ELKO, Minn. – Christian Eckes won the General Tire Pole Award for Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series Menards 250 at Elko Speedway, nipping by Ty Gibbs by just .024 seconds.

Eckes’ fast lap was 14.403 seconds/93.730 mph, giving him his first pole award since the season opener at Daytona and the fourth in his ARCA Menards Series career.

Eckes also led practice earlier in the afternoon, also narrowly edging Gibbs in that session as well.

“We almost won here in 2017,” he said. “We had the pole here last year and almost won again so I hope we can close the deal tonight with our JBL Audio Camry. Kevin Reed and the Venturini Motorsports guys have given me a great car. We’ll try to keep the fenders on it and end up in victory lane.”

Gibbs’ fast lap was 14.427 seconds at 93.575 mph around the tight .375-mile oval, giving him his second front row start of the season and his first since he also started second at Nashville.

Corey Heim will start third after turning a lap of 14.516 seconds at 93.001 mph. Heim is driving for the team that won the last ARCA Menards Series event at Chicagoland Speedway with Ty Majeski driving. Michael Self, who won General Tire Pole Awards earlier this season at Toledo, Charlotte, Michigan, and Chicagoland, qualified fourth with a lap of 14.521 seconds at 92.969 mph. Self’s lap was matched to the thousandth of a second by Carson Hocevar, the General Tire Pole Award winner earlier in the season at Salem Speedway. Self will start fourth with Hocevar fifth.

Joe Graf Jr., Chandler Smith, Sam Mayer, Travis Braden and Bret Holmes rounded out the top-10 qualifiers.

The only incident in General Tire Pole Qualifying involved Tommy Vigh Jr., who spun while crossing the line to take the checkered flag and made slight contact with the inside wall. His team will make repairs and he will drop to the tail of the field for the start of the Menards 250.

TORONTO – Roman De Angelis has been on a roll in Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama this season entering the Indy Toronto weekend, with five consecutive wins through six rounds.

If there was one factor, though, that could have thrown the 18-year-old off his game on Saturday ahead of race one, it was weather.

A strong summer storm rolled in over the Streets of Toronto just as the GT3 Cup Challenge Canada green flag time was approaching and ultimately caused a near two-hour delay. However, the storm passed, allowing the field of Porsches to battle not only each other, but also changing track conditions as the surface dried over the course of the 45-minute race.

For De Angelis, overcoming the challenges to score a dominating 45-second, flag-to-flag victory on the 1.786-mile street course made this particular victory a bit sweeter than the rest in his No. 79 Mark Motors Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

“There was a pretty big build up right before the race,” said De Angelis, of Belle River, Ontario. “There was probably two hours where we were sitting there waiting to see if we were going to race or not tonight. To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever driven better in my life. Something about Toronto and the rain earlier on just fitted the Mark Motors car and the conditions. It was a lot of fun on the slicks early on. Once again, I just can’t thank Mark Motors enough. This is our sixth win in a row here and probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had right now.”

De Angelis will seek another weekend sweep in GT3 Cup Challenge Canada on Sunday, with race two of the weekend scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

Earning his second runner-up position in three races was Jeff Kingsley in the No. 16 Policaro Motorsport Porsche. Kingsley held the position throughout the race after qualifying second earlier in the day.

Rounding out the podium was Parker Thompson in the No. 3 Porsche for SCB Racing.

“What a day,” said Thompson, who is pulling double duty this weekend between GT3 Cup Challenge Canada and the Indy Pro 2000 series. “I was running back and forth between two categories and honestly, this SportsCarBoutique No. 3 was on rails this whole weekend. Unfortunately, I missed it in qualifying and ended up P7, which is disappointing. It’s one of our worst of the year and honestly, the car is the best it’s been.

“I wanted to make sure I put on a show and drove that car up the field and that’s what we did. No better way to showcase your talent than half wet, half dry. The car was unreal. I can’t thank the crew enough, Owen Hayes, Ilker Starck, our owner. These guys work so hard to get to track every weekend so it’s awesome to reward them with a podium.”

In the Platinum Masters class, Marco Cirone is on a streak of his own in the No. 88 Mark Motors Racing Porsche. After sweeping both victories at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park just last week, Cirone repeated on Saturday in the class for drivers 45 years and older.

Cirone described his race strategy as one with a bigger picture in mind, as he seeks his sixth Platinum Masters championship in 2019.

“The weather conditions were very, very challenging,” said Cirone. “It was very difficult to put the power down and there was a lot of action in front of me and behind me. I wanted to protect my point lead and here if you make a mistake, you’re in big trouble. I wasn’t aggressive as much as I should’ve been, but I don’t regret it. I’m glad I got the win, I’m glad I preserved the car and I’m here to race tomorrow.”

The St. Louis Blues have reached a deal with goaltender Jordan Binnington on a two-year contract with an annual average value of $4.4 million, the Stanley Cup champions announced Saturday.

Binnington had been a restricted free agent and avoided arbitration by agreeing to the deal on Saturday.

"I'm happy to get this deal done with the St. Louis Blues," Binnington told the team's website. "To the city of St. Louis, thank you for welcoming me in and trusting me to do me. I'm excited and motivated to keep doing my job and keep bringing success to the St. Louis Blues organization."

Binnington, who turned 26 on Thursday, couldn't have helped himself more this season. Working off his third straight one-year contract and sitting fourth on the depth chart at the beginning of the campaign, Binnington took control of the Blues crease in January and led St. Louis to the Stanley Cup.

In the wake of the Game 7 win over the Bruins, even general manager Doug Armstrong admitted that Binnington was looking at a "big pay raise."

"We are pleased to have Jordan signed for two more years," Armstrong said in a statement Saturday. "His play was outstanding and we look forward to seeing him continue to be a major contributor for our team."

Binnington played in 32 games during the regular season and posted a 1.89 goals-against average and .927 save percentage, leading the Blues from the worst record in the NHL to the playoffs. In the postseason, he won a rookie-record 16 games, posting a 2.46 GAA and .914 save percentage.

The Blues' goaltending situation is complicated by the fact that Jake Allen, who began last season as the starter, is still on the books for two more seasons with a cap hit of $4.35 million.

The European transfer window is open. Click here to review all the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the latest gossip below.

Top free agents in 2020 | What do Europe's elite need

Bayern prepare fresh Hudson-Odoi bid

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are refusing to accept defeat in their pursuit of Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi, with the Daily Mail claiming the Germans are set to make a renewed bid for the winger.

The new proposal from Bayern is believed to be in the region of £45 million -- a full £10m more than they offered at the backend of the January transfer window earlier this year.

The Bavarians are keen to make the 18-year-old the centrepiece of their long-term rebuild, following the departures of veteran wingers Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery.

Despite new Chelsea boss Frank Lampard declaring that Hudson-Odoi was a vital cog in his long-term plans at Stamford Bridge, Bayern haven't been put off in their plans to make a fresh approach.

The Blues are willing to resist any advances while they remain under a transfer ban, but they run the risk of losing their prized youngster for a substantially lower fee if he agrees a pre-contract with Munich at the start of 2020.

Reds and Gunners head chase for Chalov

Liverpool have joined the race for CSKA Moscow striker Fedor Chalov, who has been tipped by many as the next big thing in Russian football.

The Mirror claims all of the Premier League's "big six" are in the running for the 21-year-old, while clubs in Germany, France and Spain are also credited with an interest in the forward, who finished last season as the top goalscorer in the Russian Premier League.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is on the lookout for a striker after the Reds parted ways with Daniel Sturridge, but Chalov is believed to be concerned about a possible lack of playing time at Anfield, and could lean towards a switch elsewhere.

Arsenal are also keeping a close eye on the Russia international -- and have been since early April, when he scored against the Gunners in their Europa League quarter-final.

Roma seek Suso switch

Serie A giants Roma and AC Milan have opened discussions over a possible deal for Rossoneri midfielder Suso, according to reports in Gazzetta dello Sport.

New Milan boss Marco Giampaolo is rumoured to be keen to dispense of the Spaniard, who he believes to be unsuitable for the style of play he wants to deliver at the San Siro.

Roma, on the other hand, see the former Liverpool youngster as a great fit for manager Paulo Fonseca's 4-2-3-1 system that deploys a left-footed wide-right midfielder. Suso is believed to be biding his time to see if he has a future at Milan before making any decision on his next move.

The 25-year-old has a release clause in his contract of around €40 million, but Roma sporting director Gianluca Petrachi is said to have no intentions of paying the full fee.

Tap-ins

- Marca claims Real Betis and Arsenal have joined Real Madrid in the race for highly-rated Las Palmas goalkeeper Josep Martinez. The 21-year-old will only be allowed to leave Gran Canaria if a potential suitor meets his €10 million release clause, with the player also believed to be happy to stay put.

- Reports in The Sun claim Burnley are lining up a double swoop for Genk duo Joakim Maehle and Ruslan Malinovskyi. Denmark Under-21 defender Maehle and 26-year-old Ukrainian midfielder Malinovskyi could be heading to the Turf Moor in a £19 million deal.

- Marseille are in the market for a new midfielder, and French outlet L'Equipe have linked them with a move for Nantes destroyer Valentin Rongier. Andre Villas-Boas' side may have to dig deep to secure a deal for the 24-year-old, however, with the defensive midfielder under contract at Les Canaris until the summer of 2022.

Wearing sneakers adorned with the message "Team Waters!" and "Waters Way!" Boston Celtics rookie Tremont Waters scored 16 points and had three assists in a summer league playoff game just two days after the death of his father.

Ed Waters, 49, was found dead in a West Haven, Connecticut, hotel on Thursday, according to police. The medical examiner's office on Friday ruled Waters' death a suicide.

Tremont Waters wrote a message on his sneakers in memory of his father, who passed away on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/glKI7y0G6A

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 13, 2019

Tremont Waters did not speak with reporters after Saturday's game, a 94-88 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies that eliminated the Celtics from the summer league playoffs.

A point guard out of LSU, Waters was drafted in the second round (No. 51 overall) by the Celtics in last month's NBA draft.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- After Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka called Anthony Davis "the most dominant young basketball player in the world" at the forward/center's introductory news conference Saturday, Davis made a declaration echoing the same confidence in his new team.

"I would put our roster up against anybody," Davis said. "I feel like that in a seven-game series that we would come out victorious."

With banners hanging above him commemorating all the NBA Finals series the franchise has won before -- 16 to be precise -- the addition of the former No. 1 pick and six-time All-Star in Davis, acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans last month, could be a major move back to prominence.

"What we think about Anthony Davis is this: There's no more complete basketball player in the game," Pelinka said. "There is nothing he can't do. He can shoot. He can make plays. He can defend 1 through 5. He can protect the rim. He can handle the ball. His dedication to his craft is unparalleled. To sit here next to him and think he's going to be on our team and that he's going to be a pillar of this franchise for many years is just something we're incredibly proud of."

As Davis, Pelinka and Lakers coach Frank Vogel addressed reporters, another Lakers player's presence was felt just as much: LeBron James. The four-time MVP stood in the back of the gym with a yellow sweatshirt on and black baseball cap pulled down snug on his head as he observed the momentous day for the team play out.

Davis said the chance to play with James -- whom he considers a friend, has been a teammate of in All-Star games and an Olympics, and with whom he shares an agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports -- made the prospect of leaving the only NBA team he ever has played for easier to process.

"Obviously, it was tough for me to leave a city that I've been playing for for seven years, but I think it was best for me, and it was my time," Davis said. "But when I found out I was getting traded to the Lakers, I realized it was an unbelievable opportunity for me to be here with a wonderful organization, and then to play alongside LeBron and obviously now the players that we have now ... to get the opportunity to do that and come here and play for an organization that's all about winning -- forget winning, winning championships, and that's the only goal -- I think that was the biggest thing for me. Just the relief there, of not knowing the unknown anymore, and knowing where I was going to be next season."

When the Lakers agreed to trade Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and a bevy of draft picks and pick-swap considerations to New Orleans for Davis in June, next season looked mighty promising with the trio of James, Davis and Kyle Kuzma on the books.

Davis waived a $4 million trade kicker to help L.A. free up more cap space to pursue signing Kawhi Leonard, but saw Leonard team up with Paul George on the LA Clippers. Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook and James Harden joined forces on the Houston Rockets, and a slew of other deals around the league made championship contenders materialize almost overnight. And the Lakers had to build their team through a series of smaller signings -- notably Danny Green, Avery Bradley and two former Pelicans teammates of Davis' in DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo -- to round out the roster.

"Obviously, anytime you're able [to] acquire a player like Kawhi, you got to do almost everything to get a guy like that," Davis said. "Obviously, it didn't work out for him, but I still wanted to do whatever to help the team. That 4 million was to add more money to a player's contract that they wanted, or get another guy, then by all means, I was willing to do that. And I think we did a great job of using that throughout the entire team."

Pelinka said he had countless phone calls with James and Davis to determine how to best split up the available cap space after Leonard chose the Clippers.

"It was like every day," Davis detailed. "On the hour."

That included accounting for the personal request from Davis to add capable centers so he wouldn't have to man that position as much.

"We want a decade of dominance out of him here, right? So we got to do what's best for his body, and having him bang against the biggest centers in the West every night is not what's best for his body," Pelinka said.

Other than Cousins, the Lakers brought JaVale McGee back on a one-year deal.

"I like playing the 4," Davis said. "I'm not even going to sugarcoat it. I like playing the 4. I don't really like playing the 5. If it comes down to it, Coach, and you need me to play the 5, then I'll play the 5. But the game has become so position-less that you can put five guys on the floor and they just play."

He also likes wearing No. 23 -- the digits on his uniform for the Pelicans and the University of Kentucky -- and it was gifted to him by James to wear next season until the number change proved too pricey for Nike, the league's official outfitter, to pull off this late in the game without taking a financial hit because of unsold inventory featuring James in a No. 23 Lakers uniform, a source told ESPN.

"That was pretty hurtful," Davis said as he shook his head.

He settled on No. 3 after seeing how the different uniform numbers available to him looked on his avatar in the video game NBA 2K.

"The first number that I ever wore was No. 3," he said. "When I saw that number was available, I wanted to take it all the way back to where it first started and put that number back on."

Davis is on the final year of his contract, set to pay him $27.1 million this season. Although, according to sources, he intends to re-sign with the Lakers long term in the summer of 2020, he did not commit to that publicly Saturday.

"Honestly, I'm focused on this season," he said. "When I got traded here, my goal is to bring a championship here with the team that we have. And when that time comes around next year, then you can ask me that question and we'll revisit it. Right now, my focus is on this year and trying to figure out how I can help this team and help the organization become a championship team."

A championship run would be a pleasant change of pace for Davis, who made the playoffs only twice in his time with the Pelicans. And it would be almost as dramatic a turn of events as when his lazy Saturday afternoon laying in a hotel bed in Malibu, California, watching a movie was interrupted by news of his being traded to the Lakers.

The movie's title? "Downsizing," sources said.

His attention was pried from the television screen as he pondered the big life change in store.

Toronto Blue Jays closer Ken Giles was unavailable for Saturday's game against the New York Yankees because of nerve inflammation in his right elbow that potentially stemmed from a massage he had over the All-Star break, manager Charlie Montoyo said.

A possible trade target, Giles missed 10 days in June with a mild case of elbow inflammation, but Montoyo noted that this new case was unrelated to his previous one.

Giles is considered day-to-day and is not scheduled for tests.

"Nothing serious," Giles told reporters after Saturday's 2-1 win over the Yankees, according to the Toronto Star. "Just a little fatigue. I got some work done during the All-Star break. A little sore from it still, so we're being cautious with it. Just a little irritated. I'm day-by-day right now and hopefully I'll be back on the mound tomorrow."

Daniel Hudson closed out the Jays' win Saturday in Giles' place.

Giles has 13 saves and a 1.45 ERA in 31 appearances this season.

Giles' would not be the first massage-related injury MLB has seen this year. In May, Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa said he suffered a fractured rib during a massage at his home.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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