Coverage: TNT
- Philadelphia, PA
- Line: EVEN
- Over/Under: 218
Capacity: 20,155
MARION, Ark. – Derek Hagar continues to build his confidence each time he enters the River Spirit Expo Center, which hosts the 34th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire next week.
This year he will have teammates as Hagar-Proctor Racing is taking a three-car team to the spectacle. Cody Hays races on Monday, Hagar on Tuesday and Timmy Thrash on Friday prior to the event concluding next Saturday.
“I think it’s going to bring some excitement,” Hagar said. “We’ll be busy with three cars. This is Cody’s first time in a midget and Timmy has raced the Chili Bowl in the past. We know what we did last year that worked and we’re going in the right direction. I think it will help all of us to have three cars racing.”
Hagar has posted his career-best performance during the marquee midget event each of the last two years and he heads into this year’s spectacle looking to continue that trend.
“I feel very confident,” he said. “We have good notes from last year. If we didn’t get lapped early in the prelim night I think we would have had a better result going into Saturday.”
After making it to the C-Main on championship night last year, Hagar’s goal this year is to make it all the way to the Saturday night A-Main.
“That’s the key this year; go out and make the show,” he said. “If we can’t lock ourselves into the A Main for Saturday we want to at least get ourselves closer to the front. I don’t think we’re very far off. I’ve been playing with some shocks. I think we have a good baseline and something to work off.”
SPEED SPORT’s Chili Bowl coverage is presented by MyRacePass, the official timing and scoring app of the 2020 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. Fans can download the MyRacePass app on their phones to follow all the action during the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals. For more information on MyRacePass, visit www.myracepass.com and use the hashtag #GetTheApp on Twitter!
PLACERVILLE, Calif. – Set to enter year five under the Russell Motorsports Inc. banner, the Placerville Speedway has released its schedule of events for the upcoming 55th season of competition.
The season fires-off with the return of the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series presented by MAVTV Motorsports Network during the Gold Strike Stampede on March 7. The ASCS National Tour last visited Placerville Speedway in 2012.
Sixteen weekly point races will be held throughout the season, with points paying divisions comprised of Winged 360 Sprint Cars, Limited Late Models, Pure Stocks and Mini Trucks. Last season saw Andy Forsberg, Ray Trimble, Nick Baldwin and Ryan Murphy bring home track championships in their respective classes. The weekly action will open on March 21 and concludes on Sept. 19.
The popular Marcel Cassulo Classic featuring both the Sprint Car Challenge Tour presented by Elk Grove Ford and Abreu Vineyards, and the King of the West-NARC Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Series returns on June 6.
The Sprint Car Challenge Tour will also open their fourth season of action at Placerville Speedway during the Spring Fever Frenzy on March 28, while the King of the West-NARC Series returns to the track for the Gold Country Showdown during a special Wednesday showcase on Aug. 26.
Continuing to gain steam the fourth annual Nor-Cal Posse Shootout returns once again with a slight twist, as it moves to a Summer date on June 26-27. Non-sanctioned winged 360 sprint cars will headline the two-night card with more details to follow as the event gets closer. The Nor-Cal Dwarf Car Ass’n will also be in action each night at the shootout.
For the first time, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series will invade the bullring for a pair of events, with those occurring on July 11 and Oct. 10. Both shows will also be paired with the USAC Western States Midgets and Wingless BCRA Midget Lites. The Placerville fan base will also enjoy a trio of visits by the Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Tour and a pair of non-sanctioned Wingless Spec Sprint events throughout the season.
The traveling IMCA All-Star Modified Tour will also make an appearance at Placerville Speedway on April 25 for the annual Tilford Tribute. Also competing at the Tilford this year will be IMCA Sport Mods, Ltd. Late Models and Pure Stocks.
One of the more anticipated events of the season will be the second annual Elk Grove Ford Hangtown 100 in November. The USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midgets and USAC Western States Midgets will tackle the speedway for what is scheduled to be three exciting nights of competition, while the Wicked Energy Gum NW Focus Midgets round out the bill. Confirmation of the exact dates will be out ASAP.
Among the other special events that highlight the schedule include the 17th annual Tribute to Al Hinds on March 21, Mountain Democrat Kids Bike Night on June 13, the annual Freedom Fireworks showcase on Independence Day, the 15th annual Mark Forni Classic on July 18, Thompson’s Fan Appreciation Night on July 25, Legends Night on Aug. 8, the Carnett Clash on Aug. 15 and the Malicious Monster Truck Insanity Tour on Sept. 25-26.
A test and tune will be held on March 14 with the pit gate opening at noon. Cars will have track time from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the grandstands will be closed to the public. The annual championship awards banquet will occur on Dec. 12.
JOLIET, Ill. – Shane Cockrum, a three-time USAC Silver Crown Champ Car Series winner, has joined Five Three Motorsports for the dirt portion of the Silver Crown schedule.
Cockrum, of Benton, Ill., and the Schuck family’s Five-Three Motorsports team form a formidable pairing of a USAC-winning driver and a team eager to win its first USAC Silver Crown race.
“I’ve had a relationship with the Schuck family since they entered USAC Silver Crown racing as a team and I’ve watched them steadily grow into a serious contender,” Cockrum said. “They work hard, field great equipment and are what’s right about Silver Crown racing. I’m looking forward to putting our minds together for a celebration in victory lane.”
The FTM team had fielded Steve Buckwalter in the No. 53 since 2015, but the combo parted ways one week ago.
FTM and Buckwalter nearly reached victory lane in 2019 at Williams Grove Speedway Mechanicsburg, Pa.
FTM feels they have the pilot to get the job done in Cockrum, a two-time Ted Horn 100 winner at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds in 2014-2015 and at the Terre Haute Action Track’s Sumar Classic in 2015.
“Five Three Motorsports looks forward to the addition of Shane to the team,” an FTM spokesperson stated. “He brings with him a race winning pedigree that is unrivaled.”
The series’ newest combo will make its debut on May 21 at Terre Haute for the Sumar Classic, which comes nearly five years following Cockrum’s most recent Silver Crown victory at the western Indiana dirt half-mile.
Pete Dye, one of golf’s most well-known architects, died Thursday, according to a statement put out by his family. He was 94.
Dye designed numerous golf courses during a career that began in 1959 alongside his wife, Alice, who died last February at age 91 (they had been married for 68 years). The Dye portfolio, which spanned over six decades and featured more than 100 courses, included several major and PGA Tour venues, including TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course, Kiawah’s Ocean Course, Harbour Town and this year’s Ryder Cup venue, Whistling Straits’ Straits Course, as well as other highly-ranked designs such as The Honors Course and Pete Dye Golf Club.
“Pete made an indelible mark on the world of golf that will never be forgotten,” the statement read. “We will all miss him dearly.”
Inspired greatly by Scottish links, Dye was known for challenging layouts, including small and punishing greens and treacherous bunkering. Once asked about TPC Sawgrass' intimidating 17th hole and its island green, Dye responded, “Golf is not a fair game, so why build a course fair?”
Dye was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2008.
"What Pete Dye has done for the game of golf is something for which we should all be thankful," said Jack Nicklaus in an ESPN.com story. "He changed the way we think about golf course design, and how design works. ... Because of the attention that Pete Dye-designed courses have brought to the game, there are lots of people who are now able to make a living at golf course design. Me included."
Dye was born in Urbana, Ohio, on Dec. 29, 1925, to parents Paul and Elizabeth Dye. A few years before Dye's birth, his father picked up golf and built a nine-hole golf course on the family’s property. Dye was an accomplished player himself. He won his high school state championship before enlisting and serving in the Army at age 18, and later played in five U.S. Amateurs and the 1957 U.S. Open.
But his real love was design. During his time based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, he got to know Donald Ross, the famous architect who designed nearby Pinehurst No. 2. When he was discharged, Dye moved to Winter Park, Florida, to attend Rollins College, where he met Alice. They married in 1950 and less than a decade later became business partners in the world of golf course design.
They worked together for nearly six decades. Their first big design came in 1967 with Crooked Stick, which later hosted the 2001 PGA Championship, but they are arguably best known for creating the home of The Players Championship.
"Pete’s influence is far-reaching, leaving a global imprint on both the amateur and professional games," said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. "He designed some of the best known golf courses in the world, though none more recognizable than The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. It was here that Pete masterfully brought Commissioner Deane Beman’s revolutionary stadium golf concept to life, melding Deane’s vision with a brilliantly designed course that is celebrated annually as one of the game’s great strategic courses during The Players Championship.
"Pete, though, was always quick to credit his beloved wife, Alice, with his success, including the concept for his most famous hole, the 17th island green at TPC Sawgrass. Together, Pete and Alice made a formidable team in golf and life."
In recent years, however, Dye battled Alzheimer's Disease. In a 2018 Golf World article, Alice Dye said, “It’s really hard to see that brilliant mind slipping away. All that creativity and imagination.”
Dye is survived by his two sons, Perry and P.B., who are also course designers.
“Pete Dye left an imprint on the world of golf that will be experienced for generations, painting wonderful pictures with the land that continue to inspire, entertain and challenge us,” said Suzy Whaley, presidents of the PGA of America. “The PGA is saddened by the passing of this dear friend of the PGA professional. Pete and his late wife, Alice, formed the greatest force in golf design history. The Dye family will forever be linked to many of the thrilling championships in PGA history and for something that they intended all along – that we embrace golf’s life values.”
Michelle Wie is going to be a mom.
The 30-year-old Wie, who married Jonnie West last August, announced the news Thursday on Instagram, saying the couple are expecting a baby girl this summer.
"Babygirl, we love you so much already and we just can’t wait to meet you this summer!" Wie wrote.
Wie hasn't competed on the LPGA since withdrawing from last June's KPMG Women's PGA. She underwent surgery in October 2018 to repair an avulsion fracture, bone chips and nerve entrapment in her right hand.
Recently, Wie joined CBS Sports this year and will serve as a contributor for several events, including the Masters.
There is still no timetable for her return to competition.
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- Lionel Messi insists Ernesto Valverde maintains the backing of Barcelona's players after the coach's position came into question once again after a thrilling Spanish Supercopa 3-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in Saudi Arabia.
- Stream a replay of Atletico Madrid's win over Barcelona on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
Barca looked on course for a place in Sunday's final when goals from Messi and Antoine Griezmann canceled out Koke's opener. However, strikes from Alvaro Morata and Angel Correa in a crazy final 10 minutes saw Atletico set up a meeting with Real Madrid -- who defeated Valencia on Wednesday -- at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium instead.
Champions League defeats at Roma and Liverpool in the last two years have led to doubts about Valverde's future. La Liga losses this season against Athletic Bilbao, Granada and Levante, as well as last weekend's draw against bottom club Espanyol, have since increased the pressure.
Valverde was even jeered by a largely pro-Barca crowd in Jeddah before the game, but Messi insists the players stand with their coach.
"Yes, there's complete confidence in the coach," the forward told reporters after the game.
Asked for his thoughts on the doubts surrounding Valverde, Messi added: "It's normal that a lot gets said when there's a loss, when you don't meet your objectives or you don't play like we like to play.
"We can't commit schoolboy mistakes as we did. It's been a while since we felt so good, though. We controlled the game for 80 minutes, taking the match [to Atletico], and then it gets away from us with a couple of untimely mistakes. They were dead before then.
"Now we're thinking about the second half of the season. We have a lot to improve. We're top of the league, but we're not playing well and we need to get back on our game. We took a step forward today in that sense, looking beyond the result."
Luis Suarez echoed teammate Messi's comments, saying that "Valverde's future is with this club" and "he doesn't carry any blame."
Valverde, meanwhile, said he's used to the speculation and the job insecurity which comes with his role.
"Coaches focus on working hard and giving everything," he said in a news conference. "We know how football is. There is a permanent instability when you lose. You can't control that. I just focus on my own business."
On another night, Barca would have breezed into the final. Only a string of fine saves from Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak and two goals disallowed by VAR prevented them from extending their lead over Atletico.
"It was a game which we dominated, maybe in the first few minutes we struggled a bit, but after that it was complete domination," Valverde added.
"We couldn't get the goal which they got at the start of the second half, but then it seemed we had it in our hands only for them to turn it around at the end. It was almost a complete performance save those final minutes."
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- Atletico Madrid scored twice in a wild final 10 minutes as they came from behind to beat Barcelona, 3-2, and set up a Spanish Supercopa final derby against Real Madrid here on Sunday.
Barca had earlier come from behind themselves, with goals from Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann cancelling out Koke's opener, which came 23 seconds after half-time. Messi had a second goal disallowed for handball, while Gerard Pique also had one chalked out for offside.
The decision to disallow Pique's goal seemed to revitalise Atletico, who until that point had offered little after Koke's opener. But they sprung to life in the closing stages. Alvaro Morata scored from the penalty spot and Angel Correa netted the winner in the 87th minute, sparking the Atletico bench to join in a mass celebration by the corner flag.
Positives
For large parts of the game, it seems funny to say now, this was actually Barca's best performance in quite a while. Jan Oblak was imperious in the Atletico goal, making save after save as Barca created really good champions. Messi was in form, Griezmann was fighting and Luis Suarez brought his touch. They will regret not scoring more.
Negatives
Ernesto Valverde will have to work out why his defence fell apart in the final stages. The most concerning thing was not that Atletico came from behind, it was how easily they went through the middle of Barca's backline. The back four was all over the place when Vitolo breezed in to win the penalty and it was the same moments later when Correa scored. It's not a new problem, either. Barca have conceded 23 times in 19 league games. Atletico and Real Madrid have leaked just 12 each.
The result means the Supercopa final will feature two finalists who traditionally wouldn't even have been in the tournament, much to Valverde's chagrin based on his comments on Wednesday about the new four-team format. League winners Barca and cup winners Valencia are out. You can decide if that's good or bad.
Manager rating out of 10
5 -- Valverde's game management was poor again, just as was the case in the draw at Espanyol last week. He reacted too late and left Barca too open to Atletico's comeback.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Neto, 4 -- Not a memorable night for the Brazilian. Couldn't do much about Koke's bobbling opener, but gave away the penalty for the equaliser and should have saved the winner, which he got his hands to. In his defence, his backline had left him exposed.
DF Sergi Roberto, 5 -- Helps in attack with his link-up play, although he's not offered much in the final third. Not good enough to be a top-level right-back in a defensive sense.
DF Gerard Pique, 5 -- Walked a tightrope after picking up an early yellow card for a late and reckless foul on Renan Lodi. Unlucky to see his goal ruled out for the minimalist of offsides, but lucky not to give a penalty away when he handled at 2-2.
DF Samuel Umtiti, 6 -- Clement Lenglet's done nothing wrong but you could easily argue that a fully fit Umtiti complements Pique better. The Frenchman was good here for parts of the match -- stepping up to win the ball back, covering Atletico counters and passing bravely out of defence -- but was part of a back four that then fell apart.
DF Jordi Alba, 6 -- Great cross in the build-up to Griezmann's goal to follow up his assist for Suarez last weekend. There are signs that he's beginning to click in attack again after a slow and injury-hit start to the season.
MF Sergio Busquets, 8 -- Played with real intelligence. Robbed the ball back of Atletico time and again to help set up Barca counterattacks.
MF Frenkie de Jong, 7 -- Always an option in midfield, building play and driving into the space when it opened up.
MF Arturo Vidal, 6 -- Worked really hard and has a good relationship with Messi. Gave the ball away cheaply in the build-up to Koke's goal, though.
FW Lionel Messi, 8 -- Adored by the public in Jeddah, he put on a show for them. Scored one, scored another beauty that was ruled out, and helped set up Pique's goal, which was ruled out too. Desperately unlucky to be on the losing team.
FW Luis Suarez, 6 -- Got into some good positions but was denied by an inspired Oblak.
FW Antoine Griezmann, 6 -- Scored his first goal against his former side, heading home from close range after Oblak had saved from Suarez. Could have scored more, too, but two chipped efforts were both saved by the ginormous Slovenian stopper.
Substitutes
MF Ivan Rakitic, NR -- Came on seconds before Atletico's equaliser...
FW Ansu Fati, NR -- Desperately thrown on by Valverde after Correa scored the third for Diego Simeone's men.
Coverage: TNT
Capacity: 20,155
Win %:68.2
8:57 - 1st
Daniel Theis shooting foul
Daniel Theis shooting foul
Kemba Walker makes 26-foot three pointer
Josh Richardson makes 25-foot three point jumper (Mike Scott assists)
Kemba Walker makes 26-foot three pointer
TNT | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Celtics | 10 | 10 | |||
76ers | 11 | 11 |
Data is currently unavailable.
PHILADELPHIA -- Joel Embiid is having surgery Friday morning to repair a torn radial collateral ligament in the ring finger of his left hand, the team said Thursday night.
Embiid met with a hand specialist before Thursday night's game against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center, where the determination for him to have surgery was made.
He will be re-evaluated in one-to-two weeks.
"He's competitive," Sixers coach Brett Brown said Thursday, when asked how Embiid's mood was in the wake of the injury. "He's competitive.
"He would be as you'd expect him to be."
Embiid's status had been in limbo since he suffered a gruesome dislocation of that finger late in the first quarter of Philadelphia's 120-113 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder here Monday. While Embiid was quickly able to return to that game, playing 32 minutes and finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, he spent time afterward being evaluated by doctors and said in his postgame news conference that he'd torn a ligament.
"They're figuring out what's next," Embiid said of the doctors Monday night.
They decided surgery would be the next step for the superstar center. Now the focus will shift to how long he will be out. Embiid didn't practice either Tuesday or Wednesday, as he spent those days meeting with specialists about his finger, and the team said he will continue to consult with doctors to determine what the next steps will be.
The Sixers will have to adjust to life without their All-NBA center. That is, unfortunately for them, something they've had to do time and again over the course of his NBA career. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Embiid has played in 189 of the 448 regular-season games the Sixers have had during his five-plus years in the NBA.
But that doesn't make dealing with the absence of one of the league's best players any easier to deal with.
"Everybody sitting in front of me would understand what do you miss on defense in what you used to have in a 7-foot-2 All-NBA defender, and now you don't," Brown said. "Then you get into offense and you've got an all-league player that's sort of your focal point to your offense, you don't have him, what does that mean? Pace of game, focal points, call of plays, so where do I begin? It's massive. I think if you looked at sort of the results we've had without Joel, we have lots of room to grow."
Embiid's absence shines a spotlight on Al Horford -- the man the Sixers targeted in free agency this summer for just these types of situations. Not only was Horford outstanding defensively against Embiid the past three seasons (and by signing him, Philadelphia removed him from the roster of a forever rival), but Horford's presence also allowed Philadelphia to erase its biggest weakness last season: how they played when Embiid was on the bench.
The Sixers were outscored by 153 points last season when Embiid was not on the court, while outscoring teams by 373 when he played. This year, the success with Embiid on the court is still there, as Philadelphia is outscoring opponents by 113 points so far when he plays.
But when he sits? The Sixers are still a plus-13 for the year, which is a credit to having Horford manning the pivot the vast majority of the time Embiid has sat.
Still, Brown admitted that trying to do the same things with Horford that he's done with Embiid doesn't make sense.
"All of a sudden, we're different," Brown said. "We're just different.
"I'm looking at this as an opportunity. Nobody is crying. This is not a woe- is-me moment. Not for me, at all, and not for our players. We will take what we have, and what we have, I love. It's just different than it used to be."
In some senses, the differences are obvious. When Brown was asked whether he's going to have his team play faster without Embiid, he shot back at the reporter who asked, "What would you do?" with a big grin on his face. He then added, "We're gonna walk it up and just try to post [6-foot tall guard] Trey [Burke]."
The changes will go far beyond that, though. Embiid is one of the most dominant defensive players in the NBA. And while Horford has long held a reputation as a strong defensive center, his skills couldn't be more different from the ones Embiid possesses.
Brown has said recently that the Sixers have begun to shift their defensive coverages when Horford is playing center, now that they are getting a sense for how his game fits with what they are trying to do. Those changes will only be sped up now that he'll be playing center full-time again.
"I'm putting a blowtorch, a bullet, many bullets, into what we used to do," Brown said of his defensive coverages. "It doesn't fit, so shame on me to make it fit. We don't have Joel Embiid. So when I say blowtorch and bullet, I mean it. It doesn't mean we have to completely pivot out to wild stuff that could be reckless. I don't think so. I think it's just taking sort of the house we've lived in and moving the furniture around a little bit. And that's what I intend to do."
The St. Louis Cardinals are acquiring pitching prospect Matt Liberatore, one of the top left-handed arms in the minor leagues, in a trade expected to send major league outfield help to the Tampa Bay Rays, sources familiar with the deal told ESPN on Thursday.
The Cardinals and Rays have been in active conversations with multiple teams as Tampa Bay tries to add outfield help and St. Louis seeks to divest itself of its surplus, according to sources with knowledge of the teams' intentions.
Liberatore, 20, is a consensus top 100 prospect in baseball and is regarded by some as the second-best left-handed prospect in the minor leagues behind San Diego's MacKenzie Gore.
Chosen with the 16th pick of the 2018 draft, Liberatore spent 2019 in the Rays' low-A affiliate with Bowling Green of the Midwest League and posted a 3.10 ERA over 78.1 innings. He struck out 76, walked 31 and allowed only two home runs.
With a farm system regarded as the best in baseball, Tampa Bay reached into its cache of prospects to supplement its major league team, which won the American League wild-card game and took the Houston Astros to a deciding fifth game in the division series.
While the return for Liberatore is not yet known, sources indicated the Rays were targeting outfield help to complement left fielder Hunter Renfroe, center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and right fielder Austin Meadows.
St. Louis certainly has a number of options to fill any holes. Among the outfielders currently on their roster who fit Tampa Bay's needs: Jose Martinez, Tyler O'Neill and Randy Arozarena. Center fielders Harrison Bader and Lane Thomas are not expected to go to the Rays in the deal, according to sources.
The Cardinals also have discussed trading outfielder Dexter Fowler and still could move him in another deal, sources said, as top prospect Dylan Carlson is expected to play a significant role in St. Louis' outfield this season.
I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information. Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.