Sports

Three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick has parlayed her success in the all-women series into a bigger ride. The British racer has been selected the driver for Andretti Autosport in the Indy NXT Series next season. Indy NXT is the new name of the rebranded Indy Lights Series, the final step on the ladder system before IndyCar. Chadwick will make her debut in an American racing series in March driving the No. 28 for Andretti Autosport with sponsorship from DHL. The 24-year-old will become the first female in 13 years to compete fulltime in the Indy NXT championship.

Serbia plays Switzerland at the World Cup on Friday in a head-to-head elimination match for a spot in the round of 16 alongside Group G leader Brazil. Switzerland likely needs only a draw barring a surprising big loss for Brazil against Cameroon. The Swiss have a proven record advancing from the group at each of the past two World Cups and two European Championships. Serbia has not played a knockout game in the last 20 years. Serbia coach Dragan Stojković says “nothing is lost for Serbia here. The good thing is we decide our destiny.”

Baseball Hall of Famer and two-time Cy Young Award winner Gaylord Perry has died at the age of 88. Cherokee County Coroner Dennis Fowler said Perry died at his home in Gaffney, South Carolina, at about 5 a.m. Thursday of natural causes. He did not give additional details. Perry pitched for eight major-league teams from 1962 until 1983. He won the Cy Young with Cleveland in 1972 and with San Diego in 1978 just after turning 40.  Perry was a five-time All-Star who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991.

LeBron James has questions about the disparity of media scrutiny he believes is being applied to a 1957 photo of Jerry Jones and the recent controversy surrounding Kyrie Irving. The photo of Jones, captured by an Associated Press photographer, shows him standing among a group of white students at North Little Rock High School in Arkansas on Sept. 9, 1957. The group was blocking six Black students who were attempting to desegregate the school. James said that Black athletes get more scrutiny when “we do something wrong or something that people don't agree with” but that the Jones picture “seems like it’s just been buried under.”

Defending national champion Georgia will look to protect its No. 1 ranking in the College Football Playoff and AP Top 25 in its matchup with No. 11 LSU in the Southeastern Conference championship game. Georgia also was No. 1 when it lost last season's SEC title game to Alabama before beating the Crimson Tide in the national championship game. The Bulldogs finished the regular season 12-0. Georgia won its last SEC championship in 2017. LSU is looking to rebound from a 38-23 loss to Texas A&M in its final regular-season game. The Tigers are 3-1 against the Bulldogs in the SEC championship game.

It’s time to take note when even Declan Rice admits a mid-season World Cup is proving physically challenging, The workhorse England midfielder said he was feeling the strain after playing three games already in Qatar with a match against Senegal in the round of 16 coming up Sunday. Rice said “You know what? It’s been a little bit tough on the legs.” He played the entirety of his country’s opening two Group B games but was substituted after 58 minutes of the 3-0 win against Wales on Tuesday.

Brazil coach Tite has sent a message of support to Pelé from the World Cup. Pelé was hospitalized Tuesday in Sao Paulo to regulate the medication in his fight against a colon tumor. Pelé daughter said there was “no emergency” concerning her 82-year-old father’s health. Tite says “we all want to wish good health to Pelé.” Tite spoke a day before Brazil's next match against Cameroon. Brazil reached the round of 16 after two group matches.

Alex Palou has been named a Formula One reserve driver for McLaren Racing. The Spaniard won the 2021 IndyCar championship for Chip Ganassi Racing and last July said he was declining to return to Ganassi next year and instead would drive for McLaren. Ganassi held an option on 2023 for Palou, who wanted to move to McLaren for a shot at motorsports’ highest level. The fight for the driver dragged into September through mediation. There it was decided that Palou would finish his contract and also be allowed to do F1 opportunities with McLaren. He will work with the F1 team whenever it doesn't conflict with his final season with Ganassi in IndyCar.