JOLIET, Ill. – Terry McMillen sees his recent struggles at the past two NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series races as a minor roadblock for what he believes will be another productive season.

He also thinks his team is due for its first win of the season and nothing would make the fan-favorite driver happier than to see it come at the 22nd annual Route 66 NHRA Nationals, which takes place May 30-June 2 at state-of-the-art Route 66 Raceway.

The Chicago-area native always has this race circled on his calendar, hoping to put together his third career victory and first at Route 66 Raceway in his 10,000-horsepower AMALIE Motor Oil XTERMIGATOR dragster. After a strong start to open his season, a win would also put McMillen and his team back on a good track heading to a rigorous four-race stretch.

“I still believe we are a win waiting to happen,” McMillen said. “It would be nice to get it where I grew up. I’m not going to lie, getting a win anywhere would be awesome, but Chicago is special. It’s a great facility and I’ve always had great times there. I’m pretty confident going into Chicago, but you could have a 16-car field with everyone in the 3.70s real easily. I think we’re in good shape and I’m hoping we move up in points. While the quality of Top Fuel cars is awesome and you look how close everybody is, we have a car with a lot of potential and can win on raceday.”

Clay Millican (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event. It is the ninth of 24 events during the NHRA season and with the opening day of the race starting with an exciting Friday Night On Fire, McMillen knows he’ll have to be in top form immediately.

Friday’s nitro sessions start at 9 p.m., which gives the standouts in Top Fuel and Funny Car a chance to perform under the lights. That means a field filled with quick runs, but McMillen and his team, led by crew chief Rob Wendland, feel like they have things in order after failing to qualify in Atlanta and falling in the first round on Sunday in Richmond. But McMillen is confident his team made significant progress over the weekend, which should pay dividends in Chicago.

“We want to have success right away in Chicago and that means rolling the car off the trailer and going down the track on the first pass,” McMillen said. “That sets the tone for the entire weekend and when we do those things, we get stronger. One thing I’ve always said is the more opportunities you give Rob Wendland to go down the racetrack, he’s going to figure it out and get down the track. Moving forward, we know what we need to do. Going into Chicago, I feel real confident that all the right parts and pieces are in place, and it’s just a matter of getting that first run in.”

Up to Atlanta, McMillen had performed well, advancing to a final round and a semifinal in the first six races. He believes those type of performances are about to return, even as McMillen, who is ninth in Top Fuel points, will face off with the likes of Millican, defending world champion Steve Torrence, who has won three straight races, Antron Brown, Richie Crampton, Doug Kalitta, Brittany Force and Leah Pritchett. His team has shown impressive resolve through this two-race hiccup, giving McMillen all the indication he needs to see when it comes to turning things around.

“What’s really exceptional with our team is, when there’s adversity, they work twice as hard,” McMillen said. “They’re doing their due diligence. I don’t think we really did bad (in Virginia). We know the changes we’ll make going forward. We haven’t seen the track temperatures in this car we saw in Virginia, so it’s just a matter of keep doing what we’re doing and it will turn around. We’re picking away at each area and it’s just a matter of getting to know our car a little better.”

SPEED SPORT’s Jacob Seelman catches up with James McFadden, who is driving the Kasey Kahne Racing No. 9 in place of injured team owner and driver Kasey Kahne.

INDIANAPOLIS – Simon Pagenaud is now a member of one of the most exclusive clubs on Earth and the only members of that club are winners of the Indianapolis 500.

Pagenaud became the latest member of that exclusive group when he scored his first Indianapolis 500 win in an epic battle to the finish during the 103rd Indianapolis 500 on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“Last night, Rick Mears was one of the first to text me, ‘Welcome to the club,’” Pagenaud said Monday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, referring to the last four-time winner of the Indy 500. “Helio (Castroneves) obviously. T.K. (Tony Kanaan) when I left for the parade lap in the convertible at the end. Takuma (Sato) – they all texted me saying, ‘Welcome to the club.’

“I didn’t really get it then.”

The messages kept coming.

“Gil de Ferran last night was in tears, calling, sending me messages, ‘Welcome to the club.’ Again, Will Power. Dario Franchitti this morning sent me a message.

“It’s amazing, all these guys I looked up to, ‘Welcome to the club.’

“When you accomplish your dream, it’s phenomenal. It will be great, when I have kids, I can say, ‘Hey, I did this.’ When they have kids, ‘Hey, grandpa did whatever.”

“It’s just great to be able to think that.”

Pagenaud’s entry into the exclusive Indianapolis 500 winner’s club came after a long, hard battle with the fiercely determined Alexander Rossi over the final 13 laps of Sunday’s Indianapolis 500. The two drivers relentlessly traded the lead with some spectacular passes.

Pagenaud made the race-winning pass when he zoomed past Rossi’s Honda with one-and-a-half laps to go entering turn three.

He took the checkered flag just .2086-of-a-second ahead of Rossi. It was a long journey for the Team Penske driver to get there.

“In 2007, I really questioned my career,” Pagenaud recalled. “Champ Car folded, so I wasn’t really known in the IRL (Indy Racing League) paddock. When IndyCar formed, it was very difficult for me to have connection. People didn’t know my worth. I decided to try the sports car route. There seemed to be more opportunities for me there at the time.

“That’s when in April of 2008, I thought I was going to pack up and go back to France and do something else. Gil de Ferran called, and Honda came to the rescue with the Acura program.

“It’s quite fitting that I’m driving for them in sports cars, as well, now with Team Penske and Acura. It was a very tough time on my career because there were a lot of doubts. It wasn’t about talent. It wasn’t about anything else than having an opportunity and showing it in the car.

“I went to sports cars, did really well there. Then with the help of Honda, I came back to IndyCar with Sam Schmidt who gave me a real break. That was my real first break in IndyCar. Obviously, I did three races, Dreyer & Reinbold, Dennis gave me the opportunity to know what I could do. That opened the doors for the Honda deal with Sam Schmidt.

“It’s funny how things just take their place. After a few races, I was already in touch with Roger (Penske). That was my dream. It’s always been my dream to go to Team Penske. Certainly, my career with Sam, Honda really was a steppingstone going up and going to Team Penske.”

That is one reason why his conversation with de Ferran was so gratifying and emotional.

“I saw him before the race and was already really proud for the pole,” Pagenaud said. “He said, ‘Man, I’ve been watching. You’re the best out there. Go get it.’

“I had a lot of support from him throughout the years. He’s been a very important part of my improvement, my development as a driver.

“Without him, I don’t think I would have unlocked so much potential. So, he has definitely a very special place in my heart.

“I sent a message. I said, ‘Thank you for everything, all your advice worked.’”

On Monday night, Pagenaud is expected to collect $2.5 million for his victory at the annual Indianapolis 500 Victory Awards Celebration at the JW Marriott.

“I’m looking forward to getting a Corvette,” Pagenaud said of the Pace Car, which is given annually to the Indianapolis 500 winner. “That’s pretty cool. I get a Corvette, wine color, burgundy. It was meant to be, I guess. I’m looking forward to that.

“I’m looking forward to celebrate with my peers tonight, see the car on stage. I think that’s going to be when I realize what’s happened. Look forward to going to New York tomorrow. We will see what we do there. I think there’s going to be quite a bit of attendance. I’m excited about that.

“My face on the trophy. Taking the trophy to France would be very special. That’s just because that’s where I was born. Obviously, it would be a special moment.”

Pagenaud hasn’t stopped celebrating since he stopped at the Yard of Bricks instead of victory Llne at the end of the Indianapolis 500. He wanted to share the moment with the fans, rather than go to victory lane first.

It was his way of entering the Indianapolis 500 winner’s club.

“This place is mythical,” Pagenaud said of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “When you win, you’re part of the history. I just feel super honored. It doesn’t feel real because I don’t hold myself up high like that, I don’t believe in myself as somebody special. It doesn’t feel right to say it even.

“Quite frankly, I’m not quite done with my career. I just turned 35. I have more than a decade ahead of me. So, I’ll be here for a while.”

St. Louis Blues defenseman Vince Dunn will not play Monday night in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final because of an upper-body injury.

Blues coach Craig Berube also announced that rookie forward Robert Thomas, who is dealing with an undisclosed injury, will play Monday night against the Bruins.

This will be Dunn's fourth straight game missed with the injury after he took a puck to the face in Game 3 of the Western Conference final.

Berube said Dunn is still considered day-to-day but that he is close to a return. Dunn practiced Monday for the third consecutive day and shed the full face shield he skated with over the weekend in favor of a regular visor.

Asked if Dunn was talking better, captain Alex Pietrangelo joked, "Yeah, his teeth are coming in.''

Dunn had 12 goals and 23 assists this season with a plus/minus of 14. He has two goals and five assists this postseason with a plus/minus of minus-3.

Thomas, 19, had nine goals and 24 assists during the regular season and has a goal and five assists in the postseason.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Aston Villa returned to the Premier League as goals from Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn earned a 2-1 victory over Frank Lampard's Derby side in the Championship playoff final at Wembley Stadium.

El Ghazi made the breakthrough when he diverted in a cross just before the break, and McGinn capitalised on hesitation from keeper Kelle Roos to seal the win for Villa, who held on after Jack Marriott had pulled one back late on.

Villa created the first chance after five minutes when, from a Jack Grealish cross, Axel Tuanzebe scuffed his attempt when the ball fell to him inside the area.

Soon afterward, Grealish, with space to run into after a loose clearance from keeper Roos caused problems, blasted over.

Derby's Jayden Bogle fired in a dangerous low cross that created confusion, but back came Villa, and El Ghazi's run took him into the area before Richard Keogh ended the threat.

McGinn thumped wide after an El Ghazi cross had caused confusion, and El Ghazi was booked for fouling Bogle only for Derby to waste the free kick.

Villa's on-loan Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham, who had struggled for chances in the opening stages, worked space but shot over after 33 minutes.

Mason Mount, on loan at Derby from Chelsea, had the first effort on target after 37 minutes when his drive was held by Jed Steer.

But Villa made the breakthrough close to half-time, Albert Adomah's cross from the right diverted in by El Ghazi.

Mount went into the book in the early stages of the second half for a foul on Abraham, Villa annoyed that advantage was not played with a swift counter-attack developing.

Conor Hourihane's free kick forced Roos to punch clear as Tyrone Mings closed in, but Villa doubled their lead after 59 minutes when the Derby keeper wanted too much time to claim El-Ghazi's deflected shot and McGinn jumped to head in.

Lampard responded, taking off Tom Huddlestone and replacing him with Marriott, but it was Villa who threatened again when Grealish shot wide.

Another forward, Martyn Waghorn, came on for Derby as the game headed toward its final 20 minutes, Mount making way, but Lampard's side were showing few signs of finding a way back.

Bogle fired into the side netting from an angle with teammates well placed in the middle, and then Mount miscued after neat buildup play on the edge of the Villa area.

Derby and Lampard had new hope after 81 minutes when Marriott finished from close range following a spell of pressure. But despite seven minutes of stoppage time being added, they could not find an equaliser.

United States international Matthew Olosunde is set to leave Manchester United this summer, sources have told ESPN FC.

The 21-year-old, who arrived at Old Trafford from New York Red Bulls in January 2016, is looking for a new club after United decided against renewing his contract.

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Olosunde is keen to continue his career in Europe -- preferably in England -- rather than return to the US.

The defender, who made his senior international debut against Bolivia in May 2018, has played for United's Under-23s and was part of the first team squad for games against Arsenal and Tottenham under former boss Jose Mourinho in 2017, although he never made a senior appearance.

Striker James Wilson is also set to leave the club this summer when his contract expires on June 30. The 23-year-old, who made 20 first team appearances, spent last season on loan at Aberdeen, scoring three goals in 23 games.

Wilson scored twice on his full United debut in a 3-1 win over Hull City in 2014.

Sebastian Soto scored twice as the United States picked up a crucial 2-0 win against Nigeria in its second match at the 2019 Under-20 World Cup on Monday.

The Americans came into the match needing a result after a disappointing 2-1 loss to Ukraine in its opening match of group play and Tab Ramos' team started the game brightly, controlling most of the possession and staying on the front foot from the opening whistle.

That strong start yielded a goal in the 18th minute when Soto lost his defender and smashed a header past Nigeria keeper Olawale Oremade from a corner kick to make it 1-0.

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Soto looked to have doubled the U.S. lead minutes later with a close-range shot following a scramble in front of goal, but the flag was up for offside in the buildup and the goal was waved off.

Nigeria began to find its footing as the first half wore on, with substitute Aniekeme Okon's sweet volley forcing a save from U.S. keeper Brady Scott and Maxwell Effiom rattling the crossbar from long range.

The U.S. got the start it wanted to the second half, scoring just after the restart when Soto collected a pass from Hannover teammate Chris Gloster and finished with a neat outside-of-the-foot chip over Oremade.

Nigeria responded well to the U.S. goal again, but were unable to score and saw a penalty waved off after video review because for offside on the pass into the area.

The U.S. got a minor scare as full-time approached when Soto had to be helped from the field after a violent collision with Oremade as he chased a whipped in cross in search of his hat trick. Soto returned to the field and was able to finish off the match.

The win puts the U.S. level on three points with Nigeria, who play leaders Ukraine in its final group match on May 30, while the Americans face Qatar on the same day.