NASCAR.com's Jim Pedley profiled new Iowa Speedway President JIMMY SMALL, and wrote he is a "young man with a solid plan, and that plan is to make Iowa Speedway an even bigger success story than it was when it first opened" in '06. Small before Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway "talked at length about things like engaging fans and making sure the entire state of Iowa knows" that the facility is "their track." Small said, "In meetings, I think people go in and think, 'Oh, this kid's a little young.' But I think I can be, in my approach, very professional in how I do things. I think you have to (especially) be (that way) at a young age and that's already proved very beneficial so far. I think that comes from just being passionate about the sport" (NASCAR.com, 5/10).
THIS BUD'S FOR YOU: MLB Commissioner BUD SELIG last night was honored at the National Museum of American Jewish History's inaugural N.Y. gala for "all his accomplishments" during his 22 years as commissioner. Selig's "emphasis on social issues was highlighted." ESPN Radio's MIKE GREENBERG was the master of ceremonies (MLB.com, 5/14).
MARKET WATCH: ESPN MLB analyst CURT SCHILLING "finally has a buyer" for his Medfield, Mass., home after he "dropped the price" for the 26-acre property by $500,000 to $2.5M (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/13)....Ducks TV play-by-play man JOHN AHLERS has put his Aliso Viejo, Calif., home on the market for $740,000 (OCREGISTER.com, 5/11).
HONOR ROLL: The U.S. State Department and the NBA will send Basketball HOFer ALEX ENGLISH and former WNBAer NYKESHA SALES as sports envoys to Seoul, South Korea, May 19-24 (NBA)....Pro Football HOFer JOE THEISMANN last Thursday was roasted at the Jubilee Association of Maryland’s annual event (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/13)….The ’15 Tournament of Roses Parade named former U.S. Olympian and World War II veteran LOUIS ZAMPERINI grand marshal (L.A. TIMES, 5/12)….Baseball HOFer GEORGE BRETT will keynote the Association of Luxury Suite Directors’ League Day and Design & Build Luncheon on July 7 (ALSD).
NAMES: ESPN's DICK VITALE following the death of Michigan State Univ. basketball fan LACEY HOLSWORTH said that he "would raise $250,000 in her name." The fundraiser comes to an end Friday during his annual charity gala, and Vitale said, "We already have $175,000 raised and I'm confident we'll get the rest at the gala" (MLIVE.com, 5/13)....The WWE's DAVE BAUTISTA and former UFC fighter GEORGES ST-PIERRE "are stepping into the ring" for a remake of the '89 movie "KICKBOXER" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 5/12)....UCF football coach GEORGE O'LEARY will receive a $1M bonus "if he remains as the Knights' head coach for the next two seasons as part of a restructured contract." The new deal also "provides an increased salary pool for assistant coaches" (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 5/13)....MLB Network analyst MITCH WILLIAMS was "tossed" from his 10-year-old son's baseball game in Maryland after "things got heated" between himself and an umpire. Witnesses said that Williams "had been arguing throughout the game." Although Williams "was initially suspended, Deadspin reports that the ban was removed after it was determined the umpire had acted unprofessionally" (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 5/12)....Magic Senior VP PAT WILLIAMS "will represent the team" next Tuesday for the NBA Draft Lottery in N.Y. The Magic have "won the lottery three times when Williams has represented the franchise at the event" (ORLANDOSENTINEL.com, 5/13)....Golfer WEBB SIMPSON and his wife, DOWD, on Monday had their third child -- a daughter (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 5/13).
