Pirate Galaxy » fered a foot injury last week that will keep

NASCAR mulled three choices on which rules package it would use at Michigan International Speedway this weekend.It could have gone with the current 2016 aerodynamic package, which would give valuable data on how the 2016 package performed vs. the proposed 2017 rules, which were run at Michigan in June. But with NASCAR already believing it would make the changes for 2017, there was little reason for this additional data.NASCAR, though, is thinking about tweaking its proposed 2017 rules to help address the two main complaints -- too much front downforce when balanced with the rear downforce, and too little sideforce that made the cars turbulent when side-by-side.But then NASCAR decided the other option -- run the exact same specifications as in June one more time -- would work best so teams could build on what they learned in the races at Michigan in June and Kentucky in July. The specifications reduce the amount of downforce and sideforce that has been the trend for NASCAR the past couple of years.NASCAR reduced downforce by about 900 pounds for this year, with a target of 1,800. The teams have gotten back a few hundred, and NASCAR hopes the new package will have 1,600 pounds of downforce. Thats down from 3,500 a couple years ago. Side forces could be reduced by 125 pounds.Some of the teams said that they might want to do a little tweak [to the rules] but at the same time they said this depends on mechanical grip so much, we still have some things we havent tried, NASCAR senior vice president Gene Stefanyshyn said. So we believe going to Michigan will give us that last piece of information.NASCAR would like to get the 2017 rules package to the teams sometime in the next four weeks. Not only does that give the teams time to start building cars, but it also gives NASCAR a chance to work with Goodyear on deciding what tires will work the best at each track.Goodyear will bring the same tire it brought to Michigan for the June race. NASCAR already has tentatively set a test for Martinsville once the rules package is confirmed.You get into the corner with the car that already doesnt drive good and now youre putting it in a vulnerable position, said Joey Logano, who won the Michigan race in June. Its a good thing. Dont get me wrong. Thats what we need.We need crazy interesting stuff. ... We have more crashes because theyre really hard to drive and its hard to make the moves, and guys are getting loose underneath each other or tight and sliding up.The package reduces the spoiler from 3.5 inches high and 61 inches long to 2.5 inches high and 53 inches long, and adds a deck lid fin. It also has decreased the surface area of the front splitter that sits underneath the car by about three inches. NASCAR also will eliminate any rear skew -- the angle of the rear housing that helps cars turn and create side force.At a track such as Michigan, the drivers enter the corner with these changes a little bit faster but have to reduce speed by more than 10 mph to drive through the turns. Drivers have wanted less corner speed, which not only allows more passing but also could decrease the harshness of a crash in the corner.Both the 2-mile Michigan and recently repaved and reconfigured 1.5-mile Kentucky have been challenging tracks for NASCAR to have good races, at times having one primary fast groove and with cars getting strung out.Id love to see [this package] on a short track, said six-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Id love to see it on [another] 1.5-mile before we make a decision and move on. But the truth of the matter is we dont have that luxury, especially when we get into the Chase.The teams have told NASCAR that they do not want to test the 2017 package during the Chase, that they have spent the season developing the current package and cant afford that new twist.NASCAR agrees, and just like a year ago, it wont make changes for the final 10 races of the season.Its cool that you can run closer to the back bumper of somebody, but there must be a lot less sideforce because now when youre next to somebody, its a handful, said Kyle Larson, who likely needs a win in the next three races to make the Chase. I wish we could take this package somewhere thats got a better surface.Michigan is already pretty narrow, Kentucky with the brand new repave definitely was one lane. ... I know Chicago is in the Chase, but Chicago would be the perfect place. It would be cool to see what its like where youre not really running on somebodys door because the lanes are so narrow because I think the racing would be that much better.One thing drivers do expect: chaos on restarts.I expect there be lots of wrecks on restarts, Larson said. Its always sketchy there no matter what package we take to Michigan on restarts. Especially that last race there, it was a handful. Custom Rod Langway Jersey . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. Custom Capitals T-shirts . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. http://www.customcapitalsjersey.com/ . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Rod Langway Jersey Large . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. Capitals Jerseys China .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals. Washington suffered its first loss of the season last week, but its hopes still flicker for a berth in the College Football Playoff.The seventh-ranked Huskies (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) still control their destiny in the Pac-12 North, needing to beat struggling Arizona State (5-5, 2-5) at home on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, FOX) before finishing the regular season at division-leading Washington State.We do just need to respond, said Washington coach Chris Petersen, whose team lost 26-13 at home to USC last weekend.I hope our guys have a new edge to them a little bit, but I do think theyve done a good job all season long, like Ive been saying, about preparing. They played hard. Both sides played really, really hard. It wasnt about that at all.Washingtons weak nonconference schedule -- Rutgers, Idaho, Portland State -- continues to be an issue as the Huskies now need help to reach the playoff. But they have a chance to impress late in the season, by beating the Cougars and then facing a ranked champion from the Pac-12 South, possibly even getting a rematch against USC.But first up is Arizona State, which has lost four games in a row, allowing at least 37 points in each of them. The Sun Devils have given up 103 total points to Oregon and Utah in the past two outings.Allowing explosive plays has been at the forefront of ASUs undoing.The Sun Devils have allowed 64 plays of 20-plus yards (tied for 121st out of 128 teams nationally), 34 plays of 30-plus yards (123rd), 24 plays of 40-plus yards (127th), 16 plays of 50-plus yards (127th) and 11 plays of 60-plus yards (tied for 126th).For more evidence, see last weeks 49-26 home loss to Utah.The Utes scored on a 64-yard pass, a 27-yard pass, a 17-yard pass, an 82-yard run, a 24-yard pass and a 40-yard run.The story of the whole game, when you go back and look at the film, my only impression is just big plays, said coach Todd Graham. Thats been the big deal. Its just frustrating.Although stonewalled by USC, Washington has all kinds of explosive potential. The Huskies scored 70 against Oregon and 66 vs. Cal this season. The trio of wide receiver John Ross, running back Myles Gaskin and quarterback Jake Browning can provide plenty of fireworks.Browning, after completing 17 of 36 passes for 259 yards with one touchdown and two innterceptions against USC, dropped from first to third nationally in passing efficiency with a rating of 189.dddddddddddd1.Gaskin was held to 51 yards rushing on 15 carries last week, but he did go over 1,000 yards for the season and is averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Ross, one of 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nations top wideout, picked up his 15th touchdown reception of the season last week.Ross is probably the most dynamic player in our league, Graham said. I would say explosive plays and defense are the two things when I think of them.Washingtons defense has been superb, ranking ninth nationally in points allowed (17.9 per game) and 19th in total defense (336.8). The Huskies lead the nation in turnover margin (plus 1.5 per game).But Washington is now without two of its top two defenders against the run. Linebacker Joe Mathis (foot) was already out for the season and linebacker Azeem Victor suffered a foot injury last week that will keep him sidelined.Redshirt freshman DJ Beavers will replace Victor, who has a team-high 68 tackles.I think he filled in pretty well, Petersen said of Beavers.He made some tackles, played aggressive, played tough. Its hard when you lose a player like Azeem, for sure, but it was not like this, Oh, now we have no chance type of thing. He was right there playing physical.Arizona State has some weapons on offense, although quarterback Manny Wilkins, who has dealt with injuries in recent weeks, looked rusty Saturday against Utah, throwing two interceptions and being sacked nine times.Arizona State uses running back Kalen Ballage in a variety of ways, including taking direct snaps. He is coming off his second consecutive game with 200-plus all-purpose yards, rolling up 244 against Utah -- a career-high 118 receiving, 46 rushing and 80 in the return game.Wide receiver NKeal Harry, a talented true freshman, is coming off his best game. He had eight catches for a career-high 114 yards, rushed for 31 yards on a broken play after he dropped a lateral, and completed a 46-yard pass. Hell have interesting matchups this week against Washington cornerbacks Sidney Jones and Kevin King. ' ' '