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Auto racing

Ricky Bobby has to be next

With Juan Pablo Montoya already in the NASCAR fold, fellow Formula One star Jacques Villeneuve might not be far behind.

Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Villeneuve, a former F1 champion and, like Montoya, an Indianapolis 500 winner, is ready to give stock cars a try.

With Montoya making his stock car debut Friday in an ARCA race at Talladega Superspeedway, the Villeneuve story heated up with news that the Canadian driver has been in contact with Roush Racing.

Asked if the 35-year-old Villeneuve could be in a Roush entry in 2007, team owner Jack Roush said, “That’s a possibility. I know we’re in discussions.”

Baseball

Regrets just not O’Neil’s way

Buck O’Neil, the baseball icon who died Friday at the age of 94, had this to say about playing in the Negro Leagues:

“People ask me, ‘Buck, don’t you think you were born too soon because you didn’t get to play in the major leagues?’

“And I tell them, ‘No.’ How could I have been born too soon when I played against Babe Ruth, I saw Lou Gehrig play, I saw Ty Cobb play, I played against Josh Gibson, I played with Satchel Paige, I played with and against Cool Papa Bell? If I had been born earlier, I wouldn’t have experienced all these things.

“And I tell you what: I met my wife playing baseball in Memphis, Tennessee.

“I was a Kansas City Monarch, one of the greatest teams in the country. … Hey, I was right on time.”

College football

Ball breaks Rice’s collegiate record

David Ball caught his 51st touchdown pass Saturday to break the Division I career record held by Jerry Rice and help New Hampshire defeat Richmond 27-17 in Durham, N.H.

Ball, who grew up idolizing Rice, tied the record two weeks ago against Dartmouth then went two games without catching a TD.

“I’m glad it’s over with. It’s been a fun experience, but it’s been haunting me for a while,” Ball said.

Rice set the record playing for Division I-AA Mississippi Valley State from 1981-84.