Die Macht » The Pistons also confirmed Rasheed Wa

SALT LAKE CITY -- Sam Wheeler, a renowned land speed motorcycle racer, is dead after the high-performance bike he was testing at Utahs famed Bonneville Salt Flats fish-tailed, went airborne and crashed at 200 mph. He was 72.Wheeler died Monday afternoon at Intermountain Medical Center in the Salt Lake City suburb of Murray because of traumatic injuries suffered in the motorcycle accident, hospital spokesman Jess Gomez said.Wheeler was going about 200 mph (322 kph) during a test run when the back of the streamliner motorcycle started fish tailing, said Mike Cook, the event organizer who witnessed the incident. His motorcycle began to slide and then popped into the air and came crashing down on the caged section where Wheeler was seated, Cook said. Wheeler was alive when emergency crews extracted him from the car but died about four hours later at the hospital, Cook said.We all have real heavy hearts, said Cook, organizer of Mike Cooks Bonneville Shootout. Land speed racing is one of the most family orientated sports there is the world.Wheeler, an engineer from Arcadia, California, was known as an innovator and pioneer in the sport. He spent more than two decades building, fine-tuning and racing a motorcycle on which he reached speeds exceeding 300 mph, said Pat McDowell, a fellow racer and longtime friend. At one time, he held the land speed record for motorcycles, he said.Hes was pretty much one of the legends of our sport, McDowell said. He did it with his brain, not his wallet.Wheeler was testing the motorcycle this week in anticipation of two big races in August and September at the Salt Flats. The site brings races from around the country to use the flat, glasslike surface to set speed records.He had been working on the motorcycle in recent years with a goal of setting the motorcycle speed record and surpassing 400 mph, McDowell said.Everyone was rooting for him, even competitors, said McDowell, vice president of the Southern California Timing Association.Wheeler was known for his ability to build and modify his motorcycle by himself. He was perfectionist who knew aerodynamics well, said Bill Lattin, president of the Southern California Timing Association, which is set to host a major racing event at the Salt Flats in August.He built that motorcycle by hand. Every single part on it, Lattin said. Hes been rebuilding it, making it stronger, faster and more aerodynamic.He is survived by a wife and two children, said McDowell. Wheelers family couldnt immediately be reached for comment.McDowell, Cook and Lattin said Wheeler was a kind-hearted, laid-back man.He was the nicest guy in the world, Lattin said. He would do anything for anybody. Vapormax China Paypal . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Cheap Air Max 90 Wholesale . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. http://www.outletsneakersclearance.com/fake-balenciaga.html . Barcelonas entertaining victory ensured the defending Spanish champions retained their share of the league lead with Atletico Madrid two rounds ahead of their meeting in the capital. Real Madrid needed a late goal by substitute Jese Rodriguez to earn a 3-2 victory at Valencia to stay in third place and three points behind its title rivals. Discount Sneakers Near Me .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Air Max Plus Clearance . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Detroit Pistons put on a full-court press to recruit Josh Smith when they figured the top two free agents, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, wouldnt be interested in playing in the Motor City. Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars met with Smith for five hours in Los Angeles on July 1 when the NBAs free agency period began. "I was selling, selling hard," Dumars said. And, Smith was buying. The Pistons signed Smith to a $54 million, four-year contract Wednesday, when he raved at a news conference about his long talk with Dumars last week. "I felt comfortable, thats why the meeting lasted so long," Smith said. Smith is the only NBA player to average at least 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal per game since blocks and steals became an official league statistic four decades ago, according to STATS LLC. "Josh was the No. 1 guy we went after in free agency," said Dumars, who also acknowledged talking to free agent Andre Iguodala. "The primary reason for Josh being the No. 1 guy was because of his versatility. Hes a 6-9, athletic forward who can play both positions and at both ends of the floor." Detroit desperately needed to sign one of the top free agents because the franchise is mired in a four-year post-season drought, its longest since missing six straight from 1978 through 1983. Smith expects the Pistons will snap the streak next season. "I feel like we can definitely be a playoff team, and a contender," he said. Dumars, though, isnt ready to say his rebuilding project is complete. "Knowing a little bit about building championships, you know its a long road and you neeed multiple talented pieces and we just got one talented piece," said Dumars, who won two titles in Detroit as a shooting guard and led the franchise to a third championship from the front office.dddddddddddd "By no means are we even remotely proclaiming (were a) championship contender." Next week, the Pistons plan to add depth by signing Italian forward Luigi Datome and re-signing backup point guard Will Bynum. "Well still have about $4 million of cap space left, so well keep working," Dumars said. The Pistons also confirmed Rasheed Wallace has rejoined the team as a first-year assistant coach on Maurice Cheeks staff. "Hes going to motivate guys, hes going to push guys and challenge guys," Dumars said of Wallace, a key player on Detroits 2004 NBA championship team. "We thought that would be great for our young bigs." The Pistons will likely start the 27-year-old Smith in their frontcourt with 23-year-old power forward Greg Monroe and centre Andre Drummond, who turns 20 next in August. The backcourt will include Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. "I feel like we can be an elite basketball team," Smith said. Smith led Atlanta with 17.5 points per game last season, averaging 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals. He has played only for his hometown Hawks, who drafted him No. 17 overall out of high school in 2004, but he was ready to move on. "When I first met with Joe, he had me sold from the word go," Smith recalled. "This is an organization that is a successful organization. Ive always wanted to be part of a good organization that has a lot of die-hard fans." ' ' '