SPORTS DIGEST || Curbstone Hall of Fame banquet is today

Curbstone Hall of Fame banquet is today

YOUNGSTOWN

The 47th Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame Banquet is today at 6 p.m. at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center. Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi will serve as the guest speaker. Tickets are $50 each and can be obtained by calling Mike Murray at 330-565-7820.

Those to be honored are Dan Birmingham, Dorothy (Bowers) Collins, Don Brunetti, Bud Frazier, Nick Gavolas, Dan Guerrieri, Dennis Krancevich, Ron Lynn, Carol Pennington, Jim Pepperney, Richard Skelton, Robert Winterburn, Jackie (Bak) Yost and Dan Zarlingo.

Scott leads RCR to claim Sprint Cup pole

TALLADEGA, Ala.

A group decision for all of the cars powered by Earnhardt Childress engines to work together at Talladega Superspeedway proved the correct call in NASCAR’s new knockout qualifying format. Richard Childress Racing drivers and their affiliates swept the first three rows on the starting grid for today’s race, with the pole going to Brian Scott, who will lead the field to the green flag in just his fifth career Sprint Cup Series start.

Cars with ECR engines took six of the 12 spots in the third and final round of knockout qualifying. It was the first time NASCAR has used its new knockout format on a restrictor-plate track in the Sprint Cup Series. Now Scott gets to show what he’s made of on one of NASCAR’s fastest tracks. A Nationwide Series regular, he’s got three previous starts this season and finished 25th in the Daytona 500.

Sadler wins Nationwide race at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala.

Most of Elliott Sadler’s memories of Talladega Superspeedway are unpleasant. They either involve a horrific 2003 crash in which his car flipped several times and slid forever through the grass on its roof, or many different ways he’d come up empty racing for a win. Finally, he has a victory that tops all those other disappointments.

Sadler won a three-lap shootout to the checkered flag in the Nationwide Series race Saturday. The race was stopped for a little more than nine minutes to clean the track following a six-car accident. It was the 10th Nationwide Series victory of Sadler’s career, first at Talladega, and first win since 2012.

Baseball Oldtimers meet on Thursday

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Baseball Oldtimers will meet Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Kramer Field clubhouse, Bears Den Road.

Scrappers officials to speak to Curbstoners

AUSTINTOWN

Jordan Taylor and Matt Thompson of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers will be the Curbstone Coaches luncheon guest speakers Monday at noon at Lucianno’s Banquet Center. The public is welcome.

Rain wipes out Sharon Speedway program

Hartford

The Steel Valley Thunder program scheduled for Saturday at Sharon Speedway was cancelled due to rain. The track will feature a Mother’s Day Celebration on May 10 with just $7 admission for ladies. The program that evening will feature the Hovis Auto & Truck Supply DIRTcar Big-Block Modifieds, Barris Supply RUSH Late Models, Summit Racing Equipment Modifieds, Gibson Insurance Agency Stock Cars, HTMA/Precise Racing Products Econo Mods, and the Deforest Used Parts Mini Stocks. Race time is 7 p.m.

Staff reports/Associated Press