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The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are getting closer with 18 of the 26 regular-season races in the books. When the circuit heads to Chicagoland Speedway in September, 16 drivers will be competing for a championship. Here is a look at where things stand heading into the upcoming race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Locked in Kyle Larson: The No. 42 driver is currently leading the regular-season points in…

Almost half the country believes drug-taking is rife in sport, according to “alarming” new research commissioned by UK Anti-Doping. The chief executive of UKAD, Nicole Sapstead, last night warned the industry was at a “critical” juncture after a survey of 2,000 British adults exposed a crisis of confidence spawned by some of the biggest scandals of recent years. The results of last month’s poll, published today to mark the start…

x Embed x Share CLOSE Casey Wasserman, LA 2024 chairman and CEO of Wasserman Media Group, describes Los Angeles’ Olympic bid and what sets it apart. USA TODAY Sports International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach prepares to address an IOC executive meeting on July 9.(Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI, AFP/Getty Images) RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The IOC has balked at helping Rio Olympic organizers pay a debt estimated at $35-40…

Got old shin guards lying around that your kids have outgrown or aren’t using? The Chinqually Booters Soccer Club — and low-income kids in Thurston County — will take them off your hands. Chinqually hopes to reach kids in need this summer with its first-ever free soccer camps for elementary school-aged children, held in conjunction with the City of Lacey’s Playground Pals program. But they can’t do it alone. While…

In 2017, NASCAR’s satellite teams are proving that the customer is always right. For the third time this season, Martin Truex Jr. has spanked the field — including his Toyota teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing — with his latest success coming at Kentucky Speedway in Saturday night’s Quaker State 400. Kyle Larson currently leads the standings after two wins and his sixth second-place finish in the first 18 races —…

2:00 AM ET Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print comment SPARTA, Ky. — Martin Truex Jr. owned a 15-second lead on the field before Kurt Busch blew an engine with less than two laps remaining Saturday night. Truex stayed out, and as the only lead-lap car with old tires, he easily led the first lap of overtime in the Quaker State 400 and probably would have cruised to the…

Martin Truex Jr. was dominant throughout and had enough left on a final restart to win the NASCAR Cup race Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway. Second in points entering the 400-mile event, Truex started second beside Kyle Busch and won the first two stages. Truex led the final segment by as many as 15 seconds before a final caution created overtime and bunched the field together. That made no difference…

And yet, Everton’s willingness to commit millions to restoring him to the fold has been characterized, at best, as a decision made with the heart rather than the head. At worst, it is seen as an expensive indulgence, a costly misstep, where Rooney’s presence is to Everton’s detriment and his absence to Manchester United’s considerable benefit. In part, of course, that is soccer, and sports generally: unforgiving, relentless, pathologically averse…

NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts Saturday At Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Ky. Lap length: 1.50 miles (Start position in parentheses) 1. (2) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 274 laps, 149.0 rating, 60 points. 2. (40) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 274, 107.6, 43. 3. (12) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 274, 104.4, 36. 4. (5) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 274, 98.2, 40. 5. (1) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 274, 127.9, 50….

In 2017, NASCAR’s satellite teams are proving that the customer is always right. For the third time this season, Martin Truex Jr. has spanked the field — including his Toyota teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing — with his latest success coming at Kentucky Speedway in Saturday night’s Quaker State 400. Kyle Larson currently leads the standings after two wins and his sixth second-place finish in the first 18 races —…

2:00 AM ET Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print comment SPARTA, Ky. — Martin Truex Jr. owned a 15-second lead on the field before Kurt Busch blew an engine with less than two laps remaining Saturday night. Truex stayed out, and as the only lead-lap car with old tires, he easily led the first lap of overtime in the Quaker State 400 and probably would have cruised to the…

NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts Saturday At Kentucky Speedway Sparta, Ky. Lap length: 1.50 miles (Start position in parentheses) 1. (2) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 274 laps, 149.0 rating, 60 points. 2. (40) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 274, 107.6, 43. 3. (12) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 274, 104.4, 36. 4. (5) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 274, 98.2, 40. 5. (1) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 274, 127.9, 50….

Matt Besler, left, of the United States is blocked by Panama’s Gabriel Torres. (Mark Humphrey/Associated Press) NASHVILLE — The CONCACAF Gold Cup presents a balancing act for Bruce Arena, the U.S. men’s national soccer team coach. He wants to win the trophy, one that has eluded the Americans in three of the previous four regional tournaments. But in a year marked prominently by the final round of 2018 World Cup…

Matt Besler, left, of the United States is blocked by Panama’s Gabriel Torres. (Mark Humphrey/Associated Press) NASHVILLE — The CONCACAF Gold Cup presents a balancing act for Bruce Arena, the U.S. men’s national soccer team coach. He wants to win the trophy, one that has eluded the Americans in three of the previous four regional tournaments. But in a year marked prominently by the final round of 2018 World Cup…

Martin Truex Jr. dominated Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, but in the end, he needed a huge gamble in overtime to win the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race. Truex led 152 of the 274 laps in the Quaker State 400, and won the first two stages of the race. He was so far out in front of the field much of the night that it was clear it would take a fluke for…

Tears and hugs after North and South Korean women won the 1991 team table tennis world championships. A standing ovation when athletes from the two Koreas marched together to open the 2000 Sydney Olympics. A selfie taken by a South Korean gymnast with her North Korean opponent that went viral at last year’s Rio de Janeiro Games. Seven months ahead of the Pyeongchang Olympics, South Korea’s new liberal President Moon…

Gif via NBCSN Before even half of the field could cross the start/finish line at today’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Kentucky, there’s already been a wreck. Come on guys, this is the easy part. Ryan Reed, Brendan Guaghan, Blake Koch and Brandon Jones have all already been involved in a crash before I was even able to sit down from paying the pizza guy. Cut to the clip: “Green…

The NASCAR Monster Energy Series Cup Series plans to race under the lights tonight at Ketucky Speedway for the Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts. The 400-mile race is scheduled for 400 miles on the 1.5-mile track in Kentucky. The race — part of a day/night doubleheader with the second-tier NASCAR Xfinity Series because Friday’s action at the track was rained out — is scheduled to begin at…

Gif via NBCSN Before even half of the field could cross the start/finish line at today’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race in Kentucky, there’s already been a wreck. Come on guys, this is the easy part. Ryan Reed, Brendan Guaghan, Blake Koch and Brandon Jones have all already been involved in a crash before I was even able to sit down from paying the pizza guy. Cut to the clip: “Green…

RELATED: Set your Fantasy Live lineup now! Dale Earnhardt Jr., $17.25: While Dale Earnhardt Jr. has but one top-10 finish at Kentucky in his last four tries, he started and finished 13th in this race last year — and lines up 13th again for Saturday night’s race. He does own a pair of top fives at the track in just six starts, however, and getting him at such a low price…