t want anyone to see my paralyzed face, my eye that is now crossed, the bald spots from radiation & my half shaved head. Granted you can’t see any…

Caption Close Charlotte, N.C. This is a strange time in NASCAR and one that often feels very close to the Wild West. In this time of rebuilding, the mindset should be that anything goes and nothing is off the table. NASCAR can tinker with the rules and the regulations and the formats until something absolutely clicks. On Monday, less than two weeks away from the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR went ahead…

A typo has put a lot of attention on a hemp oil company based in Colorado and its sponsorship of a small NASCAR team.