Names In The News
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Gibbs Will Compete In Exhibition Arena Car
Race Against Interstate Batteries' Norm Miller |
Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Owner JOE GIBBS on January 23 will compete in an exhibition race, using arena-racing cars, at the Hampton (VA) Coliseum against Interstate Batteries Chair NORM MILLER. Gibbs and Miller are partners in Arena Racing USA, and Interstate Batteries, a longtime sponsor of JGR, will serve as the primary sponsor of JGR's No. 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry driven by KYLE BUSCH for six races this season (Hampton Roads DAILY PRESS, 1/14).
GOING BEYOND THE CALL: PGA Tour Commissioner TIM FINCHEM will play in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am from February 12-15, his first ever appearance in the event. Finchem's decision to play "came at the behest" of AT&T Chair RANDALL STEPHENSON. Finchem, who has a handicap index of 6.2, will be paired with golfer DAVIS LOVE III in a foursome that also will include Stephenson and his partner, golfer HUNTER MAHAN (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/15).
FATHER KNOWS BEST: U.S. Sen. EVAN BAYH (D-IN) said that he wants to recruit former Colts coach TONY DUNGY, who retired from the team on Monday, to "work on a national program to promote responsible fatherhood," and President-elect BARACK OBAMA "gave him a thumbs-up to bring Dungy into the fold" (USATODAY.com, 1/14).
NAMES: Top Rank Chair BOB ARUM said that the proposed MANNY PACQUIAO-RICKY HATTON bout, scheduled for May in Las Vegas, is "back 'under control.'" Arum said that Pacquiao's reps now are "agreeable to a 50-50 split of the fight's gross" (TELEGRAPH.co.uk, 1/14)....NFL Panthers WR STEVE SMITH donated $25,000 to Charlotte-based Harding University High School's band so that they can march at next week's Presidential inauguration (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/14)....The PBR, which last weekend hosted an event at MSG, is featured in today's N.Y. TIMES style section under the header, "Life As A Runway." In N.Y., Ruth La Ferla writes the riders' gear was "showy for sure," but it "doubled as armor" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/15)....Musician DIERKS BENTLEY will perform prior to the February 7 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona Int'l Speedway, and Bentley's performance of his song "Feel That Fire" will air live on Fox' broadcast of the race. Bentley after the race will perform a 60-minute show from the Sprint FanZone (SCENEDAILY.com, 1/14)....Golfer LORENA OCHOA is engaged to sponsor Aeromexico Dir General ANDRES CONESA (AP, 1/14).
IN MEMORY: Former A's play-by-play announcer WRESLEY 'RED' RUSH II, who also worked with the Warriors and Univ. of California, Berkeley, died Sunday after a bout with Alzheimer's at the age of 81 (S.F. CHRONICLE, 1/15).
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