Brad Keselowski: NASCAR should run a points race at North Wilkesboro, move All-Star Race
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Former Cup champion Brad Keselowski said Friday that North Wilkesboro Speedway should host a points race and that the All-Star Race should return to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Keselowski said such a move could mean the end of the Roval race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
'I'd like to see the All-Star Race most likely return to Charlotte,' he said after winning the pole for Sunday's All-Star Race. 'That's my only personal opinion.
Nate Ryan,
'I think the Charlotte racetrack, particularly since it only has one race on the oval, I think that's a miss for our sport.
'It's a great racetrack, puts on some of the best racing. So, it would make sense to me if we were to revert back to that, make this (North Wilkesboro) a (points) race and probably get rid of a race like the Roval or something like that.'
Dustin Long,
When asked why get rid of the Roval, noting the event has had some memorable moments, Keselowski said: 'Has it? Really? I look at the stands and there's more (fans) that come to the oval race. Better ratings, too. I thought's that what we judge the sport by.'
Charlotte Motor Speedway had two points races and the All-Star Race in 32 of 33 years from 1985-2017.
The Roval debuted in 2018 to offset shrinking attendance in Charlotte's playoff oval race. The Roval will host a playoff race for an eighth consecutive year. It has been a cutoff race each year. The Roval will end the second round again this year.
The All-Star Race left Charlotte after the 2019 season. It was held at Bristol in 2020 and Texas in 2021-22 before moving to North Wilkesboro in 2023, highlighting the track's revival. Kyle Larson won the event on 2023. Joey Logano led all but one of the 200 laps in winning last year's All-Star Race.
North Wilkesboro last hosted a Cup points race in 1996.

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Los Angeles Times
37 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
UCLA baseball defeats UC Irvine to advance to NCAA super regionals
UCLA baseball is one step closer to earning a trip to Omaha. The Bruins continued to roll in every facet of the game in the Los Angeles Regional final, scoring early and trusting its bullpen to defeat UC Irvine 8-5 on Sunday night. The Bruins advance to the super regionals of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 and will host the Texas San Antonio at Jackie Robinson Stadium this week. UTSA defeated Texas 7-4 in the Austin Regional final, taking down the national second-seed Longhorns to advance to its first-ever super regional. If UCLA beats UTSA, it'll advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., for the first time since 2013. UCLA's offense was just as ready to explode — like they did against Fresno State and Arizona State — against a depleted UC Irvine pitching staff (with high-leverage bullpen arms Ricky Ojeda and David Utagawa unavailable after pitching earlier Sunday). Rallying for six hits across the first two innings, the Bruins put together three runs thanks to RBI singles from Roman Martin and Cashel Dugger, and a sacrifice fly from Roch Cholowsky. UCLA first baseman Mulivai Levu helped place the game in blowout territory — an 8-0 lead — when he connected for a three-run home run in a five-run fourth inning. Much like UCLA had done all weekend, the lineup kept on churning. Freshman right-hander Wylan Moss set the tone for UCLA's combined pitching effort. Moss, who entered the contest with a 2.25 earned-run average and an All-Big-Ten Freshman Team recognition, was as good as advertised to stymie UC Irvine, who came off an 11-run offensive showing earlier in the day. The six-foot-three righty struck out the top of the Anteaters lineup — Will Bermudez, Chase Call and Jacob McCombs — swinging on change ups. Moss, who had yet to pitch in the NCAA Tournament, was lying in wait for a game of magnitude. He pitched 3 ⅓ innings, giving up two runs and two hits, while walking three and striking out four. From there, a five-pitcher bullpen effort kept Irvine at bay, pitching 5 ⅔ innings of five-run ball the rest of the way to wrap up regional action in Westwood. Things got more complicated for UCLA in the sixth, when freshman right-hander Cal Randall gave up a solo home run to UC Irvine designated hitter Alonso Reyes to make it a three-run game, but right-hander Jack O'Connor entered to extinguish the threat — and set down UC Irvine outfielder Chase Call on a fielder's choice to close out the inning. It wasn't easy sailing for the Bruins in the late innings. Graduate student right-hander August Souza bailed UCLA out of a bases-loaded jam by freezing the potential go-ahead run, Blake Penso, on a full-count, 87-mph fastball in the seventh. When the Bruins needed it the most, Souza struck out two in a scoreless eighth, putting metaphorical champagne on ice in Westwood. Freshman right-hander Easton Hawk tossed a perfect ninth, striking out James Castagnola to end it, prompting the Bruins to run onto the field in celebration. UCLA owned the Los Angeles Regional title. Postseason baseball will remain in Jackie Robinson Stadium for at least one more weekend. Levu led all Bruins with three RBIs, while Cholowsky went one for three with two RBIs from sacrifice flies.

NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Carson Hocevar moves a step closer to taming NASCAR Cup Series with Nashville result
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Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Ryan Blaney wins at Nashville for first NASCAR Cup Series checkered flag of the year
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