Congratulations to Ashley Judd on her husband Dario Franchitti’s third Indianapolis 500 win. Franchitti became just the 10th driver in the race’s 96 year history to win three or more 500s. With a record 30 lead changes, Franchitti won in the lap last with Takuma Sato losing control of his car. ”[It's] just such an extraordinary achievement,” Judd told the Los Angeles Times. “I am so proud of him.” Franchitti previously won the Indy 500 in 2007 and 2010.
In memory of Dan Weldon, Franchitti wore white sunglasses during the race. Weldon was a two-time Indy 500 winner who was killed in a crash last October in Las Vegas during the Indy 300. Weldon’s wife Susie congratulated Franchitti and Judd in Victory Lane and joined the couple in the pace car for the winner’s lap.
Judd and Franchitti married in 2001 in Scottland after meeting at racecar driver and 90210 almun Jason Priestley’s wedding. Franchitti’s victory just adds to a great sports year for Judd, after seeing her beloved Kentucky Wildcats win the NCAA Championship in April.
The De Graafschap are being relegated from the Dutch Eredivisie, which means the Dutch football team is being demoted to a lower league after a disapointing season. The De Graafschap finished second to last and couldn’t save themselves in a promotion/relegation playoff game, with a 1-1 draw against FC Den Bosch. Watch midfielder Rogier Meijer’s daughter console him after the loss.
Oscar Pistorius could become the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics this summer in London. The double-amputee advanced to the 400-meter final at the South African Championships but fell short of qualifying to the Olympics by two seconds. Pistorius ran the 400 meters in 47.28 seconds finishing seventh in windy conditions.
The South African Track and Field Association requires Olympians to run the 400 meters in under 45.3 seconds. Pistorius is the only South African runner to have one qualifying run, finishing the 400 meters in 45.20 last month and has until June to qualify for the 2012 Games.
Pistorius was born with congenital absence of the fibula in both legs, which were amputated when he was only 11 months old. It was until 2004 that Pistorius began running after a knee injury from rugby.
Nicknamed Blade Runner, Pistorius remains hopeful for London. “I’m flirting a little bit with the idea,” Pistorius told The Associated Press. “The team still has to get selected. My job is just to work hard until then and prove I’m in the right condition to be quite a strong 400 meter athlete if I get called up.”
Apparently father does not know best, at least not for tennis player Bernard Tomic. The Australian tennis star asked an official for his father to be removed from his match at the Sony Ericsson Open.
Tomic slumped to 0-30 in the fifth game of the second set to David Ferrer. Tomic became distracted by his father and former instructor, asking the umpire to remove him from the match. Tomic said: “He’s annoying me. I know he’s my father, but he’s annoying me. I want him to leave, but how is that possible?”
The umpire issued Tomic’s father a code violation warning for illegal coaching
Despite being over heard asking his father to be kicked out of the match, Tomic denies any rift. Instead, saying he asked the umpire for his racquets to be restrung.
But Tomic and his father’s relationship isn’t all LOVE. In 2009, Tomic was suspended from ITF tournaments for 30-days after disobeying his father and coach’s order to walk off the court during a match because of what he deemed as poor officiating.
Jersey Chaser of the Month: Samantha Steele- December 2012
ESPN sideline reporter Samantha Steele is engaged to Minnesota Viking QB Christian Ponder earning her the honor of December 2012 Jersey Chaser of the Month. Share It