WNBA's 'The Engine' Thomas gets fitting NASCAR tribute
It is a fitting honour for the Phoenix Mercury guard nicknamed "The Engine" for her relentless drive on the court, as she earned her sixth selection for the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday in Indianapolis.
Preece will drive the car, which features the name and likeness for the league's all-time triple-double leader, in Sunday's Auto Trader EchoPark Automotive 400 in Dover and again a week later in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"Not many people can say that they designed a car and have their face on it. So I'm super appreciative of it," Thomas told Reuters.
The collaboration connects one of the WNBA's biggest stars with a sport that has long carried a male-dominated reputation, from the driver's seat to the stands. Castrol said the project was designed to "bridge worlds".
"It's an honour to have Alyssa Thomas' legacy and mindset represented on our No. 60 car. Her 'Engine' mentality is all about pushing limits and delivering under pressure," Preece said in a statement.
The collaboration comes amid a surge of interest in the top-flight women's league, with TV viewership and attendance continuing to climb, and during another stellar year for Thomas.
The 33-year-old was the face of the Connecticut Sun franchise for 11 years before her surprise move to Phoenix this year, where she quickly hit her stride and catapulted herself into the MVP conversation over the last few weeks.
"I needed a change after 11 years in Connecticut. My heart wasn't there anymore. It was time for me to move on," said Thomas. "And credit to our organization of putting so many shooters around me."
She hit the game-winning free throw in Monday's 78-77 win over the Golden State Valkyries and was averaging 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 9.6 assists per game ahead of Wednesday's meeting with the Minnesota Lynx.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
25 minutes ago
- CNA
Shelton tops Tiafoe on sweltering night in Washington
Ben Shelton beat fellow American Frances Tiafoe 7-6(2) 6-4 in an electrifying match at the Washington Open on Friday to advance to the semifinals on a day marked by suffocating humidity in the nation's capital. Shelton blasted an ace on match point to seal the win and avenge his five-set loss to Tiafoe at last year's U.S. Open as the 22-year-old continues to make strides in his breakout season. Hometown hero Tiafoe had the support of the energized crowd but lost momentum when he was unable to serve out the first set while up 6-5, leading to a tiebreak that Shelton dominated. The second set hinged on a marathon game at 3-3, where Shelton pocketed a break thanks to a Taifoe double fault. Shelton rode his huge lefty serve from there to grab the win and set up a semi-final meeting with either top seed Taylor Fritz or Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. "It was a tough one for sure but enjoyable nonetheless," Shelton told Tennis Channel. "I love playing against Foe. Difficult guy to play against but playing him here in the U.S., especially being here in D.C., it was packed, it was a great atmosphere. I couldn't be happier." Earlier, tournament lucky loser Corentin Moutet stunned Russia's Daniil Medvedev 6-1 4-6 4-6 in a wild match interrupted by an hour-long delay due to the threat of thunderstorms. Moutet, leading 5-4 in the final set when they returned to the court, was hobbled by leg cramps but completed the upset in a final game that featured three double faults by Medvedev and a frantic match point. The Frenchman fell on his back in relief after securing the victory as Medvedev threw his racket and proceeded to take out his frustration on several water bottles, drawing boos from the crowd. "That is a great way to finish the match," said world number 59 Moutet. "I was with my coach when we were up 5-4 and I said okay, I have to win the next game because my body cannot handle too much more." Moutet will face Australian seventh seed Alex de Minaur, who was a 6-4 6-4 winner over Brandon Nakashima. On the women's side, Canadian Leylah Fernandez and Emma Raducanu both overcame the stifling heat and their opponents to advance to the semifinals, setting up a potential rematch of the 2021 U.S. Open final that was won by the Englishwoman. For that to happen Raducanu, who beat Maria Sakkari in straight sets on Friday, will have to best Russian Anna Kalinskaya. Fernandez takes on third seed Elena Rybakina in the semis of the ATP and WTA 500 event on Saturday.
Independent Singapore
42 minutes ago
- Independent Singapore
Emma Raducanu aims to reclaim British No. 1 ranking at the Citi Open
Photo: Emma Raducanu has set her eyes on becoming the No.1 British player in women's tennis, especially after her commanding victory against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. The young athlete easily secured the win with a final scoreline of 6-4, 6-2. She will now advance to the quarter-finals of the Citi Open in Washington. Raducanu started the match with a commanding aura against Osaka. The Japanese mom-athlete is still trying to get back to her best after having her daughter Shai two years ago. Osaka then made a double fault in the fifth game, and it gave Raducanu her first chance to break. Raducanu stayed steady with her serves and won the first set. In the second set, Raducanu got another break because Osaka made more mistakes. Osaka had one chance to break Raducanu's serve at 1-2 but didn't get through it. Emma Raducanu's serve improved with the help of her coach, Mark Petchey, and it truly helped her in winning this match. With her win, Raducanu now reached the quarter-finals in the tournament for the third time, and this season, she hopes to get even further. 'I thought it was going to be a really difficult match. Naomi's won four slams, she's been world No 1, won Masters [titles]. She's so dangerous, and on the hard courts, I think she's particularly comfortable. I knew I was going to have to play really well and manage my own service games, which I'm really proud of how I did,' Raducanu told Sky Sports. She added, 'I was making some inroads in her service games after I got used to it a little bit. I'm really pleased with how I handled the ball speed and the conditions here in DC.' The 22-year-old will once again move ahead of Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter to become the highest-ranked British player. She aims to earn a seeded position for the US Open next month. Raducanu will face Maria Sakkari next, a player she has beaten in straight sets in all three of their previous encounters. On social media, netizens expressed their support to the athlete by saying: 'well done, your game is better every day! I want to see you in the final…👏👏👏💕🎾💕', 'i'm so proud of you. The best Strong girl and fighter girl ever. Keep going. You've got this. Let's go my beautiful girl !!!! ❤️', and 'absolutely solid performance. Serve on fire. Brilliant. Keep going 💪' () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
Messi and Alba suspended for one match for missing MLS All-Star
NEW YORK :Lionel Messi has been suspended for one game after sitting out the MLS All-Star Game without prior approval, the league said on Friday. The Inter Miami forward and his teammate, Jordi Alba, did not compete on Wednesday despite not being injured, even though they were included in the All-Star roster. "Per league rules, any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club's next match," MLS said in a statement. The suspension will see Messi, the league's main attraction, miss Inter Miami's match against the visiting FC Cincinnati on Saturday. Cincinnati lead the Eastern Conference standings. Messi has scored 18 goals so far this season. "I know Lionel Messi loves this league. I don't think there's a player - or anyone - who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi. I fully understand, respect, and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision." All-Star competitions are a mainstay of North American sports, where the men's "Big Four" leagues use the exhibitions to boost their players' profiles, but a rarity in professional soccer. "We're going to take a hard look at the policy moving forward. I'm committed to working with our players to determine how the rule should evolve," said Garber. Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas described both players as "consummate professionals" who were "extremely upset" about the suspensions. He explained that the club made the decision for the players to miss the All-Star game to prioritize their rest and health during a demanding stretch of matches. Mas strongly criticized the rule, calling it "draconian." "The ones that get penalized are the club, the fans, sponsors, Apple TV, and so on," Mas told reporters during a conference call on Friday. "I expressed our disagreement with the league's decision, and I had conversations with the commissioner both this morning and late last night," he said. "But notwithstanding that, the decision is what it is."
