Published: September 08, 2008 11:07 pm            

From golf to gridiron, what a week it’s been

Spaghetti Open began busy month for men’s golf

TERRE HAUTE — Hail to The Champ. Hail to Scott Dixon.

The 28-year-old driver from New Zealand finished second Sunday in the IndyCar Series race at Chicagoland Speedway to clinch his second title in the Indy Racing League.

Dixon almost won a record seventh race in his championship run but was nipped by Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves in the second-closest finish in league history. Castroneves finished second in the point totals.

As Dixon said after the race, 2008 has been a great year for the Target Chip Ganassi driver. “Getting married, winning an [Indianapolis 500] and winning another championship. Not too many people can say that,” he said.

Dixon becomes the fourth driver to win the 500 and championship in the same year. Dan Wheldon, Sam Hornish Jr. and Dario Franchitti also have done it.

Wheldon was Dixon’s teammate with Ganassi this year. Franchitti will fill that slot next year.

Castroneves finished second a record eight times in the series and finished second by 17 points in the final standings with a non-points event left on the schedule in Australia.

Rounding out the top five, in order, were Tony Kanaan, Wheldon and Ryan Briscoe as Ganassi and Penske drivers took four of the five slots.

While Dixon won the championship earlier, this one really means more since this season was the first for IndyCar and Champ Car drivers to compete in one series.

It was a nice year.



• Nice Open — Another Spaghetti Open was played Saturday and Sunday to begin a busy month in men’s golf.

Rich Schelsky won it for the first time in one of the closest tournaments in recent history, with four golfers in contention going to the final four holes.

Schelsky won it with four straight birdies and an eagle on the final hole — a nifty closing run.

Chris Cassell was the runner-up and was tied with the winner after 17 holes. Cassell has been in that position for three or four tournaments this year.

His luck could change in the city tourney that will be played the next two weekends. Each player will play one round at Hulman Links and Rea Park this week to establish the flights for the last two rounds.

Ben Kiburis and Boozie Fossi were in the 148-player field at Matthews Park and should be in the lineup for the city.

Kiburis was one of the oldest players and shot his age or better both days. Fossi celebrated his 62nd birthday in Sunday’s round.

The Waldrops again were directors of the event and did a nice job, with the big field touring the course in the 50th edition of the tournament.



• Tough week — Sunday was not a good week for quarterbacks in the National Football League.

Tom Brady left the New England game early and will be out for the season.

Vince Young was injured in Tennessee’s victory over Jacksonville and likely will miss about a month or so.

On a brighter note, Peyton Manning started and went the distance for the Indianapolis Colts in what was about the only bright spot for the Colts.

In high school football, one of the big games on the card this week in Indiana is West Vigo vs. Linton. Both teams are 3-0.

In another one, South Vermillion will try to start 4-0 for the first time since 1998, playing at Brown County, while Marshall seeks its first victory in Illinois at Cumberland after losing to the tough Casey Warriors and Class 4A rival Maroa-Forsyth.

Northview also goes for its first victory against WIC foe Sullivan in a matchup of winless teams, while Union also guns for a 4-0 record against Monrovia.



Tom Reck may be contacted by telephone at (812) 232-3231, by e-mail at tm_reck@yahoo.com or by mail at 4284 S. Fifth St. Apt. 3, Terre Haute, IN 47802.

        

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