Latest news with #Indy
Fox News
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox News
Winner Takes All: Ty Gibbs, Ty Dillon Battle for $1M in NASCAR Tournament
Denny Hamlin earned the No. 1 seed for NASCAR's inaugural in-season tournament— and was promptly eliminated in the first race by Ty Dillon, the No. 32 seed. Now, Dillon faces Ty Gibbs this weekend at Indianapolis to decide the first winner of the tournament and the $1 million prize that comes with it. Hamlin said the five-race, bracket-style tournament overall was a success — but not without a few kinks. Some of the seeding was off, such as Shane van Gisbergen not qualifying for the field, then ripping off consecutive wins on the Chicago street race and Sonoma Raceway during the tournament races. And sure, everyone loves a Cinderella in March. But two in July isn't necessarily making the tournament the NASCAR story of the summer. "I think it has been unfortunate, right, you probably had a lot of the top seeds get knocked out pretty early in it, but overall, I thought the implementation of it has been good," Hamlin said. The other side of the argument is this: Would any fan or media outlet really care about a pair of winless drivers such as Gibbs (the sixth seed) or Dillon at this point of the season without $1 million at stake? "For a team like us, at this point in the season, we're not exactly where we want to be yet, but we're trending in a good direction," Dillon said Sunday at Dover. "Our story doesn't get told in years past. It's mainly the guys trying to fight for the points position. It's the guys running up front, trying to win the race. But our story and our growth in the year stops getting told. I'm grateful we've been able to show our personality as a team." Unlike the All-Star race where the winner pockets $1 million, the driver with the best finish earns the cash prize, a ring, jackets and a trophy. Dillon had luck on his side during his run, with his lone top-10 finish coming in the first race in Atlanta. He advanced in that race after Hamlin crashed out and finished 31st. Dillon twice has finished 20th, including at Dover. He has a best finish of 13th in five career races on the Indy oval. Gibbs, the grandson of team owner and football and NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, and Dillon have failed to win in a combined 374 Cup races. Dillon has only two career top-five finishes in a career that dates to 2014. The 22-year-old Gibbs has a much better pedigree, winning the 2022 Xfinity Series title, a series in which he was a 12-time winner. He has six top 10s already this season and could make NASCAR's playoffs on points. Gibbs has three straight top 10s in the tournament, including a fifth-place finish at Dover. Gibbs finished 23rd on the Indy oval last season. He's done enough to impress his grandfather. "There's some people there that we got off to a terrible start, it was awful, (but) I had people on that group that came to me encouraging me, ideas for me, after it. I think they care for Ty. It just was a huge deal," the 84-year-old Gibbs said. "This sport will really measure you. But those guys have fought back." Reporting by The Associated Press.
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Doyel: Readers have strong thoughts on WNBA All-Star game, lovely memories of Bob Hammel
The 2025 WNBA All-Star game in Indianapolis, the most hyped All-Star game in WNBA history, didn't have Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark but did have pregame T-shirts worn by players on both teams. And that combination dominated the discourse around the event. All of it says a lot about where this league – and that game – is headed. I said a lot on the topic. Readers in my IndyStar text message group had their say. It's the crux of the Mailbagg™. To get involved, come be part of the text group. I receive every text from every reader. You? You'll get only what I send out, maybe 4-5 texts a week, generally the first look at my latest work and occasional peeks behind the curtain at the way I do this job. More than 2,700 have signed up. Join us! There's a link below any of my online columns. Doyel: All-Star game dominated by pregame T-shirts? Says a lot about where WNBA is headed From: Doug W. I've been told to get more money you need to show profit put better show on floor and people will come. Look, the All-Star Game was what it was – depressing – but WNBA players (like those in the NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL) are paid for their work in the real games, not this one. And WNBA players put a tremendous show on the floor. Re-live Caitlin Clark's rookie season with our commemorative book From: Julie S. You are so right about last night's WNBA All star Game! So boring. Skylar Diggins should have been MVP because she was one of very few who was hustling/ playing – and had 15 assists and the first triple-double. I get it, players don't want to risk getting hurt – or tired – by playing hard in an exhibition. Will fans continue to pay big money to watch in person? From: More from Julie S. Bravo Indy organizers, Gainbridge Fieldhouse workers, sponsors, police and fans. I am so proud! And yes, pay them! These women are way overdue and deserve it. Amen to every bit of this, Julie. From: Allan S. I watched the first quarter. When no one even contested the 4-point shot, I turned it off. Not sure you could hear it on TV, but the AT&T jingle played every time a player hit one from the 4-point logo. That's some impressive marketing there. From: Ron G. From a retired United Auto Worker member: Pay them! In solidarity! Love. This. Ron. From: Mark P. Morning! So, I WANT to celebrate Colts QB Anthony Richardson being cleared for throwing drills in time for training camp. Yayy! But the big question is: Has he learned anything about protecting himself in the heat of the game? If not, he'll be back on Injured Reserve. Is protecting yourself teachable to a quarterback? Andrew Luck never learned that skill, nor the good sense that you need for it. We'll see what he's learned – or decided – about protecting himself. Only game action will tell us that. He was drafted as high as he was because of his next-level athletic ability. You show that ability when tacklers converge, which is also when you risk injury. Tough line to navigate. Almost nobody can do it well. From: Cathy R. I've thought for a while now that Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell is a great interview. I was having a text conversation with friends during a recent game. Subject: "If you won lunch with a Fever player, who would you choose?" I said Kelsey, because I think she would be interesting to talk with. Thanks for highlighting her in your article. Some players prefer to talk less than others. Some players talk better than others. Kelsey Mitchell is both. Doyel: No Caitlin Clark? More time chatting with WNBA All-Star Kelsey Mitchell Longtime Bloomington sports editor Bob Hammel is the most talented and influential sports writer in Indiana history. I visited with him recently while he was in hospice care, just visiting a friend, and came out of there determined to write an appreciation of Hammel. I wanted to give him his flowers while he was still around to receive them. That column posted June 30. So glad I wrote it when I did. He died 19 days later. Doyel: Wasn't able to call Bob Hammel a mentor. But I did call him friend. From: Rick Hammel, on July 20 Gregg – good morning. Just wanted to let you know that Dad passed away last night. My family is deeply appreciative of the wonderful article wrote about dad last month – it remains a wonderful tribute. Just very grateful you had a wonderful conversation with him prior to his passing. Thank you again, dear friend. Love this family. Met Bob at an IU game in 2014 and met his son, Rick, here on the text group. I feel very fortunate in both cases. From: Vince F. My uncle sent this to some family members after he received the news about Bob Hammel's passing. I thought you might find it interesting to read: He was my first cousin and four years older than me. My family lived 1¼ miles west of Clear Creek School – and Bob's family lived just across the road from CC spent his high school summers at our house more days than not. My dad would leave a list of things for us boys to do on the farm while he was at the factory all day. Clean the calf pens, mow the hay field, whatever he could think of. Bob would show up on his bike mid-morning, and we would attack those chores with vigor. Done by 1 p.m. The rest of our day was ours for softball, basketball, climbing to the top of the barn to kill pigeons with brooms, ride our bikes to go swimming in Clear Creek between our house and school, stuff like that. When it was too wet or hot we had an indoor baseball game and played with marbles. Played hundreds of those games over the years. Bob kept score of every game in a scorebook all those years. He posted our stats. Bob was the Chicago White Sox, I was the Boston Red Sox, my brother Pudge the Yankees and my brother Dal the Cleveland Indians. It is a great memory from my mid-school years: Bob, In junior high, was keeping stats on all of our marble players. Great way to grow up. Thank you Vince. Please tell your uncle this is about four steps beyond amazing. From: Bill W. Just wanted to say THANKS for your column on Huntington native Bob Hammel, the Herald Press sports editor for years and a legend up here. The old-timers tell the story that after Friday night Huntington Vikings basketball games in the 1960s, coach Bob Straight and Hammel would meet at Nick's Kitchen – a local downtown diner – in the back corner booth w/coffee and Hammel would interview the Vikings coach about the previous night's game. When the interview started there was normally just a sparse crowd, but by the time it was coming to a close, Nick's was packed (SRO!) and everyone was 'leaning in' to hear Coach Straight's thoughts. What a WONDERFUL era of high school basketball! What a wonderful memory to share. Thank you Bill. From: Douglas S. Was there really a King Edward of Wessex in ancient England fighting the Danes Um. From: Kerry D. H,,64th h9u Pull yourself together, Kerry. I'm still trying to decipher Douglas' question about King Edward. From: Kerry D. Hh Just googled Douglas' question, and got this from AI. When AI ends the world someday, I sure will miss these easy (and questionably accurate) Internet searches: King Edward the Elder (reigned 899-924), son of Alfred the Great, played a crucial role in pushing back against Danish incursions in England, particularly in the eastern Midlands and East Anglia. He achieved this through a combination of military victories and strategic fortification building, ultimately expanding his rule over a larger portion of England than his father. From: Bob M. Your work has been an acquired taste for me, but I now read and enjoy your column on a regular basis. I don't always agree with your take – for example, your defense of Greg Lansing when my ISU Sycamores were clearly seeking the upgrade they eventually got in Josh Schertz) – but I truly believe your opinions come from a good, positive place. I don't know you personally, but you seem like a good and sincere person, and that puts you head-and-shoulders above most. So … thanks for the great sports coverage you provide, and I wish you all the best in your upcoming nuptials. One of the nicest notes ever. Thank you Bob. Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Winner Takes All: Ty Gibbs, Ty Dillon Battle for $1M in NASCAR Tournament
Denny Hamlin earned the No. 1 seed for NASCAR's inaugural in-season tournament— and was promptly eliminated in the first race by Ty Dillon, the No. 32 seed. Now, Dillon faces Ty Gibbs this weekend at Indianapolis to decide the first winner of the tournament and the $1 million prize that comes with it. Hamlin said the five-race, bracket-style tournament overall was a success — but not without a few kinks. Some of the seeding was off, such as Shane van Gisbergen not qualifying for the field, then ripping off consecutive wins on the Chicago street race and Sonoma Raceway during the tournament races. And sure, everyone loves a Cinderella in March. But two in July isn't necessarily making the tournament the NASCAR story of the summer. "I think it has been unfortunate, right, you probably had a lot of the top seeds get knocked out pretty early in it, but overall, I thought the implementation of it has been good," Hamlin said. The other side of the argument is this: Would any fan or media outlet really care about a pair of winless drivers such as Gibbs (the sixth seed) or Dillon at this point of the season without $1 million at stake? "For a team like us, at this point in the season, we're not exactly where we want to be yet, but we're trending in a good direction," Dillon said Sunday at Dover. "Our story doesn't get told in years past. It's mainly the guys trying to fight for the points position. It's the guys running up front, trying to win the race. But our story and our growth in the year stops getting told. I'm grateful we've been able to show our personality as a team." Unlike the All-Star race where the winner pockets $1 million, the driver with the best finish earns the cash prize, a ring, jackets and a trophy. Dillon had luck on his side during his run, with his lone top-10 finish coming in the first race in Atlanta. He advanced in that race after Hamlin crashed out and finished 31st. Dillon twice has finished 20th, including at Dover. He has a best finish of 13th in five career races on the Indy oval. Gibbs, the grandson of team owner and football and NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, and Dillon have failed to win in a combined 374 Cup races. Dillon has only two career top-five finishes in a career that dates to 2014. The 22-year-old Gibbs has a much better pedigree, winning the 2022 Xfinity Series title, a series in which he was a 12-time winner. He has six top 10s already this season and could make NASCAR's playoffs on points. Gibbs has three straight top 10s in the tournament, including a fifth-place finish at Dover. Gibbs finished 23rd on the Indy oval last season. He's done enough to impress his grandfather. "There's some people there that we got off to a terrible start, it was awful, (but) I had people on that group that came to me encouraging me, ideas for me, after it. I think they care for Ty. It just was a huge deal," the 84-year-old Gibbs said. "This sport will really measure you. But those guys have fought back." Reporting by The Associated Press. recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colts rookie tagged as ‘overlooked'; can have breakout year
The running back position is one of the most disposable in the game of football. Teams have learned that they can get solid production out of the position without prioritizing investing at the position. There are, of course, exceptions. The Colts are one of those teams to sway slightly from the norm as they will pay two-time Pro Bowl back Jonathan Taylor $11.9 million to be their starter, according to Spotrac. Indy added more bodies at the position this offseason after 2024 proved their depth behind Taylor was lacking. Khalil Herbert signed a one-year deal in free agency as a veteran player who can provide a change of pace and lessen the load on Taylor. The Colts also drafted DJ Giddens out of Kansas State, who's already received buzz as a dark horse candidate to emerge as a reliable piece in Shane Steichen's offense. Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski mentioned Giddens among the rookie running backs he believes are being overlooked this offseason and could surprise in 2025. Sobleski mentioned how the Colts running back play dropped off significantly when Taylor became unavailable due to injury— an occurrence which has become more common in recent years. The 26-year-old has missed 16 games in the last three seasons. But he thinks Giddens is a perfect fit to go along with Taylor. 'A bit of Taylor can be found in DJ Giddens' game. Over the last two seasons, the Kansas State product amassed 3,150 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns. He has a gliding style with breakaway speed,' he writes. 'With the likelihood of Taylor missing at least some time for the fourth straight season…and Giddens providing explosive capabilities out of the backfield, the rookie can be a relatively big part of Indianapolis' offensive plans.' The Colts were excited about Giddens when they drafted him in the fifth round in April. Head coach Shane Steichen likes his combination of a tough play style with versatility. 'The vision, the contact balance, the way he runs—he's a 4.43 (40-yard dash) guy that can catch the ball out of the backfield, is big for our team as well. So, it's a good get.' Of course, Giddens still has to earn his snaps in training camp, beginning July 23. But, there's no denying the league could be in for a rude awakening if the Colts are able to unleash him in their run-heavy offense.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR Power Rankings: Our updated top 10 drivers list. Denny Hamlin gets a grip
A week ago, it was suggested Denny Hamlin's hold on our top spot here was weakening. Scratch that thought. As the late, great Barney Hall would say, Denny drove the wheels off that Toyota Sunday at Dover. On older tires, through two restarts, and even losing the lead by a few feet on the next-to-last lap, he prevailed. Might it have been different if the two dudes battling with him in the later laps hadn't been teammates? Might, say, a Kyle Larson or Chase Elliott have approached with sharper elbows if given the chance? Don't know. Doesn't matter. Here we go ... 1. Denny Hamlin First to four wins this season, closing in on all-time top 10. 2. Chase Elliott On a good little roll but probably should've won at Dover. 3. Chase Briscoe Two straight runner-up finishes. Mitchell native races close to Indy home this week. 4. Kyle Larson Did decent Dover reset his summer? Brickyard will tell us where this team now sits. 5. Tyler Reddick One Ty too many. He won't race for a million bucks at Indy. 6. Alex Bowman Will finish seventh this week as he continues turning around his 2025. 7. Christopher Bell Bad on ovals since late spring. How about rectangular ovals? 8. Chris Buescher Needs to dial in his iron play because he's spent too much time on the fringes this season. 9. Ryan Blaney The Penske team has some home-court advantage this week. Does Roger cook breakfast? 10. Joey Logano 0-for-16 on the Brickyard oval and road course, combined. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR Top 10: From Denny Hamlin to Joey Logano, with Indy race on tap
