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Defending Sonoma winner Truex wants repeat

By WTOP Staff

DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer

Martin Truex was the toast of wine country when he left the road course of Sonoma a winner for the first time in six years.

Truex returns this weekend aiming for another win, but so much else has changed.

He’ll bring a new team, different car and new sense of desperation as he tries to force his way into the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Truex was booted from the Chase last season in the aftermath of the Richmond scandal. In his first season driving the No. 78 Chevrolet for Furniture Row Racing, Truex hasn’t come close to sniffing a checkered flag, buried at 25th in the points standings with only three top-10 finishes and no top fives.

He posted consecutive top-10s and Dover and Pocono before an early-race accident last weekend at Michigan knocked him out of the race.

“We just need to start a new streak in Sonoma,” said Truex. “We’ve had way too much bad luck so far, but we will keep plugging away and hope what goes around comes around.”

Truex’s previous only Sprint Cup Series win had been at Dover in 2007 and he was on a 218-race winless streak before winning at Sonoma for Michael Waltrip Racing. He led 51 of 110 laps, though it was far from the breakthrough victory he hoped it would become.

He lost his sponsor, and his job following Richmond — a trifecta of bad news that left him scrambling for a ride late in 2013. Truex didn’t strike a deal with Furniture Row until November.

Furniture Row, a one-car operation based in Denver, far removed from NASCAR’s North Carolina hub, had amazing success last season with Kurt Busch. Busch turned the organization into championship contenders, helping them become the first single-car team to earn a berth in the Chase.

Under the revamped Chase rules, Truex can do the same with a victory. He’d love for a win to jump-start a rough season that has been far from expected from one of last season’s top drivers.

“When it comes to winning, this is one race that has been circled on the schedule,” Truex said. “However, there are so many excellent road course drivers right now and I am sure this race has also been circled on their calendars as well.”

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TOYOTA DEAL: Toyota signed a three-year extension to remain the co-title sponsor of the Sprint Cup race at Sonoma Raceway.

Toyota Motor Sales USA and the Northern California Toyota Dealers have served as co-title of the race since 2007. Toyota is also Sonoma’s official vehicle. The 2014 season marks Toyota’s 10th anniversary participating in NASCAR national series competition.

Toyota will also continue as title sponsor of the raceway’s annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 preview show on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. The 30-minute special, which airs a minimum of six times during June, has been nominated for a sports Emmy award in past years.

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DAYTONA HONORS: Daytona International Speedway will honor four Medal of Honor recipients during the July 3-5 race weekend. Daytona will honor them for the sixth consecutive year. For complete biographies: http://www.cmohs.org/

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ARCA COVERAGE: CBS Sports Network will become the newest ARCA Racing Series television partner this weekend when the network broadcasts the Akona 250 at Elko (Minnesota) Speedway on Saturday.

ARCA and CBS Sports Network signed a contract earlier this year for the network to broadcast three live ARCA races this season. CBS Sports Network’s coverage begins with the 9 p.m. ET race from the short track in Minnesota.

In addition, CBS Sports Network will televise races July 6 from Winchester (Indiana) Speedway and Aug. 24 at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin. The stock car series, which has no affiliation with NASCAR, sometimes serves as a support race during the weekend.

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AMBROSE CONTRACT: Marcos Ambrose is one driver who can’t wait to hit the road course at Sonoma. He’s a noted road course ace, with two wins at Watkins Glen and five top 10s and a pole at Sonoma.

Ambrose could use a win to vault him into Chase contention and perhaps solidify his standing with Richard Petty Motorsports. Ambrose’s deal is up at the end of the season, leaving him open to speculation that he’ll return to Australia to race in the V8 Super Series.

“I’m in a renewal year with Richard Petty for 2015,” Ambrose said. “I’m not really thinking about myself here. I just want the best for RPM. They have decisions to make along the way here. I want to help them make their decisions and be where they want to be.”

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SLEEPYHEAD: NASCAR driver Erik Jones is set to attend the “Wake Up Nashville!” event on Friday to raise awareness and money to fight narcolepsy. All proceeds from the event will benefit Wake Up Narcolepsy, which works to speed narcolepsy diagnosis through greater awareness and fund medical research for improved treatment.

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RALLYCROSS: The Global Rallycross season moves to Washington this weekend at RFK Park. It’s the first motorsports event in Washington since the 2002 ALMS race. Former NASCAR driver Scott Speed is the points leader.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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