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01/21/2012 - Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough's long- awaited arrival to the NASCAR Hall of Fame is over, as both three-time champions in NASCAR's premier series were among those inducted during a ceremony held on Friday night.
Glen Wood, the legendary car owner whose team has raced in seven decades, Dale Inman, an eight-time crew chief champion, and the late-Richie Evans, a nine- time NASCAR Modified champion, were also enshrined in the NASCAR HofF.
The inaugural class -- Bill France Sr., Richard Petty, Bill France Jr., Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson -- were inducted when the NASCAR HofF opened in May 2010. Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Bud Moore, David Pearson and Lee Petty made up the Hall's second class last year.
Many of NASCAR's dignitaries, as well as active and former drivers, crew chiefs and team owners were among those in attendance for the ceremony, which was held at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Waltrip was the first person to be inducted.
During his 29-year driving career in the NASCAR Cup Series, Waltrip won 84 races in 809 starts, ranking him fourth on the all-time race winners list. His championships came in 1981, '82 and '85. Waltrip has served as an analyst for FOX Sports and Speed television's coverage of NASCAR since his retirement at the end of the 2000 season.
He was inducted by his television colleague and former crew chief Jeff Hammond.
"You know, before the night started, and I was talking to [wife] Stevie, and I said, 'Boy, honey, I just hope I don't get emotional and break down somewhere along the way and tear up,' and she said, 'DW, when you talk about something you're passionate about, you're going to get a little emotional'." Waltrip said. "Well, I'm passionate about a lot of things. I'm passionate about what I've done. I'm passionate about my career, but I'm most passionate about my family."
Yarborough was inducted by Ken Squier, a longtime radio and television announcer in motorsports.
With 83 race wins to his credit, Yarborough made history in NASCAR's top circuit in 1978 when he claimed his third consecutive championship -- a record that stood until Jimmie Johnson captured his fourth title in a row in 2009. Four of Yarborough's wins came in the Daytona 500.
"Racing is kind of like a big, tall ladder," he said. "When you begin, you start off on the bottom step of that ladder, and it's a long, hard climb to the top. But I feel like tonight I'm finally standing on the top step. It's been tough, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hard times, but there are five of us here tonight, and I congratulate each one of them."
Evans, the only deceased member of the third class, was enshrined by Billy Nacewicz, who was Evans crew chief in modifieds. Evans widow, Lynn, accepted the induction on his behalf.
"I'd especially like to thank the Hall of Fame voting panel for stepping outside the box and making Rich the first driver inductee not to have raced in NASCAR's top series full-time," she said. "You have now given hope to thousands of NASCAR competitors throughout the country to maybe someday reach their dream."
Evans is the first of the 15 inductees without a connection to NASCAR's top- tier series. He was killed in an accident while practicing for a modified race at Martinsville Speedway in October 1985
Wood, a four-time race winner, left the driver's seat to own the Wood Brothers team. With his four brothers, including NASCAR HofF nominee and crew chief Leonard Wood, the team has recorded 98 victories, including its fifth Daytona 500 win with 20-year-old driver Trevor Bayne in 2011. Pearson and Yarborough were among some of the sport's greatest names to drive for the team.
"This is a long way from the cornfield," Wood said. "First of all, I'd like to thank the voters that voted for me and thank NASCAR and the France family and the Wood Brothers, all the employees at the Wood Brothers and crew members and drivers. We've had so many great drivers, but David and Cale were most successful, so I'm proud to join them in the NASCAR Hall of Fame."
Leonard Wood inducted his brother.
Inman, who is Richard Petty's cousin, is generally credited with inventing the modern role of crew chief. He won seven championships with Petty Enterprises and an eighth with car owner Billy Hagan and driver Terry Labonte in 1984. Inman won 193 times before retiring in 1998.
"What an honor it's been to work with the different drivers over the years but most of them with Richard," Inman said. "They used the term eight championships, but it's in a different league from what the drivers are, and I give that respect. But to be the first crew chief to come in, I'm sure there will be more after this, is quite an honor."
Before Petty inducted Inman, ceremony host Mike Joy noted, "Tonight, Dale Inman and Richard are together again, as NASCAR Hall of Fame members."
Special congratulatory videos opened each inductee's segment, with a NASCAR legend starring in each. Those involved: Jerry Cook for Evans; Leonard Wood for Inman; Bobby Allison for Waltrip; Junior Johnson for Wood; and Donnie Allison for Yarborough.
<< Pacers kick their way past Warriors in controversial finish
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Purcell scored early in the first peri
<< Djokovic, Tsonga roll into fourth round in Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last year's champion Novak Djokovic
and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga were straight-set winners Saturday in third-round action
at the Australian Open.
The world No. 1 Djokovic rolled past big-serving Frenchman
<< Kane lifts Chicago over Florida
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist to lead
the Chicago Blackhawks to a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers at United
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Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith also scored for the Blackhawks, who have
In the FCS Huddle: Sam Houston State not hurt by later recruiting >>
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months, everybody agrees they still are chasing Sam Houston State.
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The worl
Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).
Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.
A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.
Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.
"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.
De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.
The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.
The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.
De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.
Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.
But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.
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“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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