Pirate Galaxy » the very least, Wie is hoping s

LONG POND, Pa. -- The IndyCar season has just four races left, and the next one -- at Pocono Raceway on Sunday -- has every team in the paddock thinking about a lot more than the finish line.The series has a double dose of sadness to contend with -- the death a year ago of 37-year-old Justin Wilson after he was struck in the helmet by debris during the Pocono race, and the death less than two weeks ago of 27-year-old Bryan Clauson after a stunning crash during an open-wheel event in Kansas.Its definitely going to be weighing heavy on our hearts, said Marco Andretti, who grew up in nearby Nazareth and counts Pocono as his home track. We just lost another friend of ours, Bryan Clauson. Its definitely heavy hearts.Wilsons death was surprising. Sage Karam was in the lead when he spun and slammed into the wall. A split second later, as Wilson drove around the accident, the nosecone from Karams car landed in Wilsons cockpit and struck him in the head. The Englishman died the next day. IndyCar later announced that aerodynamic components of the cars, including the nosecone, would be tethered to the vehicles.Clauson was having a season to remember. Clauson, who drove the No. 88 in the Indianapolis 500 and finished 23rd after leading three laps midway through the race, was chasing USACs all-time wins mark (he had piled up 117) and was well on his way to complete his idea of Circular Insanity -- driving in 200 events this season.Regarded as perhaps the best open-wheel dirt driver in the country, he was leading the Belleville Midget Nationals on Aug. 6 when he crashed while trying to pass a lapped car. After barrel-rolling along the wall, his No. 17 came to a stop on the track and was then slammed violently by another competitor.Clauson was airlifted to a Nebraska hospital and died the next night surrounded by his family.Dale Coyne Racing announced Tuesday that Conor Daly will drive the No. 88 in Sundays IndyCar race to honor Clauson. Daly wrote on Twitter: Honored to carry the initials of a legend on the side of our car this weekend. Lets ride. DCR also announced that Pippa Mann will drive the No. 19, and her helmet will have the BC Still Chasing 200 logo on it in Clausons honor.The past week has been incredibly tough for everyone in the racing family, and Im amongst those who have been feeling the loss of a friend and a teammate, Mann said. He told me this May he always wanted to run this race (Pocono), so I hope between Conor and I he sees this as us making those starts for him.When last season ended, the 21-year-old Karam, who also grew up in Nazareth, lost his ride at Chip Ganassi Racing because of a lack of sponsorship. He raced in this years Indy 500, led a couple of laps, but has spent most of the year driving sports cars. Karam tweeted last month that he wanted to race at Pocono, but he plans to be there as a spectator after a deal didnt come together.Although Andretti is having a forgettable season -- he has not led a lap this season and sits 18th in the standings -- rebounding in the final races of 2016 can go a long way for next year.Were just trying to maximize everything, he said. We need to just look at the next four races and just try to end on a solid note.Racing not far from his home track -- and racing to honor the memories of Wilson and Clauson -- might just give Andretti a head start.The way I get through it, I think of the type of people they were, Andretti said. They were true racers and theyd want me to attack the weekend full-force and not let anything affect me, basically try to win it for them. Thats my goal.---Online: AP Auto Racing Website: www.racing.ap.org---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947 Authentic Custom Marlins Jersey . 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The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side.PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Morgan Pressel slogged through rain and muck to take the lead Saturday after two rounds in the LPGA Championship. Next up is a 36-hole marathon Sunday. "I run a lot," Pressel said, laughing. "Im in plenty good of enough shape to get through 36 holes tomorrow." She shot a 2-under 70 at Locust Hill to reach 6-under 138 -- two shots ahead of the top-ranked Park and Chella Choi in the second LPGA Tour major of the season. Park had a 68 to give herself an opportunity to add to her three wins already this season, including the Kraft Nabisco Championship in April. Choi struggled with a 73 to relinquish her first-round lead. Jiyai Shin, Amy Yang and Sarah Jane Smith were tied for fourth at 3 under. And there were seven more players at 1 under or better after two rounds, which should make for a long and topsy-turvy final day. The change in schedule came after nearly five inches of rain fell Thursday, forcing officials to postpone the first round. "Its going to be very tough physically, I mean, especially walking on these wet fairways," Park said. "Theres going to be many holes, but yeah, just try not to lose my focus." The forecast for Sunday is promising, calling for sunny conditions and temperatures in the high 70s. A light and intermittent drizzle fell through most of Saturday morning further drenching the 6,500-yard course. Then there were two brief but heavy downpours in the mid-afternoon before the rain finally relented after about 2:30 p.m. That led to soppy fairways. It made the slick, overgrown rough even more difficult to hit out of. And even hitting the greens didnt guarantee relief. Pressels tee shot on the par-3 seventh plugged 20 feet below the hole, from where she two-putted. That was actually fine with her. With a laugh, she was thankful the ball stuck where it did because it was a better place than above the hole. From Boca Raton, Fla., Pressel is attempting to end a string of eight straight majors won by Asian-born players. Pressel also hasnt won since claiming the Kapalua LPGA Classic in 2008. A year earlier, at the age of 18, she won the Kraft Nabisco to become the youngest LPGA player to win a major. "It was a long time ago. Ive been through a lot since then," Pressel said. "A lot has happened in golf and life. But that being said, Ive done it before. So I just need to go out there and remember that I can do it, and just get it done." Last year, Pressel struggled in dealing with injuries to her thumb and left wrist. This year, she has missed three of the past four cuts of tournaments entered. Her best finish of the season is a tie for 10th at Singapore in March. Starting on No. 99 Saturday, Pressel birdied three of her first six holes to get to 7 under, before faltering.dddddddddddd. She bogeyed Nos. 16 and 18. Pressel nearly gave up another stroke on the short par-4 second, but saved par by sinking a 10-foot putt. Pressel then padded her lead with a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 eighth. "The tournament is only halfway finished, but I feel good about my approach to playing," Pressel said. "Itll be a long day, but I need to stay mentally focused." The cut was set at 6 over, the highest in relationship to par of any LPGA Tour event this season, leaving 77 players in the field. Park joined Michelle Wie in shooting the second-rounds lowest score in carding five birdies and a bogey-5 on No. 14. With three wins already this season, including a major, the 25-year-old is carrying plenty of confidence into Sunday. "I would be less nervous than at the Kraft," she said. "That kind of experience really helps going into major championships like this where you get the situation and youve experienced it before. You feel a lot more comfortable." Wie put herself back in the hunt. She was at even par after a 68 to match not only her best round of the season, but best in six appearances at Locust Hill. She credited her five-birdie, one-bogey round to being more patient and laying off her driver, which Wie blamed on costing most of her strokes a day earlier. "Im starting to understand this golf course a little more every year," said Wie, who missed the cut last year at Locust Hill with a two-round total of 12-over 156. "Ive tried a lot of different things on this golf course over the past couple of years. And in some conditions, if youre feeling great, (hitting driver) does work. But sometimes it will nip you in the butt if you get a little greedy here." At the very least, Wie is hoping shes found a groove while attempting to build off last week, when she had a season-best ninth-place tie at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. "Shooting 68 today, really gives me the confidence," she said. Defending champion Shanshan Feng also was even after a 70. This marks the second of the tours past three majors to feature a 36-round final day. The second round of the Womens British Open was postponed due to rain last September. Shin rallied to win that event, beating Park by a whopping nine strokes. Only three shots back after a second-round 73, Shin intends to pace herself through the morning, before taking a more aggressive approach if necessary in the afternoons fourth round. "This course is really tough," Shin said. "So I just try to keep focused and be patient tomorrow." ' ' '