Bold predictions for 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season
The 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off Sunday with the 61st annual Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The NASCAR Digital staff gathered a few bold predictions prior to the start of the year.Zack Albert: All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers will win a race this season. Chase Elliott continues his winning ways after a successful second half of 2018, and Jimmie Johnson returns to form. And if Hendrick Motorsports adapts as quickly to the new rules package as it should, don’t be surprised if Alex Bowman and William Byron join the ranks of first-time winners this year.Pat DeCola: William Byron will have at least as many Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins as Kyle Larson in 2019. And possibly more.Torey Fox: Denny Hamlin will make the Championship 4. With all the talk surrounding Martin Truex Jr.’s move to JGR as well as Kyle Busch’s hunt for a second title, some have forgotten that Denny Hamlin won a race every year from 2006-17 and nearly won a championship in 2010. The point? Hamlin can drive. Chris Gabehart re-energizes the No. 11 team and Hamlin establishes himself as a title favorite by winning at Martinsville in October to clinch his second berth into the Championship 4.Marissa Fuller: Jimmie Johnson will win his eighth championship this year.RJ Kraft: Alex Bowman will be the first of the Hendrick drivers to win a points-paying event in 2019.Jonathan Merryman: After a miserable 2018 season, Hendrick Motorsports gets all of its drivers to Victory Lane before any other team.Brad Norman: Another Team Penske driver makes the Championship 4 following a hot run in the NASCAR Playoffs. It’s not Joey Logano … and it’s not 2012 champion Brad Keselowski. No, it’s Ryan Blaney, who wins at both Talladega and Martinsville to set up a title push in Miami.Tyler Strong: Erik Jones will win at least three races this year and make the Round of 8. He had an impressive streak of finishes last summer (including his first win) and was carrying serious momentum into the NASCAR Playoffs before being derailed by two sub-30 finishes.Chase Wilhelm: Chase Elliott wins the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. Last year he earned two victories in the NASCAR Playoffs Round of 12, which shows he can win under the postseason pressure. Another season of experience launches him into the Championship 4, hoisting the big trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway.George Winkler: Daniel Hemric will show consistency similar to what he enjoyed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and that will be enough to edge out Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon and Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman for the final playoff spot in 2019.
Zane Smith survived a restart with three laps left in Friday’s KDI Office Technology 200 at Dover International Speedway and pulled away to claim his second NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series victory of the season.The 21-year-old Sunoco rookie held off Matt Crafton and GMS Racing teammate Brett Moffitt in the final three-lap dash to earn his second victory in three races and reinforce his status as a formidable contender for the series championship.RELATED: Official resultsSmith held a comfortable lead of more than 1.5 seconds over Moffitt when Stewart Friesen spun in Turn 2 on Lap 192 to cause the fifth and final caution. Moffitt chose the bottom lane for the final restart and lost second place to Crafton on the next-to-last lap.Smith crossed the finish line .989 seconds ahead of Crafton, with Moffitt trailing in third.“What an awesome truck,” Smith said. “I think we all know that I suck at restarts, but I picked a good time to have a good one. Man, two wins. This is by far the most fun I’ve ever had racing in my career. I’m just so blessed to be here.”Smith also won the second leg of the Triple Truck Challenge, earning a $50,000 bonus.“Hopefully, I can pay off my Chevy Silverado,” Smith said.Sheldon Creed, one of Smith’s GMS Racing teammates, won the first Triple Truck Challenge race last weekend at the Daytona International Speedway Road Course.On the penultimate restart on Lap 98, after the second stage break, Smith led the field to green but spun his tires and lost three positions. Moffitt was hoping for a similar result when he chose the bottom lane for the final restart.“The restart before, the 21 (Smith) got a terrible launch on the outside and lost a few positions, but, ultimately, I didn’t get a good launch there on the bottom, and the 21 did,” said Moffitt, the 2018 series champion. “He went a little earlier than I thought he would. Frustrating … I don’t know — we’ve got to get better.”The race produced little change on either side of the Gander Truck Series playoff bubble, with 10th-place Todd Gilliland doubling his advantage over 11th-place Derek Kraus to four points. Ten drivers qualify for the postseason. There are three races left before the playoff opener Sept. 17 at Bristol Motor Speedway.“We’re right on the bubble and we need to have these good days, but the guys around us are stepping up, too,” said Gilliland, who finished fourth to Kraus’ 10th Friday. “So we’ve just got to maximize every day.”ThorSport Racing teammates Ben Rhodes and Johnny Sauter ran fifth and sixth, respectively, followed by Tyler Ankrum, Austin Hill, Friesen and Kraus. Smith and Moffitt each led 50 of the 200 laps. Kyle Busch Motorsports teammates Christian Eckes and Chandler Smith were out front for 34 and 31 laps, respectively.Chandler Smith spun while racing in close quarters with Eckes on Lap 88 and finished 20th. Eckes came home 11th.
WEEHAWKEN, N.J. – Authorities say five people were injured when a New Jersey Transit bus collided with four other vehicles in the south tube of the Lincoln Tunnel. Coleman says five people – the bus driver, three people in a Mercedes Benz and one person in another vehicle that was struck – were injured. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening. Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman says the crash occurred around 12:10 p.m. Wednesday when the bus driver apparently suffered a seizure as the bus approached the New York tunnel exit.
NJ Transit spokeswoman Courtney Carroll said about 25 passengers were aboard the No. 107 bus. None of them were injured. The bus, which runs between South Orange and New York, was headed toward Manhattan.
AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterTwitterShare to EmailEmailEmailShare to RedditRedditRedditShare to MoreAddThisMoreContracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes rose to their highest level in more than two years in July, an industry group said on Wednesday, suggesting the housing market recovery was gaining traction.The number of contracts signed in July, increased 2.4 percent to the highest level since April 2010. (READ the story from Reuters News)AddThis Sharing ButtonsShare to FacebookFacebookFacebookShare to TwitterTwitterTwitterShare to EmailEmailEmailShare to RedditRedditRedditShare to MoreAddThisMore
Vermont Business Magazine Senator Leahy announced Friday that a $3 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) was awarded to the Vermont Department of Health to increase access to Medication Assisted Treatment in Vermont for high risk individuals with an opioid dependency. Howard Center, the Northwestern Medical Center, and the West Ridge Center at Rutland Regional Medical Center will receive funding from the grant to coordinate services for 375 individuals statewide.The grant will provide integrated, evidence-based medical treatment and therapeutic counseling for people involved with Probation and Parole, Department of Children and Families and are on waiting lists for treatment. Additionally, the grant will allow the implementation of Med-O-Wheel, a new cutting-edge technology which enables closer monitoring of a patient’s use of medication, allowing for increases in take-home medication and thus reducing the costs of transportation. Med-O-Wheel is a tamper-free device which disperses dosage-controlled medication and is appropriate as part of a treatment plan for low-risk individuals. The technology will allow more people to be served and may be used as an alternative treatment option for individuals in rural areas who face transportation barriers.John Brooklyn, MD, Medical Director of the Chittenden Clinic says, “This grant will enable us to serve more individuals who have an opioid dependency which will have a lasting impact on families and communities in our state.”Other key Howard Center staff include Dana Poverman, LADC, LCMHC, Director of Medication Assisted Treatment Programs at Howard Center, and Tom Dalton, MA, LADC, Project Manager at the Chittenden Clinic.Source: Howard Center 8.7.2015
Related Drift Innovation, manufacturer of high-quality action cameras, is the official action camera partner for the 2013 USA Pro Challenge cycling race in Colorado. As a feature of the partnership, Drift will capture footage of the nearly 600-mile road race using the feature-rich HD Ghost action camera.Footage taken from the vantage point of the riders will be used to help fans get closer to the action than ever before. Cameras also will be on-board event motorcycles and chase cars to bring a unique perspective to fans and viewers.“The USA Pro Challenge has grown to be one of the most highly-anticipated races in North America, and I am thrilled for Drift to be on board to support this event and become further immersed in the cycling community,” said John Rounds, CEO of Drift Americas. “It’s the perfect event platform for Drift’s HD Ghost camera – lots of high-intensity action in an unbelievable setting.”Dubbed ‘America’s Race’, the third annual USA Pro Challenge’s seven stages will take riders throughout the state of Colorado from 19-25 August. Beginning in Aspen/Snowmass, the race winds its way through the towering Rocky Mountains, topping altitudes of more than 12,000 ft., to the circuit finish in Denver.The race challenges the sport’s toughest professional cyclists to compete on the epic course consisting of lung-busting climbs, winding mountain passes and heart-pounding sprints.“The Pro Challenge is America’s most exciting professional cycling race and as we continue to grow we are always looking for new ways to showcase the action and elevate the experience for fans,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Challenge. “Drift’s HD Ghost will be key to capturing the exhilarating racing and will help put fans right in the middle of it all.”The recently launched HD Ghost builds on a unique feature set, which includes an industry-first two-way LED remote control with on/off indicator light, video recording/tagging capabilities in continuous loop mode, and an integrated two-inch Corning Gorilla Glass LCD screen.An all-in-one solution, the HD Ghost ‘will catch everything from breakaways to crashes and victories.’ Racers will capture point-of-view footage with Drift’s HD Ghost camera. Drift also will work with select athletes to provide feedback and professional insight on products from the line.www.usaprocyclingchallenge.comwww.driftinnovation.com
Challenge Regensburg kicks of on 14 August 2016 at Lake Guggenberger See with a 3.8K swim, before one of the most beautiful cycling routes in Germany awaits the athletes: 180K in the beautiful district of Regensburg and through the city of Regensburg.The route passes cultural monuments such as the Walhalla, cycling along the foothills of the Bavarian Forest, straight toward the UNESCO World Heritage city. The event finishes off with a marathon in the picturesque heart of Regensburg and celebrating a memorable finish in the shadow of the majestic Gothic cathedral of St Peter.With demand expected to be high, the special pre-registration phase will start on 1 May 2015 for four weeks. At the official start of registration, on 1 June 2015, pre-registered athletes will get sent their login-link directly.www.challenge-regensburg.com Related On 14 August 2016, the historic town of Regensburg will host Germany’s newest long distance race and sister event to the legendary DATEV Challenge Roth – Challenge Regensburg.The event was only announced a few weeks ago, but, according to Challenge Family, the national and international interest in the long-distance triathlon has been huge. Therefore the organisers are giving athletes the chance to secure themselves an entry before the official start of registration on 1 June 2015.From 1 May, athletes can sign up for a special pre-registration to guarantee their spot when entries open to the public on 1 June.
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Pinterest Oliver Bandmann, Professor of Movement Disorders Neurology at the University of Sheffield and Honorary Consultant Neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, added: “Whilst we have been looking at Parkinson’s patients who carry the LRRK2 mutation, mitochondrial defects are also present in other inherited and sporadic forms of Parkinson’s, where we do not know the causes yet. Our hope is therefore, that UDCA might be beneficial for other types of Parkinson’s disease and might also show benefits in other neurodegenerative diseases.”The research is also the first to demonstrate beneficial effects of UDCA on dopaminergic neurons, the nerve cells affected in Parkinson’s disease, in a fly model of Parkinson’s disease which carries the same genetic change as some patients with the condition.The study published in the journal Neurology is funded by Parkinson’s UK, the Wellcome Trust and the Norwegian Parkinson Foundation.A mutation in the LRRK2 gene is the single most common inherited cause of Parkinson’s disease. However, the precise mechanism that leads to Parkinson’s is still unclear.Defects in mitochondria, and as a consequence reduced energy levels, are a factor in a number of diseases that affect the nervous system including Parkinson’s and Motor Neuron Disease. Nerve cells have a particularly high energy demands, therefore defects in the cell’s energy generators will crucially affect their survival.Professor Bandmann added: “Following on from the promising results of our in vitro drug screen, we were keen to further investigate and confirm the potential of UDCA in vivo – in a living organism.“UDCA has been in clinical use for decades and thus could be advanced to the clinic rapidly if it proves beneficial in clinical trials.”Collaborators Rebecca Furmston, White Rose PhD student, and Dr Chris Elliott, from the University of York’s Department of Biology, demonstrated the beneficial effects of UDCA in vivo using the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). In fruit flies, the mitochondrial defects caused by the LRRK2 mutation to dopaminergic neurons can be monitored through the progressive loss of visual function. Flies carrying the mutation maintained their visual response when fed with UDCA.Dr Elliott said: “The treatment of fruit flies carrying the faulty LRRK2 gene with UDCA showed a profound rescue of dopaminergic signalling. Feeding the flies with UDCA partway through their life slows the rate at which the fly brain then degenerates. Thus, mitochondrial rescue agents may be a promising novel strategy for disease-modifying therapy in LRRK2-related Parkinson’s.”Dr Arthur Roach, Director of Research and Development at Parkinson’s UK, which part-funded the study, said: “There is a tremendous need for new treatments that can slow or stop Parkinson’s.“Because of this urgency, the testing of drugs like UCDA, which are already approved for other uses, is extremely valuable. It can save years, and hundreds of millions of pounds.“It’s particularly encouraging in this study that even at relatively low concentrations the liver drug still had an effect on Parkinson’s cells grown in the lab.“This type of cutting-edge research is the best hope of finding better treatments for people with Parkinson’s in years, not decades.” Share
Email A drug which has already been in use for decades to treat liver disease could be an effective treatment to slow down progression of Parkinson’s disease, scientists from the University of Sheffield have discovered.The pioneering research led by academics from the Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), in collaboration with scientists from the University of York, supports the fast-tracking of the drug ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for a clinical trial in Parkinson’s patients.Dr Heather Mortiboys, Parkinson’s UK Senior Research Fellow from the University of Sheffield, explained: “We demonstrated the beneficial effects of UDCA in the tissue of LRRK2 carriers with Parkinson’s disease as well as currently asymptomatic LRRK2 carriers. In both cases, UDCA improved mitochondrial function as demonstrated by the increase in oxygen consumption and cellular energy levels.” LinkedIn
A local chipmunk is spotted this morning practicing social distancing … patiently waiting for a break in activities at this birdbath on Sycamore Street before slipping in to take a quick drink … all the while keeping a safe distance from that hungry looking bullfrog. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
LSI President Brett Tennar says, “Steve’s success in developing operational strategies that improves the bottom line, builds teamwork, reduces waste and ensures quality product development and distribution checks many of the boxes of what we were looking for in a COO. This, coupled with his career in the Air Force working with highly technical systems and his in-depth understanding of Lean Six Sigma and Business Process Management sealed our offer. As our tagline states, our products are Powered by Science. This data driven approach is one reason why our company has grown exponentially as we employ the most advanced technology to product development. I am confident that Steve is the right person to drive operational strategy for our diverse and growing brands.” Advertisement LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Tenneco’s board of directors has approved the appointment of Timothy Jackson to the position of executive vice president, technology, strategy and business development, effective immediately. Jackson has been serving as chief technology officer since early 2007. During this time, Tenneco has accelerated its global leadership in advanced emission and ride control technology. Tenneco noted that Jackson’s leadership role in developing and commercializing diesel aftertreatment technologies for the commercial vehicle market, in particular, has created a significant opportunity for the company. “I am pleased to promote Tim to this new role, an appointment that reflects his contributions to establishing our technology leadership position worldwide,” said Gregg Sherrill, Tenneco chairman and CEO. “As a technology-driven company, bringing business development, strategy and technology together under one organizational structure is an optimal change as we plan for the future with technology at the forefront of new opportunities and global growth.” Jackson joined Tenneco in 1999 and has served in a number of key roles including senior vice president, global technology and managing director, Asia Pacific; senior vice president, global technology and manufacturing; and senior vice president, North America original equipment business. AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement,Lubrication Specialties Inc. (LSI), manufacturer of Hot Shot’s Secret brand of performance additives and oils, recently announced the expansion of senior leadership. Steve deMoulpied joins LSI as the company’s chief operating officer (COO). AdvertisementClick Here to Read MoreAdvertisement DeMoulpied has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management from the United States Air Force Academy and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton in Marketing and International Business. He served six years with the USAF overseeing the development of technology used on fighter aircraft and the E-3 Surveillance aircraft, finishing his career honorably as Captain. DeMoulpied comes to LSI from the Private Client Services practice of Ernst & Young where he managed strategy & operations improvement engagements for privately held client businesses. Some of his prior roles include VP of strategic development, director of strategic initiatives, and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at OptumHealth, UnitedHealth Group’s health services business, as well as Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at General Electric, where he applied operations improvement principles to customer service, supply chain and product development. A successful entrepreneur, deMoulpied is also the founder of PrestoFresh, a Cleveland-based e-commerce food/grocery business. With more than 20 years of experience across multiple industries and functional areas, deMoulpied has particular expertise in organizations with complex technical products. Combined, his prior positions have required a spectrum of skills in corporate strategy, operations improvement, product quality, and revenue cycle management. He has an impressive history of utilizing data driven problem solving (Lean Six Sigma) and project management (PMP and CSM) to achieve strategic goals surrounding customer satisfaction, operational efficiency and improved profit. 