COLUMBUS, Ind. — Indiana Midget Week was, until this month, something that had sat unchecked near the top of my bucket list as far as an event I wanted to go and experience firsthand.

It’s one thing to read about the six-races-in-six-days grind that makes up one of short-track racing’s most unique and highly regarded challenges, but it’s quite another to traverse it in person.

So, armed with my (slightly) beat-up Saturn SUV and a general idea of my road map for the week, I took the recent trip to the Hoosier State to add a check to my racing résuméand learn what Indiana Midget Week was all about.

The prevailing answer I got from everyone I met along the way? Passion.

Those seven letters were evident in every nook and cranny that I peered into over the course of my five-day sojourn. There was no moment when the passion of teams, drivers, officials and fans wasn’t easily observed; whether racing had yet to begin or on-track activities had long-since ceased for the night.

Why else would drivers from as far as Oklahoma, Nevada and California — or in New Zealander Michael Pickens’ case, overseas — come from hours or days away just to lose sleep and work tirelessly for a week straight at dirt tracks across Indiana — some squarely nestled in the hardest-to-find places?

Indiana Midget Week is rooted in a passion for the sport, and not just racing in general, but the purest form of the sport that still exists in the United States.

This isn’t NASCAR or Formula One, with millions of dollars of technology and equipment crammed into haulers and garage bays, and where drivers race at tracks more akin to palaces than sports stadiums.

No, this is grassroots competition at its finest, where family teams can race toe to toe with the bigger-budget operations and where you’re going to leave at the end of the night with dirt and grime on your hands, in your hair and stuck in places you didn’t even know it could get stuck.

Trust me, I found that out really quickly.

Indiana Midget Week is a place where, as a media member, you’re lucky if there’s space in some of the control towers to be able to set up a laptop and provide updates during the night, but as a fan, the old-school setup and feel allows greater access to the stars of the night than any national-level racing event anywhere in the country.

When some of those stars are nationally-known — like Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular Kyle Larson or Tanner Thorson, who spent time in the NASCAR ranks before returning to his dirt-track roots this year — it’s more proof of that passion I spoke of earlier, because why else would they come?

They, like everyone else in attendance, simply love the sport enough to keep coming back.

And make no mistake, these stars took the time each night to make sure the fans who came to see them compete went home happy, with an experience they won’t soon forget.

“It’s just about the enjoyment of racing and being able to come back at this level,” said Larson of his yearly returns for select Indiana Midget Week shows. “It’s a lot of fun … even though I only get to come in for a couple of nights now. It can be stressful for the teams running for the title, but the atmosphere is pretty special, with all the campers that come in and the fans that come out to support this deal.

“It’s got a big fan following and it’s a place where a lot of friendships are fostered.”

If you attend Midget Week for the first time, like I did, you realize by about the third day you’re going to lose sleep before it’s all over. That’s just how it is, when you combine late nights and work after each race with early wake-up calls to be able to get up or down the road to the next day’s race track.

It’s the same way for all the race teams. Whether it’s rooted in victory celebrations, routine maintenance or repairing a car from the ills of the most-recent race, each driver and crew member burns the midnight oil making sure everything is squarely in place for the next day. Then, the cycle repeats all over again.

But at the end of the day — pun intended — we all do so because we love what we do within the sport. And none of us would have it any other way.

Throughout the course of the week, this year’s Indiana Midget Week saw a different driver win the feature each night, with three different teams — Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, Clauson-Marshall Racing and the single-car RAMS Racing outfit — triumphing during the five-day stretch.

But interwoven among those powerhouses were stories like Cannon McIntosh’s runner-up result at Gas City I-69 Speedway and Ethan Mitchell’s fast-time-to-top-five effort at Bloomington Speedway, both achieved with smaller, family-owned and operated organizations that took the fight to the big squads.

It didn’t matter who you were, or how you got there, anyone could succeed on Indiana Midget Week.

That theory was why more than 30 cars showed up every night, because on any given day, each driver knew he or she had a shot for something special to happen.

At its core, that belief is what the passion of auto racing is all about.

It’s what I found interwoven throughout Indiana Midget Week — and for that reason it won’t be my last journey to Midget Week.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford confirmed the rumor Monday that forward Phil Kessel had vetoed a recent trade.

The GM did not name the team involved, but it had been widely reported that the Penguins had a deal on the table with the Minnesota Wild in which Kessel and Jack Johnson would go out for Jason Zucker and Victor Rask.

"In Phil's situation, he was just part of a decision ... where we were trying to retool and we had a chance to get a good player, but it doesn't necessarily mean he has to be traded," Rutherford told 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. "He's been a really good player for us. We wouldn't have won the Cups without him. He's an impact player; he will be for a few more years. So we'll see how that plays out."

Kessel is coming off a season in which he had 27 goals and 82 points -- good numbers to be sure, but the 31-year-old has to shine on offense to overcome some of his defensive shortcomings. He had 34 goals and 92 points the year before.

After being swept by the Islanders in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Penguins are looking to get younger and faster around star Sidney Crosby. They traded defenseman Olli Maatta to the Blackhawks for young forward Dominik Kahun this week.

Rutherford intimated that he had put together the trade without worrying that Minnesota was not on Kessel's list of approved destinations.

"The biggest thing from a team point of view, you can't have the player controlling the trade because if you do it's not going to work out for the team, so at this point and time I view it that Phil will return with the team," Rutherford said.

"I'm not actively pushing to trade him at this point. If someone comes along with a deal that makes sense, we'll take a look at it, just like most of the other players."

Rutherford didn't fault Kessel for exercising his contractual rights.

"Minnesota was never on his list. To that point, he's a player that deserved to get the position he's in where he had a no-trade and pick eight teams that he would go to and otherwise have some say in whether he'd go to other teams," Rutherford said. "I don't think there's anything out of the ordinary here. He's exercising his right. Obviously it's frustrating for the team when you feel that the trade we were going to make was the right thing for the Penguins, but Phil didn't do anything wrong."

Asked whether Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin or Patric Hornqvist could be traded, Rutherford paused for a while before answering.

"The guys that you mentioned are not guys I'm pushing to trade or feel that I have to trade from the Penguins. They've been great players, they still are and they're the kind of guys you win championships with," Rutherford told the radio station. "I didn't say I was going to actively push to trade the guys you just mentioned, but I didn't say that I wouldn't. The best example of all, people hear this over and over, Gretzky was traded, you know, one of the greatest players of all time. Sometimes there's certain packages [that] come along that you have to look at, and that's why I kept that door open."

The San Jose Sharks and defenseman Erik Karlsson, 29, have reportedly agreed to a deal on an eight-year contract, that will play him more than $11 million per season.

The term and average annual value raised some eyebrows around the league, and the end of the Karlsson Sweepstakes has set dominoes falling in a number of different directions. You've got questions on the deal and its aftermath, and we've got answers:

Was this a surprise?

Somewhat. The Sharks had a few things going for them in the pursuit of Karlsson. Financially, they were in a great position: No one was going to outbid them for Karlsson, as GM Doug Wilson had the full backing from an open-wallet ownership to aggressively bring him back. Plus, the Sharks were the only team that could offer him eight years; as an unrestricted free agent, the highest another team could go was seven years due to the current CBA. He clearly enjoyed his time in San Jose, both from a lifestyle perspective and in bonding with teammates. And while the Sharks are very much a veteran team, their window to win the Stanley Cup remains open.

The main reason many thought Karlsson could leave was geography, with he and his wife desiring to move back East. There was also the thought that Karlsson might like to play with Victor Hedman in Tampa or Henrik Lundqvist in New York.

So kudos to San Jose: They had a year to sell him on the organization, and they sold him. Although as one former Sharks player told ESPN this week: "San Jose sells itself."

How does that money stack up?

Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings was the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL before this contract, making $11 million against the cap over the next eight seasons, signing that deal last July 1. Doughty made news in 2017 when he said he'd talk with Karlsson to "see what money he's looking for." Turns out it was Doughty that set the market.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said that Karlsson's deal would be for the same percentage of the cap as Doughty's, who was at 13.8 percent when he signed. That would mean a cap hit around $11.45 million annually for Karlsson, which would put him third in the NHL behind Connor McDavid ($12.5 million) and Auston Matthews ($11.634 million), both of whom are centers and significantly younger than Karlsson. Bob McKenzie of TSN sees the AAV around $11.5 million.

Karlsson is 29 and battled through injuries in the last year. Isn't this risky?

There's nothing the Sharks can do about age. There was something they could do about his wonky groin, which was an injury he suffered during the season and that severely hampered him as the playoffs progressed. He had surgery to repair it on May 31, and immediately started to rehab it.

"All I know is it's not going to be anything that will be a problem moving forward," Karlsson said after the Sharks' season ended in the Western Conference final, to eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis. "I'm going to be able to have a normal summer with training and everything and getting ready. That's great. It's just unfortunate it happened when it did."

Again, fears about his fragility are legitimate -- he played 124 out of a possible 164 games in the past two seasons -- especially if these groin issues are systemic, given that skating has always been his greatest asset. He'll be 37 at the end of this contract.

That said, is it worth the risk for the Sharks?

Absolutely. Look, the window is now for San Jose. Joe Pavelski, a 34-year-old unrestricted free agent, is expected back. Joe Thornton, 39, is expected back. Brent Burns is 34. Marc-Edouard Vlasic is 32. Logan Couture is 30. This team was good enough to get to the conference final with a diminished Karlsson. Given their roster, and the improvements of conference rivals, having Karlsson back on the roster exponentially increases the chances they can get there again.

In some ways, Wilson's vision was never realized despite Burns and Karlsson gobbling up 55 minutes per game between them in the playoffs. Yes, the term is scary. But to get the player, they had to hand eight years to him. And in getting the player, that elusive first Stanley Cup may still be in reach for the Sharks.

What's their cap situation now?

It will require some maneuvering. They had 15 players signed and $24,042,583 in cap space before Karlsson came back, according to Cap Friendly. If Thornton and Pavelski come back as well, that'll eat into the space, but more importantly will only give San Jose nine forwards under contract. Among the RFAs that need new deals: Forwards Kevin Labanc, Timo Meier and Dylan Gambrell. Among the team's other UFAs: Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist. One assumes both of the latter are gone unless they agree to a deep discount. (And in Nyquist's case, that would solely be to challenge for a Cup in San Jose.)

More than likely, the Sharks might have to open some space by dealing either Brenden Dillon ($3.27 million) or Justin Braun ($3.8 million). Wilson is going to have to make this work somehow; most likely, other teams are going to benefit from this cap crunch.

Which teams does this signing most affect from a free-agent perspective?

It's hard to know exactly what the derby for Karlsson would have looked like this summer. We know the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars were both in pursuit of Karlsson before the Ottawa Senators traded him to the Sharks last summer. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Karlsson were paired ever since he trounced around the city with Victor Hedman -- dressed as pirates! -- during the 2018 All-Star weekend. Financially, it would have been a challenge to get him in, however. The Rangers had also been rumored as a possibility. One assumes some of these teams will redouble their efforts to land someone like Jets defenseman Jacob Trouba.

But in a weird way, the signing affects Ottawa more than anyone else.

Wait, how does this affect the Senators?

The Senators actually get a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft since the Sharks signed Karlsson. Incredibly, that pick would have upgraded to a first-rounder had the Sharks made the Stanley Cup Final this year -- the Senators were just two San Jose wins away from that.

How does this deal affect the summer trade and free-agent market?

With apologies to Tyler Myers and Alexander Edler, there isn't an unrestricted free agent defenseman anywhere near Karlsson's talent and impact. So if teams are looking for that kind of player, the trade route is the only way to go.

One imagines the price tag (and the market) for Jets RFA defenseman Jacob Trouba has grown. One imagines business might be picking up for teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes, who all have a surplus of defensemen from which to deal.

How does this affect other defensemen?

There are a few big-name defensemen on the runway for new deals, facing unrestricted free agency in summer 2020: Alex Pietrangelo of the Blues (current cap hit of $6.5 million), Torey Krug of the Bruins ($5.25 million), Justin Faulk of the Hurricanes ($4,833,333) and, perhaps most notably, Roman Josi of the Predators, who has been underpaid at a $4 million in AAV since 2013.

While these defensemen may not command north of $11 million annually, the rising tide of Karlsson and Doughty should lift some boats.

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Luis Suarez has said he lost three kilograms (6.6 lbs) during his recovery from knee surgery in order to be fit for Uruguay's Copa America opener.

Medical and Barcelona club sources gave ESPN FC details of the rehab process, which began a couple of days after the May 9 surgery, performed in Barcelona by renowned knee specialist Ramon Cugat.

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Suarez returned to the field 38 days after arthroscopic surgery to repair a meniscus injury in his right knee and showed no signs of rust as he scored one and assisted another in the 4-0 hammering of Ecuador in Copa America -- his first match since Barcelona's 4-0 loss against Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League semifinals on May 7.

"I lost three kilograms," Suarez told ESPN FC on Sunday night after the win over Ecuador at Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte. "We did all kinds of exercises to regain mobility.

"I worked with the first team nutritionist we have [at Barcelona]. I have shed some kilos, and now I feel lighter."

Suarez rested and iced the knee for a couple of days after the surgery, and then began the recovery process at the Ciutat Esportiva club facilities under the supervision of Ricard Pruna, head of the Barcelona medical services, and first team physio Juan Brau, who oversaw the training on grass and sand to strengthen the right quad, a team source said.

"The recovery time is shorter because it was the internal meniscus," a medical source with direct knowledge of the Suarez procedure said. "It's not about whether he ran more or less.

"The recovery time for the surgery he had, if there are no medical setbacks, can be as quick as three weeks, and he was out for five weeks."

Barcelona agreed to the surgery at the request of Suarez, who was keen to play in his second Copa America with Uruguay. He had been bothered by knee soreness and cartilage issues for some time, although the striker said in a press release that he injured the meniscus in the Champions League semifinals against Liverpool.

This is the second time in his career that Suarez has recovered from a meniscus injury just in time to play an international tournament with Uruguay. In 2014, the then Liverpool striker had left knee surgery 24 days before the Celeste's first World Cup game in Brazil.

He remained on the bench in a surprising 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica, but started five days later to score twice in a 2-1 win over England.

"Luis always gives maximum effort, whether it's in a match, a training session or whenever he has a task in front of him," the club source said. "He always delivers."

Suarez scored 25 goals for Barcelona in all competitions last season and was one of the players with the most minutes (4,132) on the team.

Paris Saint-Germain chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi has warned record signing Neymar that he only wants players who are "willing to give everything for the shirt."

The Qatari supremo, who has already hinted preferential treatment is over for the Brazil international, pulled no punches in his view on Neymar's commitment to the Ligue 1 giants' project after L'Equipe had reported PSG could cash in if a big offer arrives after growing tired of him.

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"I want players willing to give everything for the shirt, the club and join for the project," Al-Khelaifi told France Football. "Those who do not want that, or do not understand, we will see each other and talk.

"Of course, there are contracts to be respected, but the priority now is total commitment to the project. Nobody forced Neymar to sign for us. Nobody pushed him here. He knowingly signed up for this project."

Neymar's strike partner Kylian Mbappe recently said he wanted more responsibility at PSG, and Al-Khelaifi added he has spoken to the World Cup winner about these comments. Club sources have confirmed to ESPN FC that PSG have no intention of selling Neymar or Mbappe this summer and that both will be expected to buy into the rejuvenation of the club's project.

The French champions' president also expressed his certainty that the Mbappe will still be at Parc des Princes next campaign.

"Kylian wants to be more involved in the PSG project," Al-Khelaifi said. "To grow with the team and the club.

"I explained to him that you do not ask for responsibility, you go and get it. Sometimes, you even have to take it. Do not wait for it, force it. As he is very intelligent, I am sure that he understood. I am not 100% sure but 200% sure that he will be here next season. I will not be letting this crazy player go."

Al-Khelaifi also said he was the first to blame for the ill discipline last season and vowed to embrace his responsibilities.

"We all lacked character and authority," he said. "I am the first to recognise it in myself.

"I am the first culprit. I do not want to hide or blame others, such as the player or the coach. If last season did not work, it was my fault first. That will change."

As reported by ESPN FC sources back in February, sporting director Antero Henrique had been on the way out for some time and Al-Khelaifi confirmed it was not a rushed decision to part with the Portuguese.

"The idea [of replacing Henrique with Leonardo ] did not just come to me overnight," he said. "Gradual reflection eventually matured.

"It was time to change. At a certain point, all clubs need new impetus. We could not go on like that."

Leonardo has returned as a figure of authority among the PSG hierarchy, and Al-Khelaifi backed the Brazilian to run a tighter ship than his predecessor.

"Some discipline needs to return to the squad," he said. "If a player makes a mistake, Leo will make it clear that the club is well above them.

"The players will have greater responsibility than before. I want our players to be proud to wear our shirt and not to play only when it suits them."

ESPN FC's France correspondent Julien Laurens contributed to this report.

Matthijs de Ligt has emerged as the hottest property in Europe during this summer's transfer window after captaining Ajax to the Champions League semifinals at just 19 years old.

The centre-back, who is also a regular in Ronald Koeman's Netherlands team, has been mainly tracked by Barcelona, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, with speculation also linking him to Juventus, Manchester City, Liverpool and Bayern Munich. De Ligt has said he will now decide his next move while on holiday this month, but with the world at his feet and Europe's top clubs all queuing up to sign him, which would be the best move in terms of progressing his career?

ESPN FC has weighed up the pros and cons of each potential buyer.

THE CLUBS CHASING DE LIGT

BARCELONA

PROS: First of all, you get Lionel Messi as a teammate, and that is a huge selling point, but with Gerard Pique now 32, Barca need to rebuild at the back.

De Ligt could develop into the kingpin of the Barcelona defence for the next 10 years and moving this summer means he could also take his game to another level by playing alongside Pique for at least one season. At Camp Nou, De Ligt would be virtually guaranteed to win big trophies and play in the Champions League every year alongside his Ajax and Netherlands teammate, Frenkie de Jong.

CONS: De Ligt has shown himself to be vulnerable on the turn when being attacked by quick, nimble forwards, and La Liga is not short on attacking players who could expose his shortcomings.

There would be no guarantees of regular football at Camp Nou either, with the likes of Pique, Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet all capable of keeping him out of the team. At right-back, where he can also operate, he would be up against the impressive Nelson Semedo. There are also long-term questions about how well Barca are equipped to succeed without Messi. The Champions League defeat against Liverpool was a humbling loss and it showed that even with Messi, Barca might be set for a period of transition.

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PSG

PROS: Sources have told ESPN that PSG have moved ahead of Barcelona in the race to sign De Ligt, who knows he would win a stack of domestic medals with the Qatari-owned French champions. Learning the game alongside Thiago Silva would also appeal to De Ligt, who would be confident of regular football both in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. While he will not be short of big offers this summer, a move to PSG would perhaps be the most lucrative of all.

CONS: From a football perspective, De Ligt would not be playing in one of Europe's top leagues and he would risk his development stalling due to a lack of competitiveness in France. Ligue 1 lacks the kudos of the Premier League or La Liga and PSG are also a club that can't match their European rivals when it comes to history or tradition either.

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have both gone to Paris for big money in recent years but could depart for a greater challenge outside the one-horse race of French football.

MAN UNITED

PROS: A move to Old Trafford would be hugely lucrative for De Ligt, and he would go there knowing he would play every week and have the defence built around him.

United are in a difficult place right now but they are still one of the three biggest clubs in the world, alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona, and De Ligt could be enticed by the challenge of leading the team back to the summit of the game. For a player blessed with such imposing physical attributes, the Premier League would be perfectly suited to his game.

CONS: United appear to be locked in a downward spiral, with the team facing a lengthy rebuild after six years of bad decisions since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. Domestically, Liverpool and Manchester City have left United trailing in their wake and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team are not even in the Champions League next season.

A move to Old Trafford right now makes little sense for De Ligt, although at 19, he could spend two years at United and still be able to get out with his best years ahead of him if the move failed to work out.

MAN CITY:

PROS: Vincent Kompany's decision to leave City for a move into management with Anderlecht has opened up a vacancy for a commanding centre-back at the Etihad.

The opportunity to work under coach Pep Guardiola would be another attraction for De Ligt and, with City at the peak of their powers, he could look forward to winning major honours in the blue half of Manchester. City have become a major force under Abu Dhabi ownership and the Dutchman would be joining one of Europe's most powerful clubs.

CONS: The struggles of John Stones at City, who has fallen out of favour under Guardiola despite arriving to great fanfare in 2016, might be a warning to De Ligt that the City manager's patience does not always give a young player time to develop.

There would also be concerns over whether De Ligt's playing style would fit into Guardiola's high-intensity approach. His upbringing at passing football specialists Ajax would help but he might not be what the manager is looking for.

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LIVERPOOL

PROS: The prospect of forging a defensive partnership with Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk at Anfield would be a compelling one for De Ligt. And, as Champions League winners, Liverpool can offer him the chance to sign for the best team in Europe and one that seems to be on the brink of a successful new era under Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool are a young, exciting squad and De Ligt could take himself, and the team, to a new level if he moved to Anfield.

CONS: It's difficult to find a downside of moving to Liverpool right now, although the one area where they may struggle to compete with their rivals is on a financial level. De Ligt could guarantee bigger wages elsewhere.

Despite winning the Champions League, Liverpool have not won the league title since 1990, and if Manchester City continue to dominate, the defender might find it easier to win major honours elsewhere.

BAYERN MUNICH

PROS: Playing for the biggest and wealthiest club in Germany would guarantee De Ligt both a bulging pay packet and a well-stocked trophy cabinet. Bayern are pretty much a certainty to play in the Champions League every season and they also expect to win it, so De Ligt would be in the shake-up for big honours. And although Bayern are in a rebuilding process, their dominance of German football ensures that he would still be winning during their transitional period.

CONS: In a similar fashion to PSG in France, Bayern have killed off domestic competition in the Bundesliga (though only just this season), so De Ligt might be moving to a comfort zone if he chose to leave Ajax for them.

There is uncertainty over the long-term future of coach Niko Kovac and the departures of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, and the potential sale of Mats Hummels, have left several question marks hovering over the Allianz Arena.

JUVENTUS

PROS: Just as signing for Barcelona would enable De Ligt to play with Lionel Messi, a move to Juventus would give the youngster the opportunity play and train with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Defensively, a move to Turin would be like going to a finishing school for centre-back by learning from Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci. Financially, Juve are big payers, and their dominance of Serie A should ensure plenty of winners' medals for De Ligt.

CONS: The appointment of Maurizio Sarri as Juventus coach has raised eyebrows due to his playing style and lack of a title win on his C.V., so De Ligt could be moving to Juve just as their domestic dominance begins to wane.

As he displayed at Chelsea, Sarri prefers experienced players to emerging youngsters, so De Ligt might find himself relegated to a watching role behind Chiellini and Bonucci.

VERDICT

Wherever De Ligt ends up this summer, he will find himself at a major club and with a hugely increased pay packet. But if he could hand-pick his best destination, Liverpool would be top of the pile due to the strength of the team and the opportunity to play alongside international teammate Van Dijk.

The smart money is on De Ligt moving to PSG, who look to have outbid Barcelona, but Liverpool would be the best option for the Ajax defender.