Lewis putted 25 times Sunday, y. | Forum
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Dec 2 '17
Four-time series champion Sebastien Bourdais has signed a two-year deal with KVSH Racing to replace Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan. Andrus Peat Jersey . The contract confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday gives team principals Kevin Kalkhoven, Jimmy Vasser and James "Sulli" Sullivan hope that KVSH can compete for titles going forward now that it has a driver that is tied for second with Mario Andretti and Dario Franchitti for series championships. "Sebastien is a proven champion and we look forward to working with him to produce more championships," Kalkhoven said. Kanaan won the Indianapolis 500 in May with KVSH, but decided to leave for Chip Ganassi Racing next year. KVSH acted fast in offering the same deal it offered Kanaan to three-race winner James Hinchcliffe, but the team gave Hinchcliffe a short deadline to accept the contract that did not require the driver to bring any sponsorship. When Hinchcliffe decided KVSHs timeline was too fast, the team moved on to Bourdais, winner of four consecutive Champ Car titles from 2004 through 2007. Bourdais has 31 victories, tied with Franchitti and Paul Tracy for eighth on the all-time wins list. "I have raced against him and can say without a doubt that he is an exceptional driver and a true champion. We look forward to winning a lot of races with him," said Vasser, the 1996 CART champion. Bourdais left American open-wheel racing for Formula One following his fourth Champ Car title, joining Scuderia Toro Rosso for the 2008 season. He was replaced nine races into the 2009 season. Bourdais joined Team Peugeot after his release and finished second in the LMP1 class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2009, dabbling in a variety of series before returning to IndyCar in 2011 for nine races with Dale Coyne Racing. Bourdais landed a full-time ride in 2012 with Dragon Racing, where he was hampered for the first part of the season with a Lotus engine. After a switch to Chevrolet before the Indianapolis 500, Bourdais had to share his car with teammate Katherine Legge for the remainder of the season. He finished 25th in the final standings with a season-best finish of fourth at Mid-Ohio. This year has seen a far better showing from Bourdais as Dragon has put forth a more stable effort. Bourdais has three podium finishes, including a runner-up finish to Scott Dixon in Toronto. Now he joins a team that clearly can compete on ovals -- all three of Kanaans podiums this season are on ovals -- but isnt sure what it can do on road and street courses because thats not Kanaans strength. But because Simona de Silvestro finished second at Houston two weeks ago in KVSHs second car, the team believes Bourdais will give them a well-rounded driver capable of challenging on every circuit. Of Bourdais 31 victories, 15 are on road courses and 12 are on street courses. Hes also won on three ovals -- twice at Las Vegas, and once at Milwaukee. "I want to thank Kevin Kalkhoven, Jimmy Vasser and Sulli for this opportunity," said Bourdais. "The fact that I have an agreement with KVSH Racing so early, and that I have a two-year contract, shows the teams commitment to their new era in the IndyCar Series. I am looking forward to meeting the crew and getting started with testing as soon as possible." KVSH has not decided who will drive its second car yet. Its alliance with de Silvestro and her management team was only a one-year deal, and replacing Kanaan was the first priority. The team also has given Sullivan a larger role as principal. He was instrumental in landing the bulk of the sponsorship that was on Kanaans winning car at Indy and stayed with the team after Kanaan said he was leaving for Ganassi. "First of all I want to thank Kevin Kalkhoven and Jimmy Vasser for their hard work. The three of us are committed to taking the team to the next level," Sullivan said. "This is something we have been working towards for many months. I am ecstatic to sign Sebastien, a driver I expect will get it done for us throughout the season. This is the next step in building KVSH Racing into a team that competes for wins and championships every year." Its not clear if Jay Penske will need a replacement for Bourdais at Dragon because its not known if Dragon will return to the IndyCar grid next season. Hes already announced hell field entries in the FIA Formula E championship next season, and Penske has not indicated if hell compete in IndyCar, as well. Bourdais thanked Penske for supporting him the last two seasons. Hinchcliffe, meanwhile, seemed close to locking down a deal before Saturday nights season finale at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Intent on not rushing into a decision and making his next contract the best for his long-term future, Hinchcliffes decision could be to return to Andretti Autosport. The team appears to have locked down the sponsorship needed to resign Hinchcliffe as current sponsor GoDaddy is likely headed out of IndyCar. Andretti also could be poised to announce his 2014 manufacturer alliance this weekend, with all signs pointing to a switch to Honda. The team owner was coy Wednesday on all fronts while announcing ABC Supply Co. as title sponsor of the Milwaukee IndyFest for the next two years. "Were getting close. Weve got a few things to button up. Im hoping we can make a few announcements this weekend," Andretti said. When asked if Hinchcliffe would be on hand for those announcements, Andretti said: "I hope so. Well see. Were working on it. We dont have anything done yet, but were getting close on some things. Thats the goal, so well see if we reach our goal or not." Hinchcliffe also had been in preliminary talks with Ganassi on a deal that would have allowed him to compete across all of Ganassis platforms, including sports cars and possibly even NASCARs Nationwide Series as a replacement to Kyle Larson in events Larson could not get to once he moves up to the Sprint Cup Series. But with negotiations finally heating up with Andretti, staying put, especially if a potential move to Honda could pair the Canadian with Honda Canada, could be Hinchcliffes best bet. Alex Okafor Jersey . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator. Morten Andersen Jersey . scored 18 of his career- high 28 points in the first half, as fifth-ranked Ohio State dominated No.ROGERS, Ark. -- Stacy Lewis made a 7-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday in the NW Arkansas Championship to finally win an official event in her adopted state. The top-ranked Lewis, the Texan who played at the nearby University of Arkansas, earned an unofficial win in the rain-shortened 2007 tournament as an amateur. On Sunday, she closed with a 6-under 65 for a one-stroke victory. Lewis birdied three of her final holes for her third LPGA Tour victory of the year and 11th overall. She finished at 12-under 201 at Pinnacle Country Club. Lydia Ko, Cristie Kerr and Angela Stanford tied for second. Ko finished with a 65, and Kerr and Stanford shot 67. Second-round leader Michelle Wie shot a 73 to tie for eighth at 8 under. Kerr had a chance to match Lewis at 12 under with a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th. However, her putt came up short. Then, after So Yeon Ryu failed to make an eagle on the final hole, Lewis win was secured. Ryu ended up fifth at 10 under after a 69. Lewis won the Shoprite Classic this month as well as the North Texas Shootout in May. The two-time major winner has long said, though, how much pressure she felt to win in Arkansas -- where she was a four-time All-American in college and is greeted throughout rounds by calls of "Woo Pig Sooie." She was tied for the lead entering the final round last year before finishing in a tie for fourth, but her final birdie spree finally secured her sought-after win Sunday. Wie began the final round with a two-shot lead after back-to-back 5-under 66s, but she missed short birdie putts on the first two holes and struggled to a 1-over front nine -- capped by a three-putt bogey on the ninth. Cameron Jordan Jersey. The whirlwind media tour following last weeks win at the U.S. Womens Open appeared to finally catch up after that with Wie, who followed with bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11 to effectively end her contention. She finished with 35 putts after needing 28 the first round and 29 in the second. With Wie coming back to the field, several players climbed up the leaderboard and into contention on the back nine -- with Lewis, Ko, Kerr and Stanford part of a four-way tie atop the leaderboard at one point. Lewis began the tournament 2 over after her first four holes Friday, but she closed by shooting 14 under over her final 68 holes. She took advantage of the opening with Wies stumble and vaulted into the solo lead at 11 under with a birdie on the par-4 16th. Ko and Kerr answered with birdies to climb back to part of a three-way tie at 11 under, but Lewis had the last answer -- a 7-foot left-to-right birdie putt on No. 18 that resulted in a huge ovation from the pro-Arkansas gallery and a fist pump and sigh of relief from Lewis. Lewis putted 25 times Sunday, a day after needing only 24 putts in the second round. Chella Choi briefly was tied for the lead early in the round after a hole-in-one on the 166-yard par-3 sixth hole. She finished with a 69 to tie for sixth at 9 under. 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