Fisher gets back on track

Sarah Fisher plans to drive in two IndyCar Series races after lining up a new primary sponsor.

Fisher announced Wednesday that Dollar General would sponsor a car fielded by the team she owns for the Meijer 300 at the Kentucky Speedway on Aug. 9 and the Chicagoland 300 on Sept. 7. In 2002, Fisher became the first woman to start from the pole in a major U.S. open-wheel race at the Kentucky Speedway.

The 27-year-old Ohio native has long been among the series' most-popular drivers, but her only race this year has been the Indianapolis 500 because of a lack of sponsorship.

In May, her initial sponsors backed out of their deals after Fisher and her husband poured their life savings into Sarah Fisher Racing. She found new sponsors for the Indy 500 and fans pitched in, donating more than $50,000 to help Fisher, but her car was taken out in a crash on lap 106.

DAUGHERTY BUYS IN ON RACE TEAM: ESPN racing commentator and former NBA star Brad Daugherty has become a partner in the JTG Racing team, and will field a Sprint Cup car in the 2009 season.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reported Tuesday that the 42-year-old Daugherty, who played college basketball at North Carolina, is hoping to announce his plans soon for a 2009 Nationwide Tour team, which would join the two others already in the JTG stable.

Daugherty was chosen first overall by Cleveland in the 1986 NBA Draft. A back injury forced his retirement in 1994.

(The Associated Press)

PASS SERIES AT ORANGE COUNTY: More than 40 teams are entered in the Pro All Stars Series South Division's Southern Sizzler 200 scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont.

Admission to the grandstands is free for Friday's 5-8 p.m. practice session. Pit passes cost $20.

(From Event News Release)