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Stefan Wilson hired to drive 33rd car at Indianapolis 500

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Stefan Wilson hired to drive 33rd car at Indianapolis 500


INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — British driver Stefan Wilson spent a whole yr looking for a spot on this yr’s Indianapolis 500 subject.

The journey proved equally difficult for crew homeowners Don Cusick and Elton Julian — till they joined forces.

On Thursday, the trio introduced it solved two issues by placing the 32-year-old Wilson within the No. 25 Chevrolet, giving race organizers a thirty third entrant and virtually definitely a full beginning grid for the Might 29 race.

“It’s been a journey,” Wilson stated. “We started work on this June 1st of final yr. We had these plans that ought to have been really easy and it simply didn’t find yourself that method. There was, I believe, a time once we all form of had given up. However I carried on working, carried on making calls.”

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And now the IndyCar veteran can be rewarded with one other likelihood to compete in “the best spectacle in racing” after ending thirty third final yr.

Getting right here, although, required some uncommon twists and turns together with a two-plus hour assembly within the California desert between Julian and Cusick as Wilson waited anxiously for a solution.

Finally, Julian’s DragonSpeed crew, which put its IndyCar program on maintain in the course of the pandemic, and Cusick, who made his first IndyCar begin final Might, took a automobile from A.J. Foyt’s steady and determined to present it a shot.

“I didn’t know these fellows earlier than, although I’m sufficiently old to recollect A.J. successful races,” Cusick stated. “However Larry (Foyt) has been very welcoming and useful and we’re very grateful for all the things they’ve executed.”

Wilson brings a well-known identify with emotional ties again to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’ll try to make his fourth profession begin once more utilizing the identical quantity his older brother, Justin, drove with when he died from accidents suffered throughout an IndyCar race at Pocono in August 2015.

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This time, the automobile will function a black, blue, crimson and white paint scheme with a full array of sponsors together with ladies’s golf attire firm Lohla Sport, Sierra Pacific Home windows and Gnarly Premium Minimize Jerky.

Wilson can be utilizing a Chevy engine for the primary time since his rookie look at Indy and will assist Cusick and Julian put their long-term plans again on observe. Each want to run extra races within the IndyCar collection.

Julian thought the lingering monetary woes from the pandemic wouldn’t let him come again to Indy till subsequent yr following the sale of his IndyCar tools to Michael Shank Racing. Brazilian Helio Castroneves received his record-tying fourth 500 final yr whereas driving for Shank.

As a substitute, Cusick and Wilson, who’ve labored this season on the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup circuit, offered Julian with a path again to Indy.

“We’re coming again principally a yr sooner than I had hoped,” Julian stated. “At the back of my thoughts it was at all times ’23, ’23, even when it was simply the five hundred. I wasn’t fascinated by it an excessive amount of this yr and heard all of the rumblings of I’d prefer to however I can’t, so I put my hand up.”

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Wilson has been aggressive on the Brickyard’s historic 2.5-mile oval. He led the 2018 race with 4 laps to go when his automobile ran out of gas, dropping him to a career-best Fifteenth-place end.

He received’t have a lot time to fine-tune his automobile with qualifying scheduled for Might 21-22.

Wilson isn’t even positive he’ll have sufficient time time to work on Chevy’s simulator. As a substitute, he’ll spend these treasured few days constructing a relationship along with his new engineer, crew members and different crew officers.

The announcement ends weeks of hypothesis about who would turn into the thirty third entry. Mark Miles, the CEO of IndyCar’s mother or father firm Penske Leisure, stated in April he anticipated at the very least yet another automobile and presumably two to show laps on the 500.

Now if qualifying weekend goes as deliberate, the standard 33-car subject ought to take the inexperienced flag. And Wilson intends to be prepared for something together with the potential for a thirty fourth entry making an attempt to maintain him out of the race.

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“We’ve got to execute as a crew,” Wilson stated. “And I’ve to execute as a driver.”

___

Extra AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports





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Indianapolis, IN

Josh Downs expects big jump in second year with the Colts

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Josh Downs expects big jump in second year with the Colts


WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Josh Downs dazzled in the wide receiver footwork drills, making cuts that were on another level compared to the rest of the group.

He rifled his feet through the ladder.

And on Saturday’s practice, him and Anthony Richardson connected for a nice pass and catch down the sideline between two defenders.

Downs has been impressive at training camp and got off to a good start in his first year, hauling in 68 receptions on 771 yards and two touchdowns, but he expects more this year.

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“Year one to year two, it’s always been a big jump for me,” Downs said. “High school, college, it was both the same.”

He’s not exaggerating. In his freshman year at North Carolina, he had seven catches for 119 yards. That skyrocketed to 101 receptions for 1,335 yards in his sophomore year. His touchdown count also jumped from three to eight.

Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter agrees with Downs’ confidence. He’s been impressed with Downs so far at training camp, and thinks he’s learned a lot from his first year in the league.

“Josh (Downs) is going to make the most of that from a route running perspective from a defensive coverage identification perspective,” Cooter said. “Josh (Downs) is primed and ready to have a big camp out here and do some really good things.”

Downs is processing the game better this year. He said he’s not thinking about the route he’s running as he gets set up at the line of scrimmage. Instead, he’s analyzing the defense and determining what coverage they’re in.

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Someone that has helped him with this is cornerback Kenny Moore II. Downs considers Moore II to be at the top of his position in the NFL. He said Moore II is really smart and likes to mix it up with Downs when they’re matched up together, disguising whether he’s in man coverage or zone coverage.

Downs says he has the best slot receiver job in the league because he gets to go up against Moore II every day.

Downs has also been building his chemistry with Richardson. It’s now getting to the point where they’re running plays that aren’t in the playbook.

“We’re seeing different plays, it might not be in the playbook,” Downs said. “He’ll (Richardson) be like, ‘hey, JD, do you see this? Do that.’ I’m like, ‘I was thinking the same thing.’”

“I know Anthony (Richardson) trusts me. I trust him. We’re clicking before practice, after practice, even off the field. That’s my dog,” Downs said.

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The Colts return to practice on Sunday at Grand Park from 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.



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Indianapolis, IN

PHOTOS | Indy sneakerheads line up for the new Air Jordan 4

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PHOTOS | Indy sneakerheads line up for the new Air Jordan 4


The Wet Cement edition of the the Air Jordan 4 dropped Saturday morning and about a dozen people waited for the shoes outside the Corporate store in downtown Indianapolis. The first person in line told News 8 that they got in line at 7:30 a.m. for a 10 a.m. release. The “Wet Cement” Air Jordans retail for $225. (WISH Photo/Colin Baillie)

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Indianapolis, IN

IMPD: No suspect in custody in officer's shooting, but there is no 'ongoing threat'

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IMPD: No suspect in custody in officer's shooting, but there is no 'ongoing threat'


This article will update.

A police officer was injured in a shooting on the city’s far east side Friday and police were searching late into the night for whoever pulled the trigger.

Police said the event started unfolding shortly after 8:30 p.m. in the 3600 block of North Wittfield Street, near East 36th Street and North Post Road in the city’s Northeastwood neighborhood. The shooting happened after officers responded to the area on a “shots fired” call.

Shortly after the shooting police said the immediate area was not safe and residents were asked to stay inside their homes and avoid the neighborhood. About 11:15 p.m. police said a sweep of the area — including with K-9s — did not surface a suspect, but they did not believe there was an ongoing threat any longer.

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Anyone with information or video footage is asked to call 911.

“There’s a lot that we don’t know about this incident. And we’re hopeful that we will learn more later on,” Capt. Shane Foley said during a media briefing at the scene.

The 8-year veteran officer was taken to Eskenazi Hospital in stable condition.

Shortly before 1 a.m., during a briefing at the hospital, Asst. Chief Michael Wooley said a house also was hit by gunfire but no residents were struck. Wooley said no officers fired their weapons and body cameras were activated throughout the situation.

The injured officer suffered gunshot wounds to his abdomen and right arm and was stable after undergoing surgery, Chief Chris Bailey said.

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“He is expected to make a full recovery, although (he) is going to be in the hospital for some days,” Bailey added.

Police have not released a description of the suspect in the shooting, who remained at large early Saturday.

“Right now, officers are all over the city, looking for the individual or individuals responsible for what happened,” Bailey said.

Officers will remain in the neighborhood collecting evidence likely past sunrise, he added.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department vehicle lines the roadway after an officer was shot in the 3600 block of Wittfield Street on the city's far east side. The officer was listed in stable condition shortly after the shooting July 26, 2024.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department vehicle lines the roadway after an officer was shot in the 3600 block of Wittfield Street on the city’s far east side. The officer was listed in stable condition shortly after the shooting July 26, 2024.

Second Indianapolis police officer shot this year

This is the second time this year an Indianapolis police officer has been shot. In March an off-duty officer working security at an east side bar on East Washington Street was hit in an exchange of gunfire with at least one suspect. A man who was injured in that shooting died at a local hospital.

The bar where that shooting happened, 11:11 Bar & Grille, located at 9439 E. Washington St., was closed by unanimous vote of the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission.

11:11 Bar & Grille shooting: State shuts down club where 6 people were shot, including off-duty IMPD officer

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Bar shooting: Shooting at east side bar injures multiple people including IMPD officer

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis police officer shot. Suspect at large late Friday





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