INDIANAPOLIS -- Hes the hometown hope, the Butler University alum and die-hard Indiana Pacers fan who has put his modest, one-car program on the pole for the Indianapolis 500 ahead of powerhouse programs from Penske Racing and Andretti Autosport. Theres more, though, and it runs as deep as blood. The unflappable Ed Carpenter is also the stepson of series founder Tony George. That means his family tree has roots tracing all the way back to Tony Hulman, who bought Indianapolis Motor Speedway after World War II, and includes Mari Hulman George, who still serves as speedway chairman and on Sunday will proclaim once more, "Gentleman, start your engines!" So to say that much of Carpenters life has been lived in Gasoline Alley, where he spent his formative years, is about as fitting for him as the maxim that "haste makes waste." It also means that the Carpenter is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I started racing quarter midgets when I was 8 years old, and at that point, I was already part of the Hulman family. Thats the way its always been for me," said the 32-year-old Carpenter, whose quiet voice and disarming smile belie a fierce competitive streak. "I dont feel the pressure," he insisted moments later, as if driving home the point. "As far as the local fan base and support, its fun. I dont think that translates into pressure." Perhaps its not that Carpenter feels pressure, but that he no longer recognizes it. Hell be making his 10th start in the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing," but his first from the pole. And while peering eyes have been trained on him most of his life, Carpenter insists that the pressure he endures on a daily basis has never managed to overwhelm him. "I dont like to say it means more to me because Im from here," Carpenter said, "but it does mean a lot because of how much I love this place." His first memories of Indianapolis go back to 1991, when he sat in the balcony overlooking the track and watched Rick Mears qualify for the pole. Even then, Carpenter knew that he wanted to one day drive over the hallowed ground that has been in his family for decades. He proved at a young age that he could find victory lane, too, winning national championships in midgets and sprint cars. He graduated to Indy Lights and made his IndyCar debut in 2003, when he was hailed as part of the next wave of young American drivers who might someday wrestle the series back from a surge of foreign stars such as Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti. But things got sidetracked along the way, as they often do in racing, and Carpenter became an after-thought. He started to bounce around to different teams, trying to find magic once more. It wasnt until 2011, when he hooked up with Sarah Fisher Racing, that he won his first IndyCar race. And last year, after founding his own team, he surprised everyone but himself when he took the checked flag at the series finale at California. "Hes really a talent, and hes been developing for a long time, and hes become a special driver," said veteran Buddy Lazier, who also has a single-car team for this years Indy 500. "Its a huge inspiration," Lazier added. "Absolutely." That success would eventually come to Carpenter didnt come as a surprise to those closest to him. Time after time, they point out that he never gets too high or low -- that he keeps an even keel in the roughest of waters, and remains grounded during the best of times. "We all look at sports and talk about sports like its the end-all, be-all, right? But when youre in it, you realize theres a lot more to life," said Butler basketball coach Brad Stevens, whos known Carpenter for about six years. "I think hes got a great perspective on it." It was that perspective that stood out to former Masters and U.S. Open champion Fuzzy Zoeller, whose spirits company sponsors the No. 20 car that Carpenter will be driving on Sunday. "He doesnt run hot and cold, like 90 per cent of athletes do. Hes very, very calm," Zoeller said. "He doesnt get too fired up, he doesnt get too down, and thats very impressive. "Its a difficult thing," Zoeller added, "because they only have one car. But hey, dreams are made, right? You have to start with something." While he insists that pressure seems to run from his shoulders like water, Carpenter admits that hell be anxious when Sunday dawns. Hes not immune to the pageantry of the Indianapolis 500, the fly over and Jim Nabors and everything else that makes it such an iconic event. This is in his blood, after all. Its part of his very fabric. Nor does he know what his emotions will be like when the green flag drops, and he leads the field of 33 cars into the first corner with nothing in front of him but pavement. But its a moment that he intends to relish. "I mean, if someone out there tells you they dont get butterflies or dont get antsy, theyre flat-out liars," Carpenter said with a smile. "Theres no way people dont walk out from driver intros and see the crowd and dont feel that. I get goose bumps just thinking about it." Sonny Milano Jersey . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. Lukas Sedlak Jersey . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. http://www.authenticbluejacketsshopnhl.com/nick-foligno-jersey/ . 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Wooden Award, presented to the nations best college basketball player, released its first watch list on Tuesday.The preseason list includes 50 names, but it should be noted that players not on the current list can be added as the season progresses and the best players are revealed.They range from those who arent household names, such as Davidsons Jack Gibbs and Valparaisos Alec Peters, to players who have been around a while, such as Kansas Frank Mason III and Virginias London Perrantes.A front-runner to consider this season may be Duke junior guard Grayson Allen, who was the leading vote-getter in the Associated Press preseason All-America team after averaging 21.6 points last season. Close behind Allen is California sophomore forward Ivan Rabb, who averaged 12.5 points and 8.6 rebounds last season.It should be noted that maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average is factored into the award. Thats what kept LSUs?Ben Simmons?off the final ballot last season.The Wooden Award will announce a midseason top 25 in January and a late-season top 20 in February before producing its final ballot in March. The winner will be announced in April.Here are a few breakdowns of the preseason list:* Judging by the class breakdown of the list, this season wont be the year of the senior. Last season the Wooden Award race was close between seniors Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) and Denzel Valentine (Michigan State)?and had 26 seniors on the preseason top 50. This year the number of seniors, while the most of aany class, dropped to 16.ddddddddddddThat includes defending national champion Villanovas contributions to the list with Kris Jenkins and Josh Hart.* Freshmen picked up the most spots this year, going from seven in 2015 to 12. A few have already made splashes, such as Washingtons Markelle Fultz, who had 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists in his debut.* The sophomore and junior classes contributed 11 players each.* Five players named to the preseason top 50 are making repeat appearances, having also been on it to begin last season: Dukes Allen; Indianas James Blackmon Jr.; Wisconsins Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig; and Marylands Melo Trimble.* Several players who have yet to take the court this season form the injured reserve section of the list: Dukes Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum and Oregons Dillon Brooks are still trying to become healthy enough to play.* Players from 10 schools comprise exactly half the list with Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Oregon and Wisconsin each represented by three players apiece. Last year, Kentucky and Indiana were the only schools with three players each.* The ACC leads all conferences with 12 players selected, and its eight different schools represented also were the most among all conferences. The Big Ten matched its selections from last year and had 10 players from seven different schools, which was second most among conferences in both categories. Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys China Womens NFL Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Outlet Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL White Jerseys Discount Jerseys ' ' '