Looking up from the street, this concrete, angular building looks no different from the many Brutalist tower blocks dotted around Belgrade.

As you go inside, a prison-style gate with vertical metal bars guards the white front door of the first flat on the left.

This was the home of Novak Djokovic's grandfather Vladimir.

Here, the world's leading male tennis player sheltered as a small child while Nato bombed the Serbian capital between March and June 1999.

When the head-pounding drone of air-raid sirens rang out, families spanning several generations, along with neighbours and friends from nearby blocks, all filed down the stairs, through several steel doors and into the basement.

This was a formative time for Djokovic, now a 15-time Grand Slam singles champion and the man who will hold all four major titles for the second time in his career if he wins the forthcoming French Open.

As he celebrated his 12th birthday in May 1999, a decade-long crisis was tearing the Balkans apart and Belgrade was a focal point. Twenty years on, there is still tension over how Nato bombed Serbia for 11 weeks in an effort to push Serbian forces out of Kosovo, accusing them of atrocities against ethnic Albanians.

"When they sounded the alarm and the planes started to buzz, you never knew where the bombs would hit," says Djordjo Milenic, an elderly man who was friends with Djokovic's grandfather and lives in the adjacent block.

"They bombed whatever they wanted. 'Collateral damage,' they said. They bombed bridges, hospitals, pregnant women died."

His voice trails off. "It's hard, it's hard."

We are in Banjica, a residential area about 7km south of downtown Belgrade. Locals describe it as "an average suburb", populated by working-class families from a Serbian ethnic background who live in moderately cheap high-rise flats.

Djokovic's grandfather Vlada, as he was known by those close to him, lived in a two-bedroom flat here until his death in 2012.

Now it is unoccupied, owned - according to neighbours, at least - by one of Djokovic's aunts, who they think lives in Switzerland.

Nevertheless, it will always be intrinsically linked to the story of how Djokovic rose from humble beginnings to become one of the greatest tennis players that has ever lived.

Djokovic was here with his widowed grandfather because his parents, father Srdjan and mother Dijana, spent most of their time away from Belgrade as they toiled to provide for their three sons - eldest Novak and his two younger brothers Marko and Djordje.

That meant spending most of the year in Kopaonik, a mountain resort near Kosovo, more than four hours' drive from Belgrade.

By day they gave skiing lessons, by night they served pizza in the restaurant they owned. Srdjan and Dijana worked tirelessly to make ends meet while funding Novak's burgeoning tennis career.

Not wishing to disrupt their children's education, the Djokovic boys stayed with granddad Vlada.

"The basement is practically where we stayed. Everyone who could fit here they came, there was no limitation," Novak said in an American TV documentary made by CBS in 2011.

"We were waking up every single night at 2am or 3am for two and a half months because of the bombings," he said of those 78 days in 1999.

"In a way these experiences made me a champion, it made us tougher, made us more hungry for success."

Many people around Banjica know the Djokovic family. Some shared the basement where they sheltered.

Milica Milivojevic is a 31-year-old woman who lives upstairs in Djokovic's old block.

She says there were about "20 or 30" people inside the shelter, remembering it smelt of "moisture and humidity".

"We heard bombs, but not while we were in the shelter," she says.

"From outside we could hear bombs falling on Avala (a hill on the edge of Belgrade targeted because there was a telecommunications tower).

"Friends gathered in the basement, especially younger people. We played some board games - Monopoly or Risk - some older kids were drinking or doing drugs."

She starts laughing: "A lot was going on."

Of course there is no suggestion Djokovic, a child prodigy who had already appeared on national television proclaiming his dream was to win Wimbledon, took part in the 'edgier' adolescent activities.

He was too busy pursuing his dream of becoming world number one.

Bogdan Obradovic has seen a lot in a life which has been dominated by tennis and politics.

A promising junior player who moved into coaching aged 18, Obradovic was approached by Djokovic's father Srdjan to guide his 10-year-old boy.

Later, Obradovic went on to become Serbia's Davis Cup captain - leading them to one of the nation's greatest sporting triumphs when the team containing Djokovic won the trophy in 2010. Now 52, he serves as a member of Serbia's parliament.

"Novak's father and I had some mutual friends and they told him I was a good coach and could maybe help him," he says.

"We did one practice and I was completely shocked.

"He was completely prepared. He was warming up, he had a bottle of water, a banana, a towel, everything. I had never seen that from a kid so young."

Obradovic knew he was a player - at that time "weighing around 25kg" - destined for the top.

During the bombings he says they worked together "every day", going around Belgrade in search of courts they didn't have to pay to use.

"By that time people knew Novak and he was already popular so they helped him a lot. We trained at many different clubs," he says. "It was improvisation but that's how we did it.

"You know Only Fools and Horses? We love it here. And that is actually our mentality. We do everything through fun. And we always think, like Del Boy, our luck will change.

"We were in a terrible situation during the bombings. You hear the sound and see on the news, people were killed and everything is destroyed. But you can do nothing, and we found a way how to make fun.

"I was with Novak all the time, we practised together and every day was like normal. He was focused but having so much fun at that time. He laughed so much."

Djokovic often trained at the Partizan Tennis Club, an arm of the multi-sport body which also includes the 27-time national champion football team, plus successful basketball, water polo and volleyball sides.

Dusan Grujic has been the Partizan president for 22 years and says this is the club Djokovic "has in his heart".

"When you spend 11 years somewhere, like he did here, I don't know how we could say anything different," he adds.

"Novak made his first steps at Kopaonik, but that was only for a short time. When he was six, he came to Partizan. We provided him with everything we could and everything he wanted."

Photos of their greatest son, along with other alumni including 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic, line the walls of a modest clubhouse.

One shows a boyish Novak wearing a Partizan baseball cap and scarf, alongside childhood friend Ivanovic. Djokovic's neighbour Djordjo Milenic says he used to tell grandfather Vlada that Novak "should marry her".

Another shows Djokovic at 16, wearing the club's black and white stripes as he concentrates intently on gearing up a double-handed backhand, a shot he has since honed into one of his most potent.

The clubhouse is being given its annual lick of paint on the day we arrive. Chairs and tables are stacked in the middle of the room while dust sheets cover the windows.

Dragan Gavrilovic - one of the members responsible for maintaining the 75-year-old club - is more than happy to down tools and talk tennis.

Pulling out a cigarette with white emulsion flicked over his fingers, he says: "When Novak was still small, from about 12 to 15, he used to come to play here and people from all over the city came to watch.

"They knew - and we knew - he was destined for big things. Everybody wanted to see him. They wanted to see history being born."

Back in Banjica, behind his old apartment block, a colourful mural shows Djokovic flanked on one side by the patriarchal grandfather he doted on, childhood coach Jelena Gencic on the other.

Locals wander past without blinking an eye. Some may not even realise Djokovic lived there, but not many.

A woman sweeping up leaves and dirt outside the one flat which has a garden stops to speak with us. "Yes, you should write about Novak, you should," she says.

"He's like from heaven. He's not human, yet he is a modest, normal guy."

She has lived here for 40 years. She points to the concrete football pitch behind us, where a few stray dogs are sleeping in the sun.

"That's where he used to play football. When he had time, of course, because he trained so much.

"Then he became famous, but he would still come here as often as he could, if it was for one day or five minutes."

The woman is reluctant to give her name and disappears back into her yard saying she doesn't want to talk any more.

But she returns a few minutes later, clearly unable to stop herself sharing the pride and love she has for Djokovic.

She was one of the many who spent nights down in the basement bomb shelter. Once that subject comes up, she retreats again.

"Let's not talk about that," she says. "It's not nice to talk about what your neighbours did in such a delicate time."

Yet she adds: "When we were there I told the younger ones to run, to leave the country. At that time we thought they will not bomb the civilians. But they did."

Nato - the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the world's most powerful regional defence alliance - began its air strikes against Serbia on 24 March 1999.

Accused of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's regime was targeted in an attempt to force their troops out and allow international peacekeepers in, after diplomatic efforts failed.

The bombing campaign ended on 10 June 1999, when Yugoslav troops began to withdraw from Kosovo.

Nato said intervention was necessary to "halt the humanitarian catastrophe that was unfolding". But a number of attacks were "unlawful", according to Human Rights Watch - an independent organisation which investigates rights abuses across the world.

Wounds still run deep in Serbia, and resentment towards Nato - and the countries which make it up - is prevalent on the streets of Belgrade.

"We are trying to be 'part of Europe'. How come, when we are now part of Europe? How will they accept us, when we are European right now?" Djordjo Milenic, Djokovic's old neighbour, says.

"They bombed us and now they say we are friends. That's all organised by America and Britain."

Kosovo especially remains a major topic. A political message outside the Partizan Tennis Club - one of many such slogans daubed around Belgrade - reads: 'Kosovo is a holy Serbian land.'

Many feel the 'Western' media are obsessed with portraying a negative stereotype of the country as aggressive, unfriendly or hostile. That is another recurring topic of conversation in the city. And yet many others would rather move on.

"People think we are bad people," says George Mitic, a 37-year-old taxi driver.

"But they don't come and see for themselves. If you only watch the news you have a completely different view."

He tells a story from the previous night.

"I picked up some Scandinavians from the airport, they had come for business. They said they were scared.

"I said, 'why are you scared?' They replied, 'because you've had war here'."

"I told them we are open and friendly people."

Sasa Ozmo, a journalist for Sport Klub, describes Djokovic as a "national hero" who deeply understands the responsibility he has of promoting the nation's image across the world.

"But not only is he an ambassador outwards to the world, but he is also an ambassador within," he says.

"For example, there is a huge rivalry with Croatia - obviously there was the war and things stay fresh - but Novak is always very public about his support for the Croatian national football team.

"That doesn't sit well with a lot of people here, but he is trying to change perspective. He's really good at that responsibility."

Recently Djokovic finished top of a national newspaper poll which asked young people in Serbia who they looked up to the most.

"He is a huge role model. We've had some really huge athletes who have inspired generations but they haven't inspired people in the same way Novak has done," Ozmo adds.

"For example, we have a basketball player called Vlade Divac who is also a huge global ambassador and played in the NBA during the bombings.

"But Novak's range is much wider - he is a 'catch all' hero in Serbia. The way his personality is he can identify with people.

"Tennis is the country's third sport behind football and basketball - but Novak is the most popular."

Hull of a way to say goodbye as three squash legends bow out with hugs and smiles
By SEAN REUTHE in Hull

An emotional second day of action at the 2019 Allam British Open saw three of squash’s most decorated players call time on their glittering careers as eight-time World Champion Nicol David, two-time British Open champion Laura Massaro and former World No.2 Jenny Duncalf played their final professional squash matches.

David, the iconic Malaysian who won five British Open titles and spent an unprecedented nine years at World No.1, bowed out after a 3-1 defeat to World No.3 Nour El Tayeb, with the Egyptian player winning 11-4, 11-7, 11-13, 11-5 to end David’s 21-year career on the PSA World Tour.

The 36-year-old was voted the greatest female squash player of all time in a poll conducted by the Professional Squash Association (PSA) last summer and ends her career after winning 81 PSA titles from 102 finals, which is unmatched by any other female player.

“The British Open was the thing that really kicked things off and winning that title gave me the belief that I could be one of the best on tour and gave me the confidence to win my first World title and get to World No.1,” said David, the World No.18, afterwards.

“At the time, you just never quite know until you experience it first-hand, and as the years went by, that’s when I won my second World title and things really kicked off for me. It all really started from the British Open, I can’t believe it’s nearly been two decades.

“It’s a really special time for women’s squash to see the crop that is coming through. All the top girls are all gunning for that World title, British Open title, the World No.1 spot and to see them makes me so proud to have been a part of that group.”

Massaro, the most successful Englishwoman of the modern era, saw her career come to an end at the hands of Belgium’s World No.39 Tinne Gilis as she fell to a surprise 11-5, 2-11, 11-5, 11-7 defeat.

Preston-based Massaro, the current World No.10, won the British Open in 2013 and 2017, with the second of those wins seeing her become the first female English player in 66 years to win the sport’s longest-running title on two occasions.

In a speech full of emotion, the former World Champion said: “Hull has become a special place for me. My first British Open title at the then-KC Stadium was one of the best locations we have played in England.

“To be in two finals and to win it twice is just a dream come true really. There’s not many people that can say they have won it twice and I am hugely grateful to the [title sponsors] Allams and all of the sponsors, Hull will always be special for me because of the memories I have made here and it seems fitting that even though it didn’t end with my best today, that the Allams were able to watch my last match and that it was in Hull.

“No one steps on court at seven-years-old and thinks they are going to achieve that. If hard work can get you anywhere, then it has been down to a lot of hard work. It’s been a complete rollercoaster, it’s been unbelievable highs and lows throughout my career and I’m extremely proud of my achievements – hopefully once it all sinks in then I can look back and reflect a bit.”

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Gilis will play older sister Nele in the next round and, after the biggest win of her career, said: “It was mentally so hard, but I’m so happy. I gave it everything today and it paid off and it is such an honour to play Laura in her last match. I tried not to think about it being her last tournament, as if I thought about it too much then it would have made me nervous.

“I know how much this tournament meant to Laura, so I’m a bit sad for her as well, but I wish her all the best in her next chapter.”

Meanwhile, Massaro’s international teammate, 36-year-old Duncalf, played her final professional match against World No.1 Raneem El Welily, going down in straight games.

Duncalf retires with 11 PSA titles and was runner-up to David in the 2008 British Open and 2011 PSA World Championships final, while she even took up MC duties later on in the day to interview David on court after her final match.

“Before I had my hip operation, I was sort of borderline retiring before the Commonwealth Games last April.” Duncalf said.

“I needed a hip operation, and I thought I would see how I got on, but it’s a struggle playing all these youngsters, and I’m so pleased to be leaving the sport in good stead. We have so many different nationalities playing the game and I feel so proud to have been a part of it and it’s definitely time for me.”

In the men’s event, six of the seven Englishmen in action exited the tournament, including three-time runner-up James Willstrop, who fell to two-time winner Mohamed ElShorbagy in straight games.

Despite the scoreline, Willstrop and ElShorbagy played out an extremely high-quality affair, with World No.2 ElShorbagy taking a trio of 11-9 victories to send Yorkshireman Willstrop out.

“The British Open is the tournament with the most history,” ElShorbagy said. “When you win it, you’re down in the history of the sport and nobody can take that away from you. It’s the last tournament of the season and that is pretty brutal. We all have a lot of niggles, so it’s survival of the fittest in this event and I’m going to give it a big push and let’s see how far I can go.”

Meanwhile, World No.15 Declan James, the highest ranked male English player, saw his tournament cut short by an ankle injury as he went down to former World No.3 Omar Mosaad.

England No.3 Daryl Selby is the only home player to reach the last 16 of the men’s draw after he beat wildcard Patrick Rooney, while ElShorbagy’s younger brother Marwan got the better of last year’s surprise semi-finalist Raphael Kandra, coming back from two games down to exact his revenge for a quarter-final defeat to the German in this tournament 12 months ago.

He will take on World No.1 Ali Farag for a place in the quarter-finals after Farag came back from a game down to beat 18-year-old Mostafa Asal in four games. In the longest match of the day, the highest-ranked British male, Welsh ace Joel Makin, went down to No.4 seed Paul Coll, with the New Zealander taking it 11-4 in the fifth after 87 minutes.

The third round of the British Open begins tomorrow (Wednesday) at 12:00 (GMT+1) and action will be shown live on SQUASHTV (rest of world), Eurosport Player (Europe only) and the official Facebook page of the PSA World Tour.

Allam British Open 2019, University of Hull Sports and Fitness Centre, Hull, England.

Men’s Second Round:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Mostafa Asal (EGY) 3-1: 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (42m)
Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-2: 6-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (52m)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Borja Golan (ESP) 3-1: 11-8, 11-4, 14-16, 11-8 (81m)
[7] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Adrian Waller (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-2 (31m)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt [8] Diego Elias (PER) 3-2: 9-11, 13-11, 3-11, 11-3, 11-5 (67m)
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 3-1: 4-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5 (45m)
Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt [WC] Joshua Masters (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 12-10, 11-5 (33m)
[4] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Joel Makin (WAL) 3-1: 9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (87m)
[3] Simon Rösner (GER) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 3-0: 11-3, 12-10, 11-6 (37m)
Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Declan James (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 6-3 ret (43m)
Zahed Salem (EGY) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-0: 13-11, 11-5, 11-8 (47m)
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) bt Saurav Ghosal (IND) 3-1: 11-9, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6 (54m)
[6] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 3-1: 11-3, 12-10, 7-11, 11-4 (61m)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 (58m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [WC] Patrick Rooney (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (47m)
[2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (44m)

Women’s Second Round:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-4 (20m)
[12] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Samantha Cornett (CAN) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (24m)
Joey Chan (HKG) bt [14] Salma Hany (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-9, 11-7 (44m)
[7] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Emily Whitlock (ENG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-1, 11-3 (20m)
[5] Joelle King (NZL) bt Low Wee Wern (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (28m)
[10] Alison Waters (ENG) bt Yathreb Adel (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8 (38m)
[11] Annie Au (HKG) bt Olivia Fiechter (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 2-0 ret (11m)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Nicol David (MAS) 3-1: 11-4, 11-7, 11-13, 11-5 (41m)
[4] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Lisa Aitken (SCO) 3-1: 8-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (39m)
[9] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Julianne Courtice (ENG) 3-2: 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 (64m)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt [8] Laura Massaro (ENG) 3-1: 11-5, 2-11, 11-5, 11-7 (37m)
Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [16] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-7 (82m)
[6] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [WC] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-3 (24m)
[15] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-0: 12-10, 11-3, 11-9 (34m)
[13] Victoria Lust (ENG) bt Olivia Blatchford Clyne (USA) 3-2: 11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9 (58m)
[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Mayar Hany (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (23m)

Men’s Third Round (Top Half, May 22):
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [7] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v Lucas Serme (FRA)
Fares Dessouky (EGY) v [4] Paul Coll (NZL)

Men’s Third Round (Bottom Half, May 23):
[3] Simon Rösner (GER) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
Zahed Salem (EGY) v [5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
[6] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) v Cesar Salazar (MEX)
Daryl Selby (ENG) v [2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY)

Women’s Third Round (Top Half, May 22):
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [12] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
Joey Chan (HKG) v [7] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
[5] Joelle King (NZL) v [10] Alison Waters (ENG)
[11] Annie Au (HKG) v [3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY)

Women’s Third Round (Bottom Half, May 23):
[4] Camille Serme (FRA) v [9] Tesni Evans (WAL)
Nele Gilis (BEL) v Tinne Gilis (BEL)
[6] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v [15] Joshna Chinappa (IND)
[13] Victoria Lust (ENG) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 

Pictures courtesy of PSA

GRANITE CITY, Ill. – The Brandt River Town Showdown finale, featuring a USAC doubleheader with the AMSOIL National Sprint Cars and NOS Energy Drink National Midgets, has been rescheduled for Aug. 30 at Tri-City Speedway.

It will now be the start of a big racing weekend in Southern Illinois with DuQuoin State Fair events Saturday-Monday.

The event will be a full show for each series with qualifying, heat races, a semi-feature, culminating in a 30-lap main event for the Midgets and Sprint Cars.  Last Saturday’s Track Enterprises promotion of the event was rained out.

The night prior, Tyler Courtney (Midgets) and Chris Windom (Sprint Cars) won each end of the doubleheader.

SONOMA, Calif.  – After a second place finish in their Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb debut in 2018, Flying Lizard Motorsports is set to return to the Race to the Clouds with Toyo Tires and Clint Vahsholtz, racing a McLaren 650S GT3.

In the team’s Pikes Peak debut, Vahsholtz and the Flying Lizard Motorsports McLaren 12C GT3 finished second in class on the 12.42-mile, 156 turn course. Located on the highest summit of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb is the second oldest automotive racing event in North America, and the only course where the finish line sits 4,720 feet above the starting line.

“We are looking forward to taking on the Pikes Peak Hill climb for a second year with Toyo Tires,” said Flying Lizard Program Manager Darren Law. “The McLaren 650S GT3 will allow us more options in gearing, and a better aero, suspension and electronics package which should help in all areas. Clint Vahsholtz is the winningest driver at Pikes Peak, and he has put a lot of work into learning the 650S GT3 with our recent testing at Sonoma Raceway.”

Flying Lizard Motorsports and Toyo Tires started a tire testing and development program in 2015, and have gone on to record four consecutive overall wins at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill, one of the most challenging sports car races in North America. The relationship has not only allowed Toyo Tires the opportunity to develop, test and expand their Proxes Race Slick program with the six-time IMSA champions, but has also allowed Flying Lizard Motorsport the opportunity to expand their vast racing resume to pursue new challenges. Together, the pair hold six class wins at the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

“With its high number of turns and challenging corners, the road up Pikes Peak has been excellent for the ongoing development of our Proxes Race Slicks,” said Marc Sanzenbacher, senior manager, motorsports, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “Our dedicated staff of engineers in Japan have developed a new range of Pikes Peak specific compounds we are confident will provide the needed traction and control to return our McLaren 650S GT3 to the podium once more in 2019.”

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will take place June 30. In preparation for the event, the Lizards recently completed a test at Sonoma Raceway in the McLaren 650S, giving Vahsholtz additional seat time with the GT3 machine. Former race car driver now Program Manager Darren Law was on hand to offer his expertise during the test.

“I am looking forward to the 97th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and teaming up with Flying Lizard Motorsports and Toyo Tires, said Vahsholtz. “Darren Law’s expertise and knowledge of the McLaren 12C GT3. His coaching has assisted my adaption immensely to this type of driving. Once again working with Marc and Toyo,which is the perfect tire for Pikes Peak, will allow my confidence in gripping the course. Also, with the set up expertise from Tommy Sadler and his team, we are expecting good results.”

“We are very appreciative of Toyo Tires and their commitment to this program,” concluded Law. “We have been working with them for many years now on multiple programs, they produce an amazing Proxes Race Slick that is perfect in these conditions and we can’t wait to go for the top step of the podium this year.”

CONCORD, N.C. – United Rentals has signed on as entitlement sponsor for the inaugural United Rentals Patriot Nationals, a two-day World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series event on Friday and Saturday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Sprint car stars including Donny Schatz, Brad Sweet, Daryn Pittman and Carson Macedo will take on The Dirt Track at Charlotte’s high-speed, four-tenths-mile dirt oval beginning with Friday’s first night of action and concluding on Saturday.

Each Patriot Nationals sprint car feature will pay $15,000 to win and $1,000 to start.

“United Rentals is extremely proud to sponsor the United Rentals Patriot Nationals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte,” said Dave Brown, United Rentals’ regional sales manager in the Southeast and the Carolinas. “We’ve enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Charlotte Motor Speedway and are excited to take the next step by sponsoring one of dirt racing’s most exciting weekends.”

Fans in attendance will also get to enjoy the FUEL Racing Series on Friday and the SECA Late Models on Saturday, which will serve as undercards for the United Rentals Patriot Nationals.

“There’s an abundance of excitement this weekend at America’s Home for Racing,” said Greg Walter, the executive vice president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “Memorial Day weekend is a special time for all of us to reflect on the freedoms provided to us by our nation’s Armed Forces. Adding United Rentals to the fold with the United Rentals Patriot Nationals gives us an extra chance to thrill our race fans at The Dirt Track while saluting our servicemen and women with the ultimate patriotic dirt-racing experience.”

CONCORD, N.C. – Everyone loves playing in front of their home crowd, whether it’s a high school baseball game at your school’s home field or a professional golfer teeing off on the hometown links.

Hometown advantage matters so much that certain professional sports leagues schedule their championship games in a neutral stadium as often as possible.

Professional race car drivers very rarely get the opportunity to race at the track where their careers began, because few professional racing sanctioning bodies schedule races at local short tracks. But once you make it up the stock car racing ladder you get to race in front of the home of the entire industry.

Whenever they open the gates at Charlotte Motor Speedway, those who strap into the cars that take to the speedway’s 24-degree banked turns are racing in front of their families, their friends, the people who build and maintain their racecars, and thousands of other industry insiders.

It can mean a lot of pressure, especially for young drivers.

With the entire industry paying attention, everyone wants to perform. The edge between a great day and a bad day can be razor thin, and that can mean a stressful day for those behind the wheel.

Last year, it was a great night for Brandon Jones as he earned his fifth career series victory. He took advantage of the misfortunes of Todd Gilliland, who had a great night going until the final round of pit stops changed the handling of his car and he was forced to settle for fourth at the finish.

Jones, who will be in the booth as a driver analyst for the FS1 broadcast of the General Tire 150, believes racing in the ARCA series gives drivers like himself plenty of relevant experience to succeed in the upper levels of NASCAR. He currently drives the No. 19 Menards Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“I give the ARCA Menards Series a lot of credit for my success over the years and helping me get to the NASCAR Xfinity Series today,” Jones said. “I’ve gained so much confidence in that series, winning with multiple teams and at different tracks; it really helped build me up as I prepared to take the next step in my racing career. I’ve always felt that getting track time in the ARCA Series helps a lot when preparing for my Xfinity Series races.”

A couple of drivers that are prospects to join Jones as ARCA graduates who have gone on to success in the upper levels of NASCAR include Travis Braden and Christian Eckes.

Braden won in his ARCA Menards Series debut at Lucas Oil Raceway in 2015 and was included in ESPN’s list of drivers to watch for 2019. He is from Wheeling, W.Va., and a graduate of West Virginia University with dual degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering. His team is located in Brownsburg, Ind., just outside of Indianapolis, so the Charlotte race isn’t necessarily a home game for him but he does see the value of a strong performance in the sport’s epicenter.

“Charlotte is still the capital of stock car racing and probably always will be,” Braden said. “To win at this venue is arguably as sought-after as an event like Daytona or Homestead, but for a little different reason. Obviously the opportunity to perform, and hopefully win, in front of the eyes of the majority of the sport’s leadership is of similar value to each of us. For myself and RFMS Racing, and any other non-southeastern-based team, I think you have an extra piece of motivation here. To go down there and beat those guys means a ton. It’s impressive in the eyes of any. You definitely won’t hear the typical “well he’s in the highest-budget ride and got all of the backing, he should have won” response if we were able to pull it off.”

Eckes is making his first run at the series title in 2019. Racing a part-time schedule in 2018, he won three times and has already collected one win so far in 2019 at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville. Eckes, a native of Middletown, N.Y., races for Venturini Motorsports, which is located near the race track in Concord, North Carolina. He will be making his first appearance at Charlotte and knows a good run will impress his other boss, Kyle Busch, who he drives for in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series.

“It’s going to be really cool to race at Charlotte for the first time,” Eckes said. “It’s going to be my first mile and a half race as well, so I’m really looking forward to it. We tested a few weeks ago and our No. 15 JBL Camry showed a lot of speed. My Venturini team is based about five minutes from the track so it’s important for us to go have a good run. We will be ready.”

INDIANAPOLIS – Two teams have three drivers each starting in the top nine of the 103rd Indianapolis 500.

One is expected, it’s the powerful Team Penske as Simon Pagenaud starts on the pole, with defending Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power sixth and Josef Newgarden eighth.

But the other is Indiana’s own Ed Carpenter Racing, with three of its drivers starting second, third and fourth in Sunday’s race.

Carpenter, a three-time Indianapolis 500 pole winner, barely lost the pole to Pagenaud, who ran a four-lap average of 229.992 mph. Carpenter’s speed was 229.889 mph. Carpenter lost the pole by just .1 of a mile per hour.

“Simon was just more consistent,” Carpenter said. “I think I had the fastest lap of qualifying and usually that’s a good sign for the pole, but I’ve also won a couple of my poles and not had the fastest lap. So, he was just a little more consistent than me, and that’s why he deserves to be on the pole.”

Pagenaud won his first Indianapolis 500 pole on Sunday. Carpenter was attempting to win his fourth and lost it by the narrowest of margins.

“That’s the way this series is now,” Carpenter said. “Everything is just thousandths and hundredths of a second all the way through. The battle that you saw for guys fighting for the 30th spot on Saturday, the ninth spot Saturday and now (Sunday) the strength of this series between the teams and drivers from top to bottom. You’ve got to be perfect to really put it together because if you’re not, everything is so tight you’re going to slide down, and that’s what’s great about being a part of the NTT IndyCar Series is it’s really the best competition in the world.”

Had Sunday’s Fast Nine been rained out, Carpenter’s teammate Spencer Pigot would have been the pole winner because he was the fastest on Saturday.

“Spencer was doing a rain dance, I was wanting to run,” Carpenter said.

Despite the fact he did not win the pole, Pigot was still happy to be starting on the outside of row one.

“Starting front row in the Indy 500 is a real honor, and like Ed said, a testament to our team,” Pigot said. “I wouldn’t say I was doing the rain dance all day. I think as race car drivers we love driving Indy cars at the limit, and you definitely get a chance to do that here in qualifying. Any chance we get to put four laps of qualifying together here is exciting in the car.

“Unfortunately, it was a little short, but like Ed said, great day for the team. 2, 3, 4, and I think all of us were pretty happy with our race cars Wednesday and Thursday, so we have a lot to look forward to and a lot to be confident about heading into next weekend.”

Ed Jones, who shares the No. 20 Chevrolet as the street and road course driver with Carpenter driving on the ovals, is in the No. 63 Chevrolet for the Indianapolis 500. His fourth-place starting position is his best Indianapolis 500 qualifying effort.

“Of course, it’s great to be where we are,” Jones said. “As great as that sounds, I really wanted the pole today. I’m a little bit bummed. I thought we had a good shot at it. It’s just frustrating.”