PORT ROYAL, Pa. — On Friday night, Donny Schatz won his 11th World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series victory of the year, his third consecutive at Port Royal Speedway and decimated Brad Sweet’s points lead over him by 24 points.
Schatz’s victory and Sweet’s 12th-place effort, left Schatz only eight points behind with three races remaining.
“We just got to focus on what we do,” said Schatz. “There isn’t anything I can do to effect what he does. We never won a championship worrying about who we’re racing against or what they were doing. Obviously, what these (Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing) guys are doing is working. They made all of the right changes to the car.”
The Fargo, N.D., driver has been the king of the “Speed Palace” ever since the World of Outlaws returned to the half-mile track in 2014. Since then Schatz has yet to finish worse than third.
He started the night in dominant fashion by winning his Drydene Heat race and the first DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash.
When the 30-lap feature for the first night of the Nittany Showdown went green Schatz launched ahead of the field from his pole position and held the top spot into turn one. Brian Brown was in hot pursuit behind him, though.
While Schatz ran low for the first lap, Brown ran high. The FVP No. 21 built momentum and speed around the top, charging to Schatz’s rear bumper off each corner. Brown eyed an opening to the outside of Schatz off turn four, but the 10-time series champion slammed the door shut before Brown could sneak his bumper between him and the wall.
Schatz then moved to the middle of the track and began to pull away from Brown. Behind the top-two Aaron Reutzel had charged from sixth to third on the first lap.
The Toco Warranty No. 15 was in lap traffic by lap eight, but the slower cars did little to slow Schatz down.
The battle for second heated up near the midway point with Reutzel putting pressure on Brown and eventually darting underneath him for second on lap 12. However, a red flag for Danny Dietrich hitting the wall in turn two came out before the lap was completed and Brown held second.
On the restart Schatz, again, bolted ahead of the field and Anthony Macri charged to third with Reutzel having a bad start.
While Schatz pulled away with the lead, Macri grew faster as the race progressed. He passed Brown for second with five laps to go and reeled in Schatz. Time was not in his favor, though. The Dillsburg, Pa. driver had to settle for second – his first World of Outlaws top-five finish – with Schatz a car length away. Brown rounded out the podium in third.
“The car was pretty solid all night long,” Macri said. “About halfway through the Feature I could pretty much put the car wherever I wanted. That’s always nice. This thing was operating smooth tonight.”
Schatz’s win was his 294th WoO victory and the second win in two weeks for the new Ford FPS 410 engine.
“Thirty laps around this place with the way the conditions are was going to be questionable on fuel,” Schatz said. “They said, ‘Hey, you might want to conserve a little bit.’ I don’t know how much fuel we have left, but we made it. That’s the important part. Just the nature of the beast. These things pump a lot of fuel through them, a lot of air. We got a little extra air and fuel tonight with the Ford. Hats off to those guys. It’s been a fun project.”
PHILLIP ISLAND, Australia — Qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix at the Phillip Island Circuit was postponed because of windy conditions on Saturday.
Qualifying for the penultimate event of the MotoGP season has been scheduled for Sunday morning prior to the race.
Morning running on Saturday at the Australian Grand Prix was limited to just a few laps as high winds and rain hit the Phillip Island Circuit. While the rain eased in the afternoon, strong gusts of wind persisted. Riders attempted to run during Free Practice 4 but an emergency Safety Commission meeting between the MotoGP class riders ruled it was too dangerous to continue running today.
Before the red flag, Maverick Vinales turned the fastest lap of the day.
“I thought there would be a small possibility that we would be riding today, but I think we have to be clever and put safety first,” Vinales said. “In these conditions it was very easy to make a small mistake that would do a lot of damage. It’s not that easy to go into turn one with 340km with the wind, the problem was the wind. So, the majority’s decision was to cancel the remaining sessions today. Tomorrow we’ll see how the new schedule will work out. Anyway, I‘m quite happy, I‘m very confident in all situations. The program is decided by other people, I will just try to concentrate and then tomorrow we will see what the plan is.”
However, six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez acknowledged the conditions.
“In my opinion it was very dangerous, the wind was there and with the speed on this circuit, you feel it a lot,” Marquez said. “I was riding alone and you could feel the wind, but it looks like when you overtook another rider like with (Johann) Zarco and (Miguel) Oliveira, you feel it a lot more. For safety reasons we decided to cancel it. There was no need to risk that much in qualifying, we were right on the limit of being able to ride and in the end we have another day to do it tomorrow. It will be a busy day with warm up, qualifying and race but it’s not the end of the world.”
MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola has confirmed his altercation with John Stones on the Manchester City bench was because the defender was not ready to come on.
Stones was called on to replace the injured Rodri in the 41st minute of the 5-1 win over Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Guardiola appeared frustrated with Stones before he took to the field and the City boss has reminded his substitutes they are expected to be prepared whenever they're needed.
"The guys on the bench know you have to be ready to go out from the first minute," Guardiola told a news conference on Friday.
"Sometimes it's the t-shirt or other issues. Did you see the image? So it speaks for itself."
Stones hasn't started a game since the defeat to Norwich in September because of a thigh injury.
The 25-year-old is in line to start against Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium after Rodri, who has started the past two games at centre-back, was ruled out until the next international break with a hamstring problem.
Oleksandr Zinchenko is also set to miss six weeks with a knee problem as Guardiola continues to deal with mounting injury list.
"We are in a bad period in that sense," said Guardiola.
"I'm a little bit concerned because in a few positions we don't have enough players.
"I would prefer all the players had no injuries but I have to do it, yes. We can't start complaining, 'oh what bad luck.'
"We have good players in the squad. In a few positions there are not many but we have incredibly good players. We're going with them."
Pakistan women 126 for 7 (Maroof 34, Sohail 33, Alam 4-17) beat Bangladesh women 112 for 7 (Rumana 50, Amin 2-13) by 14 runs
Bangladesh women's senior seamer Jahanara Alam took four wickets and allrounder Rumana Ahmed struck her maiden T20I fifty, but it couldn't stop Pakistan women from securing victory in their first T20I at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It was also Pakistan women's fourth win in six T20Is at home.
No Nida Dar (who is playing in the WBBL)? No problem for Pakistan women. Thirties from captain Bismah Maroof and No. 4 Umaima Sohail hauled the hosts to 126 despite the regular fall of wickets. They then used six bowlers in their defence and each picked up at least one wicket to restrict Bangladesh women to 112 for 7. This, despite Rumana's 30-ball 50 that included six fours and two sixes. Rumana's strike rate of 166.66 stood out in a chase where no other Bangladesh batter struck at over 80.
In pursuit of 127, Bangladesh women had lost both their openers inside the third over and slumped further to 47 for 2 in 12 overs. Rumana counterattacked and was particularly severe on Maroof, taking 23 off a mere seven balls from the Pakistan women captain. Rumana took the chase to the last over, leaving her side needing 18 with four wickets in hand.
However, she was bowled by Aliya Riaz off the third ball, as Bangladesh women eventually lost by 14 runs. Riaz ended with economical figures of 4-0-12-1. Left-arm fingerspinner Sadia Iqbal returned figures of similar impact on T20I debut: 1 for 16.
Having opted to bat, Pakistan women lost both their openers cheaply to Alam, but Maroof and Sohail put on 60 off 59 balls to revive the innings. Although both batsmen fell in successive overs, lower-order contributions from Iram Javed (21 off 17 balls) and wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz (16* off 4 balls) took the hosts closer to 130. It proved to be enough as Pakistan women claimed a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
"We were quite unlucky to lose that quarter-final," he said.
"It was a good bit of skill by them at the end to score a try late on. We were devastated with that because we felt we deserved to win that game.
"We feel like we owe one to them for four years ago. That will be in the back of our minds and hopefully we can get one over them this week."
That was South Africa's only victory in their five most recent encounters with Wales, who have won their past four matches against the Springboks.
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus played down the significance of that record when he announced his team for Sunday's semi-final, pointing to his side's change in personnel and upturn in form.
Eight players remain from last November's 20-11 loss to Wales in Cardiff, though Davies expects the seven changes from that team to pose a different challenge.
"It's a completely different team and it's full of very good individuals," Davies said.
"They've got some unbelievable talent in the backs and their forward pack is very powerful.
"There are a few key individuals in their backline we're going to have to keep our eye on to try and keep them quiet, and hopefully that will go a long way to us hopefully getting the win."
This will be Wales' third World Cup semi-final and, having lost at this stage in 1987 and 2011, they will be aiming to create history against South Africa as they bid to reach a first final.
"It's massive. I think it will be everyone's biggest game of our careers so far," Davies added.
"We've been building for a long time now, these past 18-24 months, we've really been building and the World Cup has been at the back of our minds for a long time now.
"We started the tournament pretty well with a couple of good results but we still feel like we've got another big performance in us.
"I don't think we've had one full 80-minute performance yet and we're going to have to have a good 80-minute performance to come away with an important win."
Jonathan Davies says he is on course to play in Wales' World Cup semi-final against South Africa on Sunday.
The 31-year-old centre was hurt during the pool victory over Fiji on 9 October and missed Wales' 2019 quarter-final success against France.
Davies is due to line up against the Springboks after returning to fitness and being named in the side.
"I trained fully on Wednesday and there was no reaction, so it's so far, so good," said the Scarlets star.
Davies had been named in the initial side to start against France, but pulled out before the game after failing to come through the final training session.
The Scarlets centre has again been named in the starting side against the Springboks in Yokohama.
Davies is more upbeat after initially admitting he feared the worst after suffering a knee injury that threatened his World Cup campaign.
"I am confident in it, and I was just glad the scans came back all clear and I've been able to push on and get back fit," said Davies.
"It was sore when he [Wales doctor] was testing it [during the Fiji game], and I did fear the worst to be honest.
"I would like to think I know my own body quite well, and I did have a bad feeling. Thankfully, I don't know it too well! It was good news with the scan.
"On the morning of the [France] game, me and Prav [Mathema, Wales' national medical manager] did a few drills to see if I could get up and running, but I could tell I wasn't right.
"Prav could see it as well, and it was a case of everyone has worked too hard for me to go into the game selfishly, just to play in a quarter-final.
"We made a decision that it was probably best for the team if I didn't play.
"Thankfully, the boys got the job done, but it was absolutely savage watching. It was terrible."
The British and Irish Lions centre will be a key part of Wales' bid to reach a first World Cup final as he resumes his tried-and-tested midfield partnership with Scarlets colleague Hadleigh Parkes.
Davies' last World Cup?
Davies was ruled out of the entire 2015 World Cup because of a knee ligament injury sustained while playing in France for Clermont Auvergne.
"After being injured for the last World Cup, my goal was to make the next one, and I have loved being out here," he added.
"I have been able to get back in the team and hopefully be part of something extremely special.
"There is a lot of belief in this squad - we've competed against and beaten some great teams - so we have to make sure now that there are two more 80 minutes left in us to get to what all this work is about."
At 31, Davies could struggle to make the next World Cup and he acknowledges he is not alone.
"I heard a stat that the team that faced Australia [last month] was the oldest Wales team named at a World Cup," Davies said.
"I am not saying that we are Dad's Army, but I don't know if we are going to have another shot at a World Cup. Everything has been put into this.
"It is not just about the senior boys giving the youngsters confidence. Those young boys are able to come in and say 'yes, I'm used to beating these teams'.
"That gives us confidence in them. It has been a great dynamic, and this group has flourished over the last 18 months to two years.
"It's going to be a big one on Sunday. It's down to us 23 boys to go out there and make sure that we are still fighting for another week."
England are into their first Rugby World Cup final in 12 years after a brilliant demolition of three-time world champions New Zealand.
England had stormed into a 10-0 lead, Manu Tuilagi's second-minute try and a long-range penalty from George Ford fitting reward for a blistering first half.
The 2003 winners could have been out of sight had tries for Sam Underhill and Ben Youngs not been ruled out by the video referee, but when Ardie Savea pounced on a wayward line-out throw to reduce the deficit to 13-7 the three-time world champions were on the charge.
Yet the superb Ford landed a trio of nerveless penalties and with the young dynamos Underhill and Tom Curry outstanding in the back row England held on in style to pull off one of their greatest victories.
The All Blacks had not lost a World Cup game in 12 years and had won 15 of the past 16 games between the two nations.
But England tore the crown from their head with a performance of unremitting energy and excellence on a night for the ages in Yokohama.
England nail perfect 10 in breathless first half
It was a start Eddie Jones' men would have dreamed of.
Anthony Watson escaped down the right, England came in white-shirted waves and after Kyle Sinckler and Courtney Lawes crashed on, Tuilagi dived over from two metres out.
Farrell landed the conversion for 7-0 with only two minutes on the clock - and when Tuilagi picked off a stray pass from Beauden Barrett and found Jonny May accelerating up on his outside shoulder it looked for all the world like a second try, only for flanker Scott Barrett to get across and force the winger inside and into heavy traffic.
The pace was ferocious, England playing with a glorious tempo and precision, New Zealand using full-back Barrett as playmaker as they struggled to exert their usual control.
England went close again before Owen Farrell spilt the ball deep in the opposition 22, and then a possible try for Underhill was correctly ruled out because Curry's run had blocked off two defenders.
But Jones' men were dominating the set-piece and the breakdown, Ford sending a long-range drop goal just to the right of the posts as England searched for the points to match their endeavour.
The points finally came right on the half-time gong after Underhill won a breakdown penalty, and Ford - with Farrell struggling with a leg injury - landed a precious three points from 45 metres out.
Champions dethroned by unremitting England
If 10-0 was the least England's dominance merited, it was a remarkable enough half-time scoreline.
Only once before have the All Blacks failed to score a point in the first half of a World Cup game, and not in 28 years.
Steve Hansen threw on Sam Cane for Scott Barrett in the second period but it was England who appeared to have struck the killer blow when Youngs darted over off a driving maul.
With the most kickable of conversions to come it looked like 17-0 and the game - but as Ford stood over his tee the big screens in the stadium showed a knock-on in the maul, and referee Nigel Owens, in consultation with the TMO, chalked it off to choruses of boos from the vast English support.
But Henry Slade came on for the struggling May and Dan Cole for a spent Sinckler and the white tide came again.
This time it was Billy Vunipola digging for the turnover, and with New Zealand infringing again in front of the posts Ford made it 13-0.
England were dreaming, but with 24 minutes still to go disaster struck.
Jamie George over-threw his line-out jumpers five metres from his own try-line, and Savea ran on to the ball and gratefully flopped over.
With Richie Mo'unga sliding over the conversion it was suddenly 13-7 and the outcome right back in the balance.
In a battle of heavyweights it was England who landed the next jab through Ford's third penalty after another tenderising tackle by the indefatigable Underhill.
And with tournament favourites New Zealand running out of ideas as the game entered its dying moments and English tacklers pummelling their ball-carriers, Jones had pulled off yet another underdog triumph.
Man of the match - Sam Underhill (England)
'We've come here to be world's best'
England head coach Eddie Jones on BBC Radio 5 Live: "What we've done is earn another week in the comp, which is great. I thought our tactical discipline was great, our defensive work-rate was good. I thought when we had opportunities to attack, we attacked well.
"You want to go right to the death and we're in the death now. We've got another week to enjoy ourselves and work as a team. Our players made a commitment to each other that they'd enjoy the World Cup and I think we're seeing that.
"Whenever you play against New Zealand, you're never happy. You might beat them on the scoreboard but you never really beat them. They kept coming at us and we needed to dig deep and a find a bit extra.
"We've come here to be the world's best and we haven't done that yet, so that's where we need to go."
New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen: "Congratulations to England - they played a tremendous game of footy and deserved to win. You cannot give them half a step, but they took it.
"I am really proud of our team. They have done a tremendous job, but we were not good enough. We take it on the chin. The boys tried their guts out and I am proud of them."
Reaction - 'England close to invincible'
England World Cup winner Matt Dawson on BBC Radio 5 Live: "They are now in the final, which makes this next week so much easier, so much more relaxed. They don't need to do much work; they can rest up, focus on the opposition, do loads of video analysis - if they do the detail for next week as much as they did today they are close to invincible."
Former England fly-half Paul Grayson: "England got it absolutely right. The quality of some of the tackling - you were never two passes away from a dominant hit and they picked when to go in and compete almost perfectly. England spent the whole of the second half forcing New Zealand to play out from their own third. They were physically and mentally dominant today."
Former New Zealand fly-half Andrew Mehrtens: "Steve Hansen has been part of a group that has left them in a position for sustainable success. He's broadened and strengthened the depth of the squad. He's done amazing things for New Zealand rugby, so he won't be judged for this performance, but he'll be bitterly disappointed.
"New Zealand haven't been exposed to that level of physicality and intensity maybe since 2012. England were able to shut down the key players tonight."
England end All Blacks' winning run - the stats
England: Daly; Watson, Tuilagi, Farrell (capt), May; Ford, Youngs; M Vunipola, George, Sinckler, Itoje, Lawes, Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola.
CHIBA, Japan – Following Thursday’s frenzy when 17,000 fans crowded onto Narashino Country Club to get a glimpse of Tiger Woods, Saturday’s second round of the Zozo Championship was surreal and subdued.
After Typhoon Bualoi washed out play Friday, officials closed the course to spectators for Round 2. It was a dramatic contrast to what players had expected, particularly Woods.
“When you make a putt and you kind of put your hand up, you're like, hmm, don't really need to put your hand up because there's no one clapping,” said Woods, who leads Gary Woodland by two strokes following his second-consecutive 64.
This is the second time Woods has played in front of an empty house during a PGA Tour event. Officials closed Congressional during the third round of the 2012 AT&T National after an overnight storm damaged dozen of trees.
There was a lighthearted moment early in Woods’ round when fans crowded behind a fence behind the fourth tee.
The course was closed to spectators for Saturday's second round of the Zozo Championship. But that didn't stop the fans from showing up.
“I was a little startled when they were yelling because we didn't expect it,” Woods said. “We heard them there at [No. 4], we heard them at 13. They were on the outside, but they were trying to be a part of the event and tomorrow they get to do that.”
Officials are expecting a sellout crowd of 20,000 for Sunday.
CHIBA, Japan – During Tiger Woods’ comeback in 2018, Woods talked of incremental accomplishments that tested his fused back and fueled his confidence. He will have another one of those moments Sunday at the Zozo Championship.
Because of Friday’s washout due to Typhoon Bualoi, players are scheduled to play until darkness Sunday, which for Woods means 27 or more holes on a left knee he had surgically repaired in August.
“It's just going to be a long day,” Woods said following his second-consecutive 64 Saturday that lifted him to a two-stroke lead. “That's nice going into a long day like tomorrow because it's going to be a bit of a test physically and mentally to play for, what, up to 10 hours.”
Players won’t be re-paired after the third round and Woods will likely have about nine holes remaining on Monday to finish the event. The key for the 43-year-old will be staying loose like he did during the second round when play slowed at the par-5 14th hole.
“You could see all the players, they're talking, being fidgety, moving around, stretching,” Woods said of the wait that lasted nearly 20 minutes. “I think tomorrow's going to be the same thing. We're going to hopefully not have too long a break between rounds, go right back out there and get after it.”
Woods is scheduled to tee off for Round 3 at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday with Gary Woodland and Keegan Bradley.
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