Press Box: A 12-car crash ends day of Daytona testing
A brief experiment with the multicar draft ended abruptly Friday afternoon when contact between Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Chevrolet and Marcos Ambrose's Ford triggered a wreck that damaged 12 of the 18 cars running together on the second day of Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway.
Earnhardt said he was attempting to push Ambrose, but the nose of the Chevy didn't line up comfortably with the rear bumper of the Ford. Ambrose said he felt two taps from Earnhardt's car down the backstretch before the third hit sent him spinning.
Ambrose was running second in the pack when he was turned into the outside wall. The ensuing wreck damaged 10 other cars behind him -- those of reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Regan Smith, Aric Almirola, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards.
With rear deck lids in short supply and no backup cars available for teams other than Edwards' Roush Fenway Racing outfit, the wreck effectively ended testing for most drivers involved.
SOCCER
--- The National Women's Soccer League placed 55 national team players from the United States, Canada and Mexico to its eight teams on Friday.
The Portland Thorns landed Alex Morgan, the Western New York Flashes got Abby Wambach, and the Seattle Rein was awarded goalie Hope Solo.
The allocation process was conducted with the assistance of a panel of experts. Players were placed based on their preferred destinations, the teams' needs, marketing considerations and competitive balance. The new women's league is scheduled to begin play in April.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
---Sophomore Eric Moreland and freshman Victor Robbins were suspended Thursday by Oregon State and sat out the Beavers' 72-62 Pac-12 loss to Arizona State in Corvallis, Ore.
Coach Craig Robinson didn't elaborate on the reasons for the suspensions but said Moreland and Robbins will continue to practice with the team and hopefully be eligible to return.
---Nebraska forward Brandon Ubel, the team's leading rebounder, is out indefinitely with a fractured elbow, coach Tim Miles announced Friday.
Ubel suffered the injury in Wednesday's 62-47 loss at No. 2 Michigan.
Ubel is averaging 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds for the Cornhuskers, who are 9-7.
