Castroneves to attempt to qualify for Daytona 500

CHARLOTTE, N.C.>> Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his NASCAR debut in next month’s Daytona 500 with Trackhouse Racing.

Castroneves, one of the most popular drivers in IndyCar history, has been trying for two years to get a Daytona 500 seat and finally landed one Monday as part of Trackhouse’s “Project 91” designed to give renowned racers from outside of NASCAR a shot in a stock car.

He will attempt to qualify for the “Great American Race” in the No. 91 Chevrolet with sponsorship from Wendy’s. Darian Grubb will be his crew chief.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would enter a NASCAR race and certainly not the Daytona 500 with a team like Trackhouse Racing,” Castroneves said. “This is an opportunity that nobody in their right mind could ever turn down.”

Project 91 debuted in 2022 when former Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen made his Cup Series debut at Watkins Glen. Project 91 then ran three times in 2023, once with Raikkonen at Circuit of the Americas and twice with three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen.

Van Gisbergen won in his NASCAR debut on the street course in Chicago and that led to last season’s move to full-time stock car competition. The New Zealander will be a full-time Cup Series driver this year.

MacNeil, former player and Cup-winning coach, dies

CALGARY, Alberta>> Al MacNeil, a former NHL player who won the Stanley Cup as coach of the Montreal Canadiens, has died. He was 89.

The Calgary Flames announced MacNeil died a day earlier in Calgary. No cause of death was provided. MacNeil was a defenseman who played 524 NHL games for Toronto, Montreal, Chicago, New York and Pittsburgh between 1955 and 1968. He was a first-year coach of the Canadiens when the team won the Stanley Cup in 1971.

Rangers claim Kaliyev

The New York Rangers claimed winger Arthur Kaliyev off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings, giving the struggling team a low-cost, low-risk young player to fill the void left by trading Kaapo Kakko to Seattle. Kaliyev, 23, has yet to play in the NHL this season after breaking a clavicle during training camp.

Biden signs RFK Stadium land bill into law

President Joe Biden signed into law a bill that transfers the land that includes the old RFK Stadium from the federal government to city control. It paves the way for the Washington Commanders to return to the nation’s capital if they reach an agreement to build their next stadium at that site.

Clemson defensive coordinator Goodwin out

CLEMSON, S.C.>> Wes Goodwin was fired as Clemson’s defensive coordinator after three seasons. The Tigers traditionally have been one of the top run-stopping teams in the country but ranked 85th in rush defense this season.

Scheffler withdraws from The American Express

DALLAS>> Scottie Scheffler punctured his right hand with broken glass while preparing Christmas dinner. That forced the world’s No. 1 player to sit out the season opener at Kapalua in The Sentry. Now he’s withdrawn from The American Express in the California desert that starts next week.