World champion Lewis Hamilton faces starting the second half of the season on the backfoot after his Mercedes team confirmed it is likely he will suffer a grid penalty for Sundays Belgian Grand Prix.The penalty, which would see Hamilton demoted at least 10 places on the grid, has been looming over the British driver after he encountered a number of engine problems during the opening rounds of the season.The punishment could yet be even greater with additional changes to parts on Hamiltons engine meaning he could start as far back as last for the Spa-Francorchamps race under the sports rules.Mercedes had been weighing up whether to take the penalty in Belgium or at next Sundays Italian Grand Prix with both circuits expected to offer Hamilton the best chance of fighting back through the field.It now appears as though Hamilton will take the penalty in the sports first race back from its four-week summer shutdown.[An engine penalty] is likely and confirmation is expected tomorrow [Thursday], Mercedes said.A number of mechanical problems in the early phase of Hamiltons title defence contributed to him falling 43 points behind Nico Rosberg.But the world champion heads to Belgium 19 points ahead of his Mercedes teammate after a miraculous turnaround in which he won six of the last seven races heading into the break.Meanwhile, Mercedes has confirmed they will trial the Halo for the first time at a grand prix weekend.Plans for the controversial cockpit protection device to become mandatory in the sport have been shelved until 2018 following a meeting of F1s strategy group last month.But the Halo will continue to be tested with the device set to be attached to Rosbergs car in opening practice on Friday. 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First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Kerry Tharp was little more than a NASCAR fan when he joined the series 11 years ago as a media spokesman. Now, he is leading one of its most iconic tracks.Tharp has been the familiar public relations voice of NASCAR and chief liaison for media for more than a decade. That changed when he received a call from new NASCAR chief operating officer Joie Chitwood III to fill the open role of Darlington Raceway president.The more I thought about it and talked to people I respect, the more it made sense, Tharp said.Tharp takes over for Chip Wile, who in April became president at Daytona International Speedway after Chitwood was promoted. Tharp also comes in with the track Too Tough To Tame on an upswing.The track hosts the Southern 500 on Sept. 4. The egg-shaped raceway returned to its long-held, Labor Day weekend spot on the NASCAR calendar last year after more than a decade trying to stay ahead of the padlocks.The tracks throwback weekend -- NASCAR drivers drove cars painted like those in the early 1970s -- was popular with competitors and fans, and Wiles group was well on the way toward finishing plans on this years nostalgic-theme race (1975-84).Im going to do a lot of listening and observing, Tharp said of the final six weeks before race day. Theyve been through it before and I havent.Tharps done his share of studying, though. He has attended races at most every venue on the NASCAR circuit, seeing things he likes and a few he doesnt.Thats been a great learning tool for me, he said.Some of what Tharp will draw on is remembering the path set by his late mentor, Jim Hunter, Darlingtons one-time president who became its chief spokesman in the late 1990s. Hunter groomed Tharp on blending the demands of the media with those of NASCAR, competitors and race teams.Tharp hopes he can lead Darlington as effectively as Hunter, who added grandstands and began modernizing a crumbling facility in the 1990s. Until then, the speedway barely had more than a few coats of paint slapped on it after it was carved out of the farmland by Harold Brasington in 1949.Continuing that rebirth is one of Tharps main goals.Building a following among younger fans is something all NASCAR leaders are focused on. Tharp is no different. That means, he says, tapping into what the next generation of fans like to do -- ensuring they have Internet access at their seats for texting or next-level websites for race information.Its essential we pay attention to what fans want, he said.Maybe thats why Darlington opened its infield this week for Pokemon Go players to search for and train virtual creatures inside the track.Tharps easygoing style made him a popular personality among NASCAR insiders. He drew chucklees from media members when hed roll into interviews with driver interviews and often banter with race winners who liked ribbing Tharp.dddddddddddd Many hardcore NASCAR fans have seen Tharp on screen, an authoritative face in the background of Will Ferrells racing spoof, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.Tharp was assured the footage wouldnt make the movie, but Ferrell saw him at a screening and said, Youre in the movie!Hunter, rarely one to let a gag opportunity pass by, chewed Tharp out on the phone for the scene, leaving the newbie employee worried his career in NASCAR might be over. Hunter let Tharp squirm a bit before revealing the joke. Tharp was grateful for Hunters friendship and leadership, both of which the new Darlington president knows helped him achieve this latest goal.Tharp hopes to follow Hunters path in keeping Darlington vital to NASCAR for generations to come.I consider it a privilege to be here, Tharp said.---RCR CHANGESRichard Childress Racing is making a crew chief change for Paul Menards stretch run, with Danny Stockman taking over for Justin Alexander. Stockmans first race will be Sunday at Pocono Raceway.Stockman has won two Xfinity championships during his seven years at RCR and he and Menard worked together in that series, including a win last year at Road America.Menard made Sprint Cups championship chase last year, but stands 23rd -- and out of the playoffs -- with just six races left in the regular season. RCR also made a change in its Xfinity team, with series director Gil Martin serving as interim crew chief for the No. 2 Rheem/Menards program.---WELL WATCHEDNBCSN said Sundays Sprint Cup race from Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the networks most watched and highest-rated telecast ever.NBCSN said the broadcast averaged 5.2 million viewers, up more than 11 percent from a year ago (4.7 million).Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the Brickyard 400 to become the first driver ever to sweep both Sprint Cup and Xfinity poles and races in the same weekend. The network said the race was the most watched Sprint Cup event on cable since the Nov. 2014 championship on ESPN, a span of 36 events.---SPICING UP POCONOFood Network host/chef Guy Fieri will serve as grand marshal for the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway on Sunday.Fieri owns Guy Fieris Mount Pocono Kitchen in the Mount Airy Casino Resort near the race track. Hes better known as the energetic star of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and Guys Grocery Games on Food Network.Count on Fieri to add his own spice to the traditional Start your engines command before the race. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys China Wholesale Baseball Jerseys China Wholesale College Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Near Me Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic MLB Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Throwback Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '