BREWERTON, N.Y. – Pat Ward bested Larry Wight to win Friday night’s 35-lap Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Modified feature at Brewerton Speedway.

Ward beat Wight to the checkered flag at the third-mile, moderately-banked dirt oval, with Jimmy Phelps, Billy Decker and Ron Davis III completing the top five.

Billy Clark Jr. and Corey Barker split wins in a pair of 25-lap DIRTcar Sportsman features, with Casey Sykes topping the Mod Lite class and Chris Bonoffski winning the 15-lap 4-Cylinder main event.

Logan McNitt came out on top of the 4&6 Cylinder Demolition Derby, and Shawn Aman survived the Small Truck and Mini-Van Demolition Derby.

The finish:

Pat Ward, Larry Wight, Jimmy Phelps, Billy Decker, Ron Davis III, Tim Sears Jr., Joe August, Roy Bresnahan, Tom Sears Jr., Jim Witko, Matt Hulsizer, Rob Bellinger, Tyler Trump, Tim Harris, Katelyn Hile, Jason Occhino, Nick Krause, Chad Phelps, Andrew Ferguson, Chris Hile, Tim Kerr.

LAKE ODESSA, Mich. – The American Ethanol Late Model Tour took on I-96 Speedway for the first time this season during the Battle of Speed 40 presented by Zook Farm Equipment on Friday night.

Coming into the event, seven different drivers had found victory lane, with five of them marking their first ever AELMT victory – and that trend continued again this time out with a win by David Mielke.

A stacked first three rows, including Brandon Thirlby, Logan Arntz and Travis Stemler, were all looking to become the first repeat winner of the season.

Stemler and Mielke led the field to the green flag, with Stemler jumping out to the early race lead. However, the caution flag waved soon after, as Thirlby was bitten by the cushion that lined I-96 Speedway, rolling his nose piece up and under the right front of the car.

He slowed going into turn three, bringing out the first caution of the night.

On the restart, Stemler went back to work, jumping back out front, setting his sights on the chance to become a repeat winner. Those hopes quickly vanished when, on lap 10, Stemler became the next victim of the Speedway, busting up his nose piece, and spinning off the top of turn three.

That handed things over to Logan Arntz for the restart.

Arntz took off with the lead over Mielke, and was looking like the man to beat for the $4,000 pay day as he lead through the halfway point over Mielke and Jeep VanWormer.

All that changed when Arntz slipped up coming off the second corner, allowing Mielke to get to his inside. Mielke charged to the lead just before the caution flew once again for Thirlby.

From there, Mielke held on to collect his first career AELMT feature win, making him the eighth different driver to go to victory lane and the sixth first-time winner of the season.

Mielke bested a hard-charging VanWormer, who came from seventh on the grid, and a determined Chad Finley, who recovered from a near spin with less than 10 laps to go.

Arntz and Ryan VanderVeen rounded out the top five.

STAFFORD SPRINGS, Conn. – Ronnie Williams became the first two-time winner of the NAPA Auto Parts SK 5k on Friday night at Stafford Motor Speedway.

In the 100-lap NAPA Auto Parts SK 5K feature event, Marcello Rufrano took the lead at the green with Tyler Hines in second. Hines would lose second to Joey Cipriano on lap two, while Troy Talman was fourth and Williams was quickly up to fifth.

With 20 laps complete, Rufrano was still in the lead ahead of Cipriano, Mike Christopher Jr., Talman, and Hines. However, the caution flew with 26 laps scored, as Nick Salva spun coming out of turn four and John Studley and Kenny Horton got into the wall behind him.

Christopher made a two-wide move coming out of turn two on the restart to nearly take the lead, but ended up locked in a side by side duel with Cipriano for the lead. Christopher cleared Cipriano on lap 29, while Rufrano fell back to third in line.

Andrew Molleur spun in turn four to bring the caution back out with 36 laps complete.

Christopher took the lead back under green with Rufrano in second. Todd Owen took second from Rufrano on lap 39 with a forceful pass in turn four, while behind them Chase Dowling was up to fourth and Keith Rocco took fifth as Rufrano slid back to sixth.

Tyler Leary and Stephen Kopcik got into the turn two wall to bring the caution back out with 40 laps complete.

Owen got a push from Dowling to take the lead on the restart, but the lap wasn’t completed before the caution came back out for a multi-car incident.

Christopher and Owen went wheel to wheel for the lead when the green flag returned, with Dowling in third behind him. Owen got clear to the lead on lap 42 but Christopher was all over his back bumper in second.

Dowling took second from Christopher on lap 56 as Owen was still in command. Dowling completed his charge to the front of the field by taking the lead from Owen on lap 60.

With Dowling and Owen dicing for the lead, Christopher was able to close in on the two leaders and make it a three-car fight for the lead. Christopher got by Owen to take second on lap 63, but he lost the spot on lap 65 as his car appeared to momentarily lose power.

Christopher came back up to speed in third, but the caution flew with 69 laps complete for a spin in turn four by Kenny Horton.

Christopher’s car stumbled on the restart and he fell back several spots, but the caution flew again before a lap could be completed for a spin in turn three by Rufrano. Under the caution, Christopher came to pit road for his crew went to diagnose his issues.

Owen got a good run on the outside of Dowling to take the lead on the restart. Rocco followed in Owen’s tire tracks in the outside lane, and he pulled even with Dowling for second. Rocco cleared Dowling and then took the lead from Owen on lap 72.

Another multi-car incident at the entrance to turn one then brought the caution back out with 73 laps complete.

Rocco took the lead on the restart, with Dowling coming back up to second. Owen and Tony Membrino Jr. went through the frontstretch infield on lap 77, but both cars kept going and the race stayed green.

Williams went by Dowling to move into second on lap 83, and he began to set his sights on Rocco for the lead. Williams was about a tenth of a second a lap quicker than Rocco and with 13 laps to go, he was right on Rocco’s back bumper.

Williams dove to the inside of Rocco on lap 90 but wasn’t able to complete the pass as Rocco charged back out front. Williams again tried an inside move on lap 92, but Rocco was able to fend off that challenge as well.

Williams again made a turn three move and the two leaders were side by side at the line as they completed lap 93. They were still side by side on lap 94 before Williams fell back behind Rocco on lap 95. Williams got back to Rocco’s inside on lap 98 and took the lead by a nose at the line.

Williams edged ahead of Rocco in turns three and four on the final lap and he beat Rocco to the checkered flag by half a car length.

Dowling finished third, with Cipriano and Molleur rounding out the top five.

Al Saunders held off Tom Fearn in the late model feature to score his second win of the year, while Teddy Hodgdon locked down his second win of the year in the SK Light division.

Jeremy Lavoie reached victory lane for the third time this season in the limited late model class, and George Bessette Jr. notched his second Street Stock win of the year.

The finish:

Ronnie Williams, Keith Rocco, Chase Dowling, Joey Cipriano, Andrew Molleur, Marcello Rufrano, David Arute, Tony Membrino Jr., Todd Owen, Tyler Hines, Ed Spiers, Tyler Leary, Dan Wesson, Cory DiMatteo, Tom Bolles, Michael Gervais Jr., Troy Talman, Nick Salva, Matt Galko, Kenny Horton, Michael Christopher Jr., Dan Avery, Matt Vassar, Glen Reen, Eric Berndt, Stephen Kopcik, John Studley.

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Lance Dewease pocketed his 96th career sprint car win at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night with a flag to flag performance in the Pennsylvania Speedweek opener.

Dewease’s victory was worth $5,000 aboard the Don Kreitz Jr.-owned No. 69k.

The Fayetteville driver took the victory by a 7.571-second margin over Brian Montieth in what was a nonstop event. The win was the 27th Dewease’s career in Speedweek action.

Dewease took the lead from the pole of the 25-lap 410 sprint car main with TJ Stutts giving chase.

Fifth starter Brian Montieth was up to third by lap seven, and the leaders entered the rear of the field on the eighth tour, with Dewease holding a half straightaway lead.

Dewease had a 2.5-second advantage at the halfway point as Montieth began to battle with Stutts for second. The pair swapped the spot twice with 10 laps to go, before Montieth finally took the spot for keeps.

Seventh starter Freddie Rahmer continued his advancement forward on lap 17 by taking third from Stutts, but only after the two made contact on the frontstretch.

By lap 20, Dewease had a commanding straightaway lead that was growing with every lap, and he would continue to stretch his advantage all the way to the finish.

Dewease lapped up to the 12th spot before the checkers unfurled, impressive considering he and his crew replaced the rear end in the car between his heat race and the main event.

Montieth was second in the race, followed by Rahmer, Lucas Wolfe and Stutts.

Sixth through 10th went to Danny Dietrich, Anthony Macri, Robbie Kendall, Cory Haas and Kyle Reinhardt.

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart made the main event and finished 15th aboard his familiar No. 14.

In the 358 sprint car main, Doug Hammaker drove by Kevin Nouse to get his second win of the year at the track in as many weeks.

The finish:

1. Lance Dewease, 2. Brian Montieth, 3. Freddie Rahmer, 4. Lucas Wolfe, 5. TJ Stutts, 6. Danny Dietrich, 7. Anthony Macri, 8. Robbie Kendall, 9. Cory Haas, 10. Kyle Reinhardt, 11. Chad Trout, 12. Ryan Smith, 13. Brandon Rahmer, 14. Dylan Cisney, 15. Tony Stewart, 16. Jared Esh, 17. Adrian Shaffer, 18. Darren Mollenoyux, 19. Jessie Attard, 20. Mark Smith, 21. Chase Dietz, 22. Tim Wagaman, 23. Steve Buckwalter, 24. Logan Wagner

JACKSON, Minn. – Carson Macedo officially led the distance of Friday’s 30-lap World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series main event at Jackson Motorplex.

However, the Californian’s win during the 41st annual AGCO Jackson Nationals was anything but simple.

Macedo held off multiple bids for the lead and a slew of slide job attempts from Daryn Pittman and Logan Schuchart to score his second Outlaws triumph of the season.

Macedo garnered the pole position for the A-main after winning the dash. He quickly took the top spot once the green flag waved on the non-stop main event. Macedo entered traffic around lap eight, but things got extremely dicey during the final dozen laps.

With 12 laps to go, Schuchart slid Macedo for the lead in turns one and two, but Macedo returned the move in turns three and four, edging Schuchart at the flagstand by .055 seconds.

It was the tightest move of the race for Macedo, who not only overcame close racing with Schuchart and Pittman, but thick traffic as well.

“We raced each other pretty hard,” Macedo said. “My guys are doing a great job. We got into the dash after a tough heat race. We picked off laps from there.”

Pittman and Schuchart waged war in the final handful of laps for the runner-up position, with Pittman coming out on top.

“Our car is really good,” Pittman said. “Carson did a great job. He got through traffic really well.”

Schuchart rounded out the podium.

“Carson ran a great race and picked his lines good,” Schuchart noted. “He’s really tough and so is Daryn and all these guys out here.”

Brad Sweet, who won the AGCO Jackson Nationals opener on Thursday, finished fourth with Ian Madsen rounding out the top five.

David Gravel and Madsen set quick time during their qualifying groups to kick off the action. Gravel, Schuchart, Madsen and Pittman were the heat race winners.

Tasker Phillips claimed the C-main and Jason Sides won the Last Chance Showdown. Shane Stewart took the KSE Hard Charger Award after maneuvering from 11th to seventh.

Macedo joined Heartland Steel RaceSaver sprint cars presented by Wyffels Hybrids feature winner Bill Johnson as drivers who were victorious during the second round of the event.

The finish:

1. 2-Carson Macedo (1); 2. 83-Daryn Pittman (2); 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart (3); 4. 49-Brad Sweet (5); 5. 18-Ian Madsen (4); 6. 41-David Gravel (6); 7. 5-Shane Stewart (11); 8. 15-Donny Schatz (8); 9. 1A-Jacob Allen (7); 10. 09-Matt Juhl (10); 11. 7-Justin Henderson (14); 12. 4-Terry McCarl (13); 13. 49X-Tim Shaffer (15); 14. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (18); 15. 41S-Giovanni Scelzi (17); 16. 11K-Kraig Kinser (12); 17. 3-Jac Haudenschild (16); 18. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey (19); 19. 44S-Trey Starks (22); 20. 2KS-Austin McCarl (23); 21. 55-Brooke Tatnell (20); 22. 19-Brent Marks (24); 23. 7S-Jason Sides (21); 24. 19P-Paige Polyak (9).

Argentina captain Lionel Messi admitted he is struggling at the Copa America as he and La Albiceleste look ahead to a marquee semifinal clash against tournament hosts Brazil.

"It is not my best Copa America, I am not having the one I had hoped," the Barcelona star said after Argentina's 2-0 quarterfinal win over Venezuela. "The important thing is that we won."

Striker Lautaro Martinez scored for the second game running to put Argentina in front in the 10th minute with a clever back-heeled finish, while substitute Giovani Lo Celso scored Argentina's badly-needed second goal in the 74th minute on a loose ball that squirmed through the hands of Venezuela goalkeeper Wuilker Farinez.

- Marcotti: Argentina learning to play with, not just near, Messi
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Messi has only scored once at the tournament in which Argentina have struggled offensively. They scraped into the last eight with a nervy 2-0 win over Qatar in their final group-stage game after losing to Colombia and drawing with Paraguay.

The six-time Pichichi Trophy winner added that he knew that Venezuela "were going to shut it down and look for the counter."

"We controlled the game from the beginning, the first goal came and from there we became ourselves," the man from Rosario said. "In the second half, we knew they were going to move forward and leave spaces. We were firm throughout the game, it was a complete game."

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni did not want to be drawn on Messi's poor display in the post-game news conference but said his presence alone is good for the team.

"Messi's contribution on the pitch is essential, if you could see what he gives us in the dressing room you'd think differently. I assure you it's great to have him here," Scaloni said.

When further pressed on Messi's poor form, Scaloni replied curtly: "All there is to say about Leo is he's the best in the world."

Friday's win at the Maracana marked the first time that Messi had played at the famed Rio de Janeiro stadium since the 2014 World Cup final loss to Germany. He blasted the condition of the field on Friday, calling it an "embarrassment."

"It doesn't help to play the ball fast and you always need some time because it doesn't roll well," Messi said. "In all the pitches, the ball appears to be like a rabbit, it bounces all over the place. It is how it is and we have to adapt."

With the victory of La Vinotinto, Argentina will now face eternal rivals Brazil for the first time in the tournament since the 2007 final, which they lost 3-0.

"We are happy to get to the semifinals. We have Brazil and it will be a tough opponent because they have great players. At a collective and individual level, they're strong plus they are the hosts. Today I believe we gave another step forward."

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

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SAN DIEGO -- St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Marcell Ozuna will be placed on the injured list after injuring the middle finger on his right hand Friday night against the San Diego Padres.

Ozuna suffered the injury when he dived back into first base while being picked off in the third inning. He had X-rays at the ballpark, but St. Louis manager Mike Schildt declined to say if he had a fracture.

"We're not committed to be able to say that at this point," Schildt said after the Cardinals' 3-1 loss. "Clearly it's significant enough where he's got to go on the IL."

Ozuna, who was replaced in left field by Yairo Munoz, is hitting .259 with 20 homers and 62 RBIs.

"It's a dent for sure," Schildt said. "He's a guy who's had an All-Star-caliber first half, for sure, in all facets of the game. ... We've got to figure out a way to replace him."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

BALTIMORE -- It couldn't possibly happen.

I mean, there's no earthly way that the Baltimore Orioles, who are on pace to lose 116 games, could have more than one All-Star, right? After all, they're the worst team in baseball, and it's not particularly close. In fact, if you look through run-differential-colored glasses, they're on pace to be the worst team in the modern baseball history: Through 81 games, the O's are at minus-178 (and that's after a shocking 13-0 beatdown of the Cleveland Indians on Friday). If you multiply that by two, you get minus-356, which would break the record currently held by the 1932 Red Sox (minus-349). So how in the wide world of sports could a team like that possibly have multiple All-Stars?

John Means, that's how.

It has been widely accepted for weeks now that Trey Mancini, Baltimore's slugging outfielder/first baseman, would be the team's one and only representative at this year Midsummer Classic. Mancini, who finished a distant 15th among AL outfielders in the primary election (the top nine finishers had a run-off to determine the three OF starters), has been solid from the get-go this season. Entering Friday, his .904 OPS ranked third among American League outfielders, and his 1.6 WAR ranked eighth. Clearly, if you're mining for Orioles All-Stars, Mancini is the only logical choice.

Or is he?

On Friday against Cleveland, Means -- who missed his last start because of shoulder issues -- did what he has been doing all season long, keeping hitters off balance by mixing his low 90s fastball and good-not-great slider with a vastly improved changeup that has become a legit out pitch for the 26-year old rookie. The result was five shutout frames against a surging Indians squad that has been treating hurlers pretty rudely of late. But on Friday, the Tribe couldn't get anything going. In other words, it was business as usual for Means.

Including his outing against Cleveland, the left-hander has a crisp and clean 2.50 ERA that ranks third among American League starters. Well, it would rank third if Means had enough innings to qualify. But thanks to his recent injured list stint, plus the fact he spent the first couple of weeks of the season in the bullpen, he's about five innings short of qualifying. When it comes time for All-Star reserves (and pitchers) to be announced on Sunday evening, there's a good chance that Means' relatively light workload leaves him on the outside looking in.

"Does he have enough starts?" said manager Brandon Hyde when asked about his pitcher's All-Star credentials following Baltimore's win on Friday. "I mean, he's 7-4 with a 2.50. I haven't even seen his stat pack, so I don't know where he ranks. But I'm sure it's up there. I think if he would've started the year in the rotation, and maybe didn't get this last 10-day IL stint, I think he'd get a little more consideration. But I do feel like he's pitching like an All-Star pitcher. He's giving us All-Star starts."

In a world where skippers are constantly stumping for their own players to make the Midsummer Classic, Hyde's candid comments suggest that, in all likelihood, Means won't get the nod. It doesn't help that his FIP (fielding independent pitching) entering the Indians series stood at 4.09, suggesting that there's probably a bit of smoke and mirrors when it comes to Means' success in traditional stat categories like ERA.

It also doesn't help that, when it comes to the All-Star Game, prolific cellar dwellers like the Orioles don't typically find themselves flooded with extra invites. In fact, here's the complete list of teams that entered the All-Star break with a winning percentage below .300 but still managed to have multiple All-Stars (courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau):

1935 St. Louis Browns (Rollie Hemsley, Sammy West)

1939 St. Louis Browns (Myril Hoag, George McQuinn)

The bad news, if you're John Means, is that it has been 80 years since a team as bad as the Birds had more than one All-Star. The good news is that the St. Louis Browns moved in 1954 and became ... the Baltimore Orioles. In other words, the O's franchise has a historical penchant for flooding All-Star rosters while being terrible.

The other good news is that pitchers, more than any other position, tend to bow out of the All-Star Game. Sometimes it's an injury thing. Other times, it's an "I just pitched on Sunday so thanks but no thanks" kind of thing. Last year, a total of six pitchers bagged on the Midsummer Classic, and six replacements took their spots. So it's entirely possible that even if Means' name doesn't get called on this Sunday's selection show, it still might get called in the week that follows. For what it's worth, Means isn't losing sleep over any of this.

"Being a major league All-Star didn't even cross my mind when I was starting the season," says the rookie who was never an All-Star in five minor league seasons. "I just try to go out there and get this team a win."

Standing in the locker room at Camden Yards and wearing an orange floppy hat that will be Saturday's giveaway, Means admits that the subject has come up in the clubhouse. That his teammates have been busting his chops a little bit about the possibility -- however remote it might be -- of him being an All-Star. Included among the chop-busters is the one Oriole who's practically a lock to go to Cleveland.

"Trey is every bit of an All-Star," Means says of Mancini. "That guy is having a really good season. He definitely is going, a hundred percent."

As for Means, he's just happy to be eligible.

"Beginning of the season, I didn't even think I was going to make the team," he says. "Just being up here and being able to pitch in the big leagues, it's really a dream come true."

The blow of having to miss this season is eased by the opportunity which awaits in 2020, insists injured heptathlete

Niamh Emerson says the disappointment of having to miss a big summer through injury is being eased by the thought of 2020 offering an even greater opportunity.

The world under-20 heptathlon champion underwent surgery on her knee at the beginning of this month after partially tearing her patella tendon while competing at the Hypomeeting in Götzis.

Emerson’s aim in Austria had been to achieve the heptathlon qualification mark for the IAAF World Championships in Doha but the 20-year-old was forced to withdraw during the high jump and has now refocused on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“Having to miss this year is really upsetting, but because there’s an even bigger year next year, that makes it a bit better,” says Emerson, who secured European indoor pentathlon silver behind her fellow Briton Katarina Johnson-Thompson in Glasgow in March.

“Because you can look forward to that and I can put everything into the Olympics, that is my ultimate goal. It’s kind of like I’ve sacrificed this (summer) for that.

“It’s very achievable to be fully back and get a full winter hopefully uninterrupted. That’s what’s keeping me going, really.”

Emerson, who also claimed Commonwealth bronze in Australia last year before winning her under-20 title in Finland in the summer, has suffered with knee problems in the past and says her surgery should also help to fix that.

“The operation I actually had was for my tendonitis over the past three years and the partial tear in my tendon, so I kind of got two operations done in one which makes me a little bit optimistic,” she explains.

“We kind of see it as… it’s not a blessing, it’s rubbish, but I did have this longstanding tendonitis which did need to get sorted and I’ve also had quite a few injuries so I think it’s my body saying slow down a bit. I’m still just 20, I had quite a few little niggles and I think I just need time for them to settle down. I can use this opportunity to do so.”

Emerson, who is studying psychology at Loughborough University, has also already been putting her time on the sidelines to good use.

“It has worked out quite well timing wise because as soon as I had my operation, my exams started,” says the second-year student. “I was bed-bound so it was no excuse, you have to revise!

“It actually worked out because it forced me to sit on my laptop and revise.”

Speaking with AW after the Hypomeeting, London 2012 Olympic champion and British record-holder Jessica Ennis-Hill said she was “devastated” for Emerson but the David Feeney-coached athlete says she has been inspired by seeing how Ennis-Hill achieved success after her own injury struggles.

“In 2012 I was only 13 so I didn’t really understand,” she says. “Now when you go through something where you have to miss quite a lot of time and it’s quite a big deal, it shows you how amazing her performance was and it puts it in perspective, what her performance actually meant.

“I think it’s really nice to see somebody you look up to has already done it. It’s quite inspiring.”