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NBC Sports
4 days ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Winners, losers from NASCAR Cup race at Nashville won by Ryan Blaney
LEBANON, Tenn. — A look at the winners and losers from Sunday night's Cup race at Nashville Superspeedway. WINNERS Ryan Blaney — He led 139 laps, including the final 32, to score his first Cup victory of the season. It marks the eighth time in the last nine seasons that he's scored at least one Cup victory. 'It was nice to finally get in Victory Lane tonight after a rocky start to the year,' said Blaney, who has failed to finish five races this year. Nate Ryan, Team Penske — Becomes the first organization to have all of its drivers win a race this season. Team Penske has won three of the last five points races — Austin Cindric at Talladega, Joey Logano at Texas and Ryan Blaney at Nashville. Also, the Wood Brothers are aligned with Team Penske and won at Las Vegas with Josh Berry earlier this season. Carson Hocevar — Tied his career-best finish by placing second at Nashville. Dustin Long, Denny Hamlin — Placed third at Nashville. It's his fifth top-five finish in the last nine races. Erik Jones — His seventh-place result is his second top-10 in the last four races. Not a bad way to head to Michigan, his home track, this weekend. LOSERS Justin Haley — His 32nd-place finish marks the third consecutive race he's finished 30th or worse. Ty Gibbs — He finished 31st at Nashville. That marks the fourth race in a row he's placed 23rd or worse. AJ Allmendinger — NASCAR caught the team making an adjustment to the car after it had gone through inspection Saturday. He had to perform a stop-and-go penalty after taking the green flag in Sunday's race. He lost a lap. With the first stage run without a caution, he got stuck a lap behind and was mired deep in the pack. He eventually got his lap back and finished 20th. The day could have been better had they not had the penalty.
NBC Sports
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Dr. Diandra: Season's longest race tests man more than machine
The nature of the Coca-Cola 600 has changed since its inaugural race in 1960. Back then, 600 miles was a test of mechanical endurance. Cars were set up so close to their failure points that DNFs – Did Not Finishes – were common. Why 600 miles? One reason manufacturers go racing is to prove that their cars are not only fast and sporty, but also reliable. The 600-mile Charlotte race started out as NASCAR's 24-hours of LeMans. So as we approach this year's marathon, let's examine the DNF rates and how they've changed over the years. The graph below shows DNF rates – the number of DNFs divided by the total number of cars – from 1960 to 2024. I've purposely not numbered the individual bars so you can better see the overall trends. I will, however, point out a few cases of interest. In the inaugural 1960 race, 70% of the 60 cars – that's 42 vehicles – didn't finish the race. Only 10 of those 42 DNFs (23.8%) were due to accidents. Six drivers (14.3% of all DNFs) were disqualified. That included Lee and Richard Petty, marking the only time and father and son were disqualified from the same race. The remaining 26 DNF drivers suffered equipment failure. Engine-related problems accounted for half of those failures. Only the winner – Joe Lee Johnson – finished on the lead lap, marking one of his two career Cup Series wins. He led just 48 of the 400 laps and took home $27,150. Second-place driver Johnny Beauchamp finished four laps down. While 70% is huge for a DNF rate, that first year didn't hold the record for long. In the 1966 race, 33 of the 44 cars (75%) failed to cross the finish line running. Only three (9.0%) of those DNFs were due to accidents. Engine-related failures accounted for 24 DNFs (72.7% of all DNFs) Only 11 drivers were on track for the race's final lap. Marvin Panch won, outpacing G. C. Spencer by two full laps. Taken as a whole, the Coca-Cola 600 rivals Daytona and Talladega for DNFs. Out of 66 races to date: Less than 50% of the field failed to finish in 15 races or 22.7%. Thirty-four races (51.5%) had a DNF rate of 30% or more. But the graph also shows that the DNF rate is overall decreasing over the years. If we consider only races from 1995 on: No race has had more than a 50% DNF rate. Only four races out of 30 (13.3%) have a 30% DNF rate or higher. In 24 of these races, more than 90% of the field finished the race running. There were even two years in which only one car failed to finish the race. In 2009, Mike Bliss' car retired with a vibration after just 42 laps. In 2021, Kurt Busch's car lost its engine after 139 laps. The highest DNF rate since 1992 is 45.9%, or 17 DNFs among 37 cars. That was the 2022 race – the first year of the Gen-7 car. Fifteen of the 17 DNFs were due to accidents, which includes drivers who failed to beat the Damaged Vehicle Policy clock. Two drivers (11.8% of the DNFs or 5.4% of the full field) had engine failures. Of the 20 drivers who finished the race, 17 finished on the lead lap. Denny Hamlin's margin of victory was 0.12 seconds, one of the closest finishes for the Coca-Cola 600. So while the DNF rate is comparable to some races from earlier times, the reasons for those DNFs have shifted significantly. For one, engine failures are much rarer these days, although Ryan Blaney has managed to have two of them this year already. One positive for drivers in this long of a race is that they have time to come back from penalties and mistakes if made early enough. In the 2022 race, Kyle Larson crew chief Cliff Daniels pointed out that they were not only the most penalized team (with three penalties), they also crashed and caught on fire. They finished in ninth place. On the other hand, the three drivers who combined to lead 143 out of 413 laps (34.6%) finished 15th, 25th, and 33rd. If there is one characteristic this marathon race has retained over the years, it is unpredictability. Consider, for example, recent margins of victory. Since 2001, the time difference between the leader and the second-place finisher has ranged from 0.027 seconds (Jimmie Johnson, 2005) to 10.2 seconds (Kasey Kahne, 2008). Margins of victory have been closer in the Gen-7 era: 0.119 seconds in 2022 and 0.663 seconds in 2023. Last year's race, of course, was cut short by rain and ended under the red flag. While we haven't seen any finishes as close as we've had with the previous two generations of car, we also haven't seen a driver run away with the race. So far. The race's unpredictability extends to the number of unplanned cautions. (Unplanned cautions exclude any caution known ahead of time, like stage break cautions and competition cautions.) The graph below shows how the number of cautions has varied over the last 24 years, from two in 2021 to 22 in 2005. That 2005 race was an exception, however. Before 2005, this race hadn't seen more than 14 cautions (in 1980.) That number includes all races that have numbers of cautions reported in Most races had between six to nine cautions. But Charlotte Motor Speedway 'levigated' (i.e. diamond ground) the track surface before the race. Drivers struggled just to keep their cars headed in the right direction. Multiple spins and accidents slowed the race – although the end provided an exciting, close finish. That makes the 2022 race, the first race with the Gen-7 car, the most cautions in a normal race. That race had 18 cautions for 90 laps, which means 21.7% of the race was run under caution. Three of those cautions were stage-end cautions. Of the 15 unplanned cautions, there were: Seven spins Seven accidents One debris caution It wasn't the longest race in terms of time, but it ran 619.5 miles, which makes it the longest NASCAR race in history by mileage. None of this data helps us predict what will happen this weekend. What I can say is that the Coca-Cola 600 has become more of a test of people than machines. Which pit crew can consistently pull off quick stops in a race that often has the most pitting of any in the season? Which driver can remain focused enough for four-plus hours to avoid making mistakes on pit road and dodge any on-track carnage? And how many fans will make it through the year's biggest day of racing without needing a nap at some point?
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Talladega College commencement speaker announces $1 million donation to school
TALLADEGA, Ala. (WIAT) — Actor, humanitarian and philanthropist S. Epatha Merkerson delivered the commencement address at Talladega College Sunday. Following her speech, she announced that she was making a $1 million donation to the school. 'This transformative gift from S. Epatha Merkerson sets a powerful example of philanthropy and will have a profound impact on Talladega College,' Rica Lewis-Payton, chair of Talladega's Board of Trustees, said in a statement. 'It ensures that this institution remains a beacon of light in the community that fosters the development of future leaders for generations to come. We are privileged to have generous friends and donors, such as Ms. Merkerson, who believe in the mission of our historic institution and who are willing to invest in its future.' Merkerson, known for her work on 'Chicago Med' and 'Law and Order,' is also an advocate for diabetes awareness, cancer prevention and tobacco-free initiatives. She has also worked with organizations dedicated to mentoring young women, like Shaping Her Earth and Step Up. During her commencement address, Merkerson discussed her appreciation for Talladega College and the legacy of the school. She was conferred an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
NASCAR's new championship rotation: Which tracks should be in the mix?
Depending on your perspective, NASCAR crowning its three national series champions at Daytona or Talladega is either a delightfully wild way to decide the title or a completely asinine thought considering the volatility and randomness associated with the style of racing that unfolds on the two drafting tracks. Advertisement If you fall into the latter camp, fear not. That thought is universally shared among NASCAR's decision makers. Neither Daytona nor Talladega is under consideration for the championship rotation model NASCAR announced Tuesday, where its title finale will shift yearly to a different track. Instead, the preference for now is to rotate the championship weekend among intermediate tracks or short tracks rather than drafting tracks or even road courses. 'Never say never, but I think we've unanimously agreed that (championship weekend) needs to look and feel like what we would expect traditional NASCAR racing to look and feel like,' said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR executive vice president, chief venue and racing innovation officer. 'Short tracks, intermediate tracks, (one-) mile tracks are all on the board. 'We've talked about road courses as well. Again, never say never, but road courses are probably lower on the list as we think about championship venues. So we're really going to hone in on short tracks and … mile-and-a-halfs for now.' The exact number of tracks that will eventually make up the rotation is unknown, but NASCAR stated it will certainly include both Homestead and Phoenix. Homestead hosted the championship from 2002-19 and will do so again in 2026, while Phoenix has served as host since 2020 and will do so again sometime in the future. Both tracks check multiple boxes that NASCAR seeks in a host for its championship weekend, including being a weather-friendly, traditional-style oval in close proximity to a major market. So then, what other tracks on the current Cup Series schedule should be considered in the running to host NASCAR's championship weekend? Based on the criteria above, plus other various factors, go ahead and rule out (in alphabetical order): Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas, Charlotte Roval, Chicago Street Course, Daytona, Dover, Gateway, Indianapolis, Iowa, Mexico City, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pocono, Richmond, Sonoma, Talladega and Watkins Glen. That leaves eight tracks on the current schedule with a chance — though to varying degrees — of eventually being included in the championship weekend rotation. Let's examine based on what has been stated publicly and conversations with numerous industry contacts. Case for: Bristol already hosts a popular playoff race that serves as the cutoff for Round 1. It brings the possibility of a dramatic finale featuring a last-lap bump-and-run. It likely would provide an electric atmosphere. Case against: Many recent races have left a lot to be desired when it comes to the on-track action. Concerns exist whether the title could end up being a runaway. There's a likelihood of inclement weather. It's a small market in an area of the country not easily accessible. Advertisement Case for: Charlotte produces consistently great racing. It's in the heart of NASCAR country, which would allow family, friends and team personnel to pack the house. It's a good-sized, fan-friendly market. There would be an opportunity to turn the week into a bona fide celebration of the sport that could incorporate events at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, team shops, etc. Case against: Outside of the weather and lacking the pizazz of Las Vegas or South Florida, there is little reason why Charlotte isn't deserving of consideration. Still, Charlotte hasn't received much buzz within the industry as a possible championship host. Case for: There is no more traditional track than NASCAR's oldest superspeedway. It's a classic 'driver's track' that fully challenges their skillset and features strong attendance, especially for its fall race, the Southern 500. Case against: The closest major metropolitan area (Charlotte) is two hours away, and the facility is in need of upgrades. NASCAR isn't moving the Southern 500 off Labor Day weekend, which means that in years Darlington would host the finale, it would have two races just 10 weeks apart. Case for: It's arguably NASCAR's best track, routinely producing championship-caliber excitement. Across the board, fans, drivers and teams would love this. Kansas City is a passionate sports town. Case against: If the NFL's Chiefs have a home game on championship Sunday, NASCAR may struggle to gain attention. While Kansas City isn't small, it also is only the 33rd-biggest media market in the United States. Unpredictable weather means NASCAR could get lucky with a beautiful day, or it could be cold and uncomfortable. Case for: It's among NASCAR's most competitive tracks, in a tourist-destination city known for hosting big events. Weather is a non-issue, and it has hosted a popular playoff race since 2018. It checks every box on NASCAR's list. Case against: There's little downside. Sure, the NFL's Raiders could have a home game that Sunday and Formula One visits later in the month, but neither should be considered an insurmountable hurdle. Case for: If you thought Martinsville's semifinal playoff round provided next-level intensity, just imagine the short track deciding the championship. Buckle up. And make sure extra security is on standby. Case against: Considering how the Next Gen often performs on short tracks, naming Martinsville as host would require a leap of faith by the sanctioning body. Much like Bristol, market size and location are significant hurdles. The facility isn't the standard you'd want for a championship venue. Advertisement Case for: A booming city that knows how to put on big events and would appeal to league partners and team sponsors who'd have no shortage of entertainment options. Although Nashville is not the most competitive among intermediate-sized tracks, it's still viable. The quality of racing shouldn't be in question. Case against: The track is located 30 miles from downtown Nashville, and it would need enhancements. The weather would likely be passable, though not to the level of some other locations on this list. Would fans respond to a championship being here? Case for: Once one of NASCAR's more derided tracks, Texas is making a comeback. Last Sunday's race had a double-digit increase in attendance and also saw notable gains in other key metrics. The track is one of the most demanding on the schedule (some would say chaotic) and would add a layer of intrigue due to its unpredictability. It's the fourth-largest media market in the U.S. Case against: The facilities could use some TLC. Football, football, football: Any championship weekend would be competing against major college programs on Saturday and the NFL's Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Texas previously hosted a playoff race for several years that often struggled to capture fan interest. (Top photo of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, during March's Cup Series race: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
Fox News
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
What were the 10 biggest storylines in sports in April?
April is one of the busiest months and arguably the most eventful time of the year on the sports calendar. This past April was no different. Championships were determined in the first week of the month, while the NBA and NHL playoffs began shortly after. Some of the top storylines in sports last month extended beyond on-field matters, too. The NFL and WNBA held their annual drafts in April, with each bringing plenty of surprises along the way. So, which sports stories were the biggest in April? Let's take a look: 10 biggest storylines in sports in April 10. Austin Cindric wins at Talladega The Team Penske driver picked up his first win of the 2025 season at Talladega Superspeedway in April, beating out Ryan Preece (who was disqualified following technical inspection) and Kyle Larson by a hair. From FOX Motorsports Insider Bob Pockrass : Cindric will just appreciate winning a race at a drafting track. At these tracks, he's often been in contention, but victories have seemed tough to come by (except in the 2022 Daytona 500). He didn't have to survive a late-race caution. All he had to do was be out front and in position. "For that to go green at the end, have a car capable, a team capable, have it all come together, it's really gratifying," Cindric said. "It's definitely a relief, given how a lot of these have gone. It doesn't make me any special or different. These things go up in flames for most. I'm super grateful for the opportunity to be able to come through and win." 9. Kyle Kirkwood wins Long Beach Grand Prix Alex Palou has dominated the 2025 INDYCAR season so far, winning three of the first four races ahead of the Indianapolis 500 later in May. But Kirkwood offered a reprieve from Palou's dominance at the Long Beach Grand Prix. He defeated Palou by a few seconds in that race, holding off this season's top driver to pick up his third career win. From FOX Motorsports Insider Bob Pockrass : Kirkwood made it look relatively easy. He won the pole and led 46 of the 90 laps. He didn't deviate from strategy, as other drivers tried to pit on different laps to potentially gain spots. On his final stop in the caution-free race, Kirkwood blended onto the track ahead of Palou and held him off — ending the Palou quest for three consecutive wins to open the season. "We really didn't have that ultimate speed that the 27 car [of Kirkwood] had," Palou said. "They did an awesome job throughout the weekend, qualifying and the race. "He was managing. Every time I was having a small chance, he just had a little bit more pace. Shame that we couldn't really make it more interesting for the fans, but I'm super happy to be here." 8. Nebraska wins the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament Fred Hoiberg has had an impressive stint at Nebraska, and he added to it in April. He led the Cornhuskers to four straight wins in the first-ever College Basketball Crown tournament, notching three double-digit victories. 7. Joaquin Niemann wins fifth career LIV Golf Tournament, tying Brooks Koepka for most all-time In the first-ever LIV Golf Mexico City event, Niemann continued his hot start to the season. He shot 6-under in the final round of the tournament to win by three strokes and get his third victory of the year. It also gave Niemann five career wins in LIV Golf, tying Koepka for the most. 6. Paige Bueckers is selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft UConn women's basketball had a pretty eventful April. After capping off her historic college basketball career earlier in the month, Bueckers became the sixth player in program history to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, extending the Huskies' record for most ever. Bueckers was the consensus national player of the year in the 2020-21 season and regained her elite form after an ACL tear sidelined her for the 2022-23 season. The three-time first-team All-American joined a Wings team that finished with the second-worst record in the WNBA last season. 5. Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record A record that many thought would never be broken did just that in April. Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal in the Washington Capitals' loss to the New York Islanders on April 6, breaking the longstanding all-time goals record set by the "Great One." The moment was accompanied by a pause in the game as Ovechkin's landmark achievement was celebrated. 4. Florida wins men's NCAA Tournament; UConn wins women's Of course, the bulk of March Madness didn't take place in April, but the Final Four in the men's and women's tournaments did. In the women's tournament, Bueckers finally got over the hump, helping Geno Auriemma and UConn win their first national championship since 2016 with blowout wins over UCLA and South Carolina in the semifinal round and national championship, respectively. The men's Final Four had a bit more drama. Florida edged out fellow SEC foe Auburn in the national semifinal, while Houston had a thrilling comeback to defeat Duke. In the championship game, it was Florida's turn to make a furious comeback. The Gators rallied from a 12-point deficit to win, making it the third-largest second-half comeback in NCAA national championship history. Houston had a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession, but Florida's defense prevented the Cougars from getting a shot off. 3. Cam Ward, Travis Hunter go Nos. 1 and 2 in the NFL Draft The Tennessee Titans grabbed who they hope will be their quarterback of the future when they unsurprisingly selected Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. There was a twist when the Cleveland Browns were on the clock with the No. 2 overall pick, though. The Jacksonville Jaguars moved up from the fifth overall pick to No. 2, trading a 2026 first-round pick, among other assets, in order to get two-way star Hunter. 2. Shedeur Sanders drops to the fifth round of the NFL Draft Very rarely is there a non-first-round pick who winds up gripping the sports world, but Sanders drew unprecedented attention to the later rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Browns eventually took Sanders in the fifth round of the draft, but it came after they surprisingly picked Dillon Gabriel in the third round. Sanders was also the sixth quarterback off the board this year, which was a major shock considering most draft analysts ranked him as the second-best player at his position in the class. Many mock drafts projected Sanders as a first-round pick, too. Sanders' slide brought in other subplots as well. He was one of the handful of prospects who received prank calls during the draft. Speculation also emerged over why he might have fallen as far as he did. No matter what the theories are about Sanders, though, there's no denying that there was great interest surrounding where he got drafted as Day 3 of the draft set ratings records. 1. Rory McIlroy wins the Masters McIlroy finally got the Augusta-sized monkey off his back to put on a green jacket in April, but it didn't come easily. After holding the lead for much of the final round, McIlroy struggled on the back nine and missed a putt to win the tournament on the 18th hole, forcing him to go to a playoff. He avenged his missed putt on the first hole of the playoff, sinking a short putt after an impressive second shot to defeat Justin Rose. The win made McIlroy the sixth golfer to have ever completed a career Grand Slam and the first one from Europe. Check out all of our Daily Rankers . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily .
