Dein erstes Forum » y members of the Pirates marching band.WFAY-AM i

Rico Abreu joked that if he wins the Camping World Truck Series race Wednesday at Eldora Speedway in Ohio, he would shoot fireworks at track owner and Abreu mentor Tony Stewart in a re-enactment of a popular Periscope video they made a couple weeks ago.Its not like Abreu is counting on winning his first Truck Series trophy at NASCARs lone national series race on dirt. But it makes sense that if Abreu would win anywhere in his rookie year, it would be at the half-mile dirt track.Abreu finished second in the World of Outlaws race Saturday night at Eldora and has more laps there than at any other NASCAR track.That will just get his fans more excited about the prospects for the truck race as the 4-foot-4 driver -- whose celebrations have been as highlight-worthy as his races -- looks to turn a year where he sits 14th in the standings into one where he makes the eight-driver truck Chase.My fans are putting more pressure than I am, to be honest, about a good result, Abreu said. Im excited for it. Its just another race at the end of the day. Whatever happens, happens.My goal is to put myself in a good position to have a shot at winning. ... The best truck is going to win the race.Abreu, 24, has just two top-10s this year, with his best a ninth at Texas, a race where he was second and challenging for the lead late in the event before getting into the wall.He believes he had potential to win at Dover and Charlotte, as well as Texas.I knew I had shots in those races, Abreu said. I wasnt the fastest truck but I put myself in the best position. At Texas, I was the best truck. I made the mistakes. But I knew I had a speed.Its not the end of the world if I dont win at Eldora and its not the end of my shot of getting in the Chase.And its not the end of the world to Abreu if he doesnt make the Chase, even though he drives for one of the top teams, ThorSport Racing.If I dont get in the Chase, then I dont get in the Chase -- it wasnt meant to be, Abreu said. Thats just the way I look at all this stuff. I just want for some better finishes for my guys.Few around Abreu view this year as disappointing. Abreu is known for needing a little time to get the feel he needs in the car.Its always taken him a year or two to get things rolling where he can be consistent and figure out how to win, but once he does, hes as good as it gets, said Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kyle Larson, an accomplished sprint-car racer. In sprint cars, it took him three years probably and now hes considered a favorite every time he goes to the race track.Hell learn a lot throughout this year of truck racing and hopefully by the end of the year hell be consistently in the top 10.A June fire at the ThorSport shop resulted in the four-team organization losing a handful of trucks, and forced it to scramble to get trucks ready over the past month. The fire, combined with a few crashes since then, have left Abreu not running the trucks that he has wanted to run at some races.He wont use it as an excuse. He views it as another piece of adversity for a rookie season.Im not worried and Im not going anywhere, Abreu said. I just dont want to rush and do all this and be not mature enough for the situation youre put in. Im lucky to be able to race and do something that I enjoy doing.Abreu plans to see better results. If he doesnt, he wont stay in the series all that long.Im racing to show people that I really want to do this, Abreu said about racing last weekend in sprint cars and now this week in his full-time truck ride. Im not just doing this because I am different or my family is financially supportive. Im not doing this because all my friends are doing it.Im doing this because this is something I fell in love with when I was a kid. I have this fearless personality and I like being around the people Im associated with in my race teams. ... Im not going to sit in the Truck Series and waste someones money running around in 20th place. I will find something else to do where Im competitive.Matt Hedges USA Jersey . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Zack Steffen USA Jersey . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/chris-pontius-usa-jersey/ . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Eric Lichaj USA Jersey . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Matt Besler USA Jersey .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back.A North Carolina radio station will not air East Carolinas football game Saturday following last weekends?protest staged by members of the Pirates marching band.WFAY-AM in Fayetteville, North Carolina, announced Tuesday that it would not carry the Pirates game at?South Florida. The move comes after approximately?a dozen ECU band members kneeled during the anthem before the game against Central Florida to protest racial injustice and police brutality.Band officials issued an apology Monday.Colonial Radio Group president and CEO Jeff Andrulonis said sponsors agree with the decision, but hell lose advertising revenue.Im proud of our country and Im proud of our soldiers -- especially our soldiers from Fort Braagg fighting for our country -- so Ive decided that ESPN Fayetteville will protest the protest, Andrulonis said.ddddddddddddThe station is an ESPN Radio affiliate, and it plans to carry the rest of the Pirates games this season.The band members were following the lead of several NFL players who have kneeled at games, beginning with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who refused to stand for the anthem before preseason games.Andrulonis, however, said the protest was shameful and the band members disgraced themselves.The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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