Bowman shuffled to the No. 48 car to replace departing Jimmie Johnson
CHARLOTTE, N.C. » The most coveted seat in NASCAR belongs to Alex Bowman in a Hendrick Motorsports lineup shuffle to replace seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson in the iconic No. 48 Chevrolet.
Bowman and crew chief Greg Ives, who won five championships with Johnson as his engineer, will move from the No. 88 into Johnson’s ride at the end of the season. The swap announced Tuesday makes Bowman just the second driver of the team created in 2001 specifically for Johnson.
Johnson’s 19th full season is his last in NASCAR and he will move to a partial IndyCar schedule next year. His retirement opened the door for Bowman to replace a NASCAR superstar for the second time in four years. Two years ago, he replaced Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“It’s definitely pretty similar, you go from (replacing) the most popular driver of all time to (replacing) arguably the greatest of all time,” Bowman told The Associated Press.
Hendrick Motorsports said it will address its plans for the No. 88 in the next few weeks. Kyle Larson, suspended by NASCAR since April for using a racial slur, is the leading candidate for that opening.
The No. 48 is sponsored by Ally, one of just two companies that funds a car for the entire 38-race Cup Series schedule. Ally wanted Johnson’s replacement to contend for titles and Bowman, who has qualified for the playoffs all three years with Hendrick, is currently in position to advance this week into the round of eight.
Red Bulls hire Struber as coach
HARRISON, N.J. » The New York Red Bulls hired Gerhard Struber as their coach, giving the veteran of the Austrian soccer his first U.S. coaching job.
Struber becomes the team’s 15th full-time head coach and 18th coach in 25 seasons. He will take over a team that’s seventh in the Eastern Conference at 6-7-2.
The Red Bulls fired coach Chris Armas last month and Bradley Carnell has been the interim coach. Struber will assume coaching duties once he receives his U.S. work visa, the club said.
Struber spent the past 11 months as coach of Barnsley in the second-tier English Championship. The Red Bulls paid an undisclosed fee to Barnsley to release him from his contract.
N. Dakota State QB to enter draft
FARGO, N.D. » North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, who had a record-breaking season last year in leading the Bison to the FCS championship but only played one game this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said he will bypass the spring season and enter the NFL draft.
Lance announced his decision on Twitter. Last year as a redshirt freshman, he set an NCAA record for all divisions by throwing 287 passes without an interception while throwing 28 touchdown passes and running for 14 more scores.
Coach Matt Entz said Tuesday he has spoken recently to several NFL executives. Many experts have predicted that Lance will be a top-five pick in the draft.
William & Mary and AD Huge mutually agree to part ways
WILLIAMSBURG,VA.» William and Mary has dismissed athletic director Samantha Huge a month after the school cut seven varsity sports because of financial concerns.
In a statement, school president Katherine Rowe said she and Huge “mutually agreed that it is best to part ways.” Rowe’s chief of staff, Jeremy Martin, will assume the athletic director duties, the statement said.