Winners, losers from NASCAR Cup race at Nashville won by Ryan Blaney
WINNERS
Ryan Blaney — He led 139 laps, including the final 32, to score his first Cup victory of the season. It marks the eighth time in the last nine seasons that he's scored at least one Cup victory. 'It was nice to finally get in Victory Lane tonight after a rocky start to the year,' said Blaney, who has failed to finish five races this year.
Nate Ryan,
Team Penske — Becomes the first organization to have all of its drivers win a race this season. Team Penske has won three of the last five points races — Austin Cindric at Talladega, Joey Logano at Texas and Ryan Blaney at Nashville. Also, the Wood Brothers are aligned with Team Penske and won at Las Vegas with Josh Berry earlier this season.
Carson Hocevar — Tied his career-best finish by placing second at Nashville.
Dustin Long,
Denny Hamlin — Placed third at Nashville. It's his fifth top-five finish in the last nine races.
Erik Jones — His seventh-place result is his second top-10 in the last four races. Not a bad way to head to Michigan, his home track, this weekend.
LOSERS
Justin Haley — His 32nd-place finish marks the third consecutive race he's finished 30th or worse.
Ty Gibbs — He finished 31st at Nashville. That marks the fourth race in a row he's placed 23rd or worse.
AJ Allmendinger — NASCAR caught the team making an adjustment to the car after it had gone through inspection Saturday. He had to perform a stop-and-go penalty after taking the green flag in Sunday's race. He lost a lap. With the first stage run without a caution, he got stuck a lap behind and was mired deep in the pack. He eventually got his lap back and finished 20th. The day could have been better had they not had the penalty.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
23 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
MLB Speedway Classic At Bristol: NASCAR Drivers Reimagined As Baseball Players
NASCAR drivers are looking forward to seeing professional athletes of another sport competing at one of the most iconic venues in stock-car racing. They certainly look more forward to watching other pros play than if they played themselves. And that's exactly what will happen when the MLB Speedway Classic gets underway on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on FOX. The matchup features the Cincinnati Reds going against the Atlanta Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee. It's the first-ever MLB game played in the state and more than 85,000 tickets have been sold for the contest — a major-league regular-season record. "I honestly think it looks cooler than when they did the football game there with Tennessee-Virginia Tech [in 2016]," said 2023 Cup champion Ryan Blaney. "I think that's going to be a hit. I wish I could go. That place is unique." With NASCAR racing in Iowa this weekend, getting back and forth to Bristol isn't impossible, based on the timing of Cup practice. But a driver would need to really want to make it happen. If any driver can get there, they will get a chance to witness history. Bristol had to knock down some race-track walls and buildings in its infield to make enough room for the baseball field inside the 0.533-mile, high-banked concrete oval. "That is going to be such an awesome moment," said Ty Dillon. Dillon and his brother, Austin, played little-league baseball. Austin Dillon played in the Little League World Series. So if NASCAR were to have a team of drivers playing baseball, those two would likely be on the list. Who are the drivers that Austin Dillon would want to include on an all-driver baseball team? Here's his roster: Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael McDowell, Ryan Blaney, Noah Gragson, Denny Hamlin, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace and Corey LaJoie. In surveying other drivers, many had similar thoughts. They went for the drivers who are best known for their athleticism. Stenhouse, for example, is a huge fitness buff, and Hamlin has a basketball court (and runs a rec league) at his house. Some would go for height and pick players like the tall Shane van Gisbergen. And if you're looking at drivers who have proven they have superior hand-eye coordination when it comes to something other than a steering wheel, Elliott, Ryan Blaney and others who enjoy golf could be the answer. Blaney would add his Penske teammates Joey Logano and Austin Cindric. Plus, he thinks the tough Ryan Preece would fill an important role. "Preece would be a good catcher," Blaney noted. The hard part for race car drivers is that being smaller and lighter can sometimes be an advantage. "I just had to throw a first pitch and embarrassed myself incredibly," said Cup driver Zane Smith. "So definitely not me. ... None of us are very good, I feel like, as stick-and-ball athletes." Actually, Zane, another driver mentioned you. "You need somebody athletic at shortstop, somebody quick. Zane looks athletic," Kyle Larson said. "Blaney is athletic," he continued. "Ricky. Ty Gibbs. McDowell? He'd be the manager, I guess. Austin Dillon would probably be the best [player]." Several drivers get asked throughout the season to throw out first pitches at baseball games in racing markets. Those typically happen in the weeks leading up to the race in that market. And the drivers who have this honor have the main goal of not becoming a highlight for the wrong reason. "Briscoe has been throwing a lot of first pitches out at these games, so he's been on the mound a lot lately, so he might be our pitcher. Or he might be in the bullpen," Gragson said. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the NASCAR Cup Series Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Weighing pros, cons of Rangers signing Conor Sheary to PTO
It isn't exactly Sidney Crosby reuniting with Mike Sullivan on Broadway. But the fact that the New York Rangers apparently are bringing Conor Sheary — who won two Stanley Cup championships with Sullivan in Pittsburgh — to training camp does carry some significance. This means at least one lineup regular Sullivan coached over the past 10 years with the Penguins, will, at least, join him in training camp, if not be on the Rangers opening-night roster. Sheary played his best hockey under Sullivan, including a 23-goal, 53-point season in 2016-17. And you'd have to think that Sullivan has a soft spot for anyone who helped put a couple rings on his fingers. The flip side is that the veteran forward is 33 and just had the final season of his three-year, $6 million contract bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Sheary PTO agreement isn't massive news, like if Sid or Evgeni Malkin or Bryan Rust or Kris Letang joined the new Rangers coach for one final rodeo. Then again, the Rangers couldn't afford any of those other options anyway. So, Conor Sheary it is. Though if handled the right way, this should be a positive addition — certainly in the short term, maybe in the long term — for the Rangers. Related: Pros, cons of Rangers signing Conor Sheary to PTO Here's a breakdown of the good and not-so-good aspects of Sheary signing a PTO with the Rangers. Pros Let's start with the obvious. There's no financial commitment for the Rangers to bring Sheary in to camp on a PTO. They can give him a look during the preseason and see what he has left after 10 NHL seasons. If he shows enough, the Rangers can sign him to a contract for the NHL minimum to play in their bottom-six forward group. Or perhaps he lands a two-way contract and begins the season with Hartford of the American Hockey League. Sheary had 61 points (20 goals, 41 assists) to lead Syracuse of the AHL in scoring last season. It's clear that he can still produce at a decent level in the AHL — and it certainly doesn't hurt to have a two-time Cup winner help mentor your young prospects in the minor leagues. Down in the AHL, he'd also be a veteran option should there be an injury or two in the Rangers' forward group — a bit of a safety net. If he plays well enough to earn a spot on the Rangers roster, then you add another veteran, one with 593 games of NHL experience. That's all for the long term. What makes the Sheary PTO a win in the short term is that he will come in to compete and push younger forwards like Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard and Juuso Parssinen for a roster spot — and do so free of charge. That's good for all involved. If none — or some — of the kids aren't ready for full-time NHL duty, Sheary is an affordable option to buy the Rangers time until Perreault, Othmann and Co. prove worthy. Perhaps most important, Sheary's familiarity with Sullivan, his play style and personality, could help the coach's transition with new players and a new team. It's always good to have a disciple, if you will, to help spread your word. Sheary could be that for Sullivan, whether he's around all season, for just a few weeks in training camp, or anything in between. Defenseman Derrick Pouliot, who was signed this summer and is ticketed to play in Hartford, played parts of three seasons under Sullivan in Pittsburgh but doesn't have the pedigree Sheary does. Sheary could be an important conduit between new team and coach this Fall. Cons Sheary played five NHL games with the Lightning last season, only one after Nov. 30, and didn't record a point. The season before, Sheary scored four goals and managed 15 points in 57 games with Tampa Bay while playing through injuries to his hand and thumb. In other words, he has the look of a player on the distinct downside of his NHL career, even though from 2020-23 he averaged 16 goals per season with the Washington Capitals. Sheary does not exactly fit the mold of the type player the Rangers are looking to build with moving forward. He's older and smaller (5-foot-8, 182 pounds). The Rangers are looking to get younger, bigger and faster. But he's always been a hungry overachiever. Coaches like having a player like that on the roster. However, Sullivan can't let personal history get in the way of progress — current and future — when it comes to Sheary. The biggest con of bringing Sheary in would be if Sullivan wedges him onto the roster regardless of how the kids play in the preseason. Since Sullivan hasn't spoken publicly about Sheary, it's impossible to tell where he stands on the signing. It could just be a favor to a player he likes, get him a look and maybe the Rangers or some other team sees something left in him. But in no way should Sheary stand in the way of Perreault, Othmann, Berard or Parssinen's progress. It's difficult to believe Sullivan would allow that to happen. That would be a counterproductive move — which makes this PTO signing a no-brainer for the Rangers. Related Headlines Rangers legend 'never really had a chance to say goodbye' until Chris Drury phone call changed everything Rangers top draft pick Malcolm Spence earns praise at World Junior Summer Showcase Rangers' most memorable regular-season games from 2000-25, including Mika Zibanejad's 5-goal night Understanding no-trade/no-movement protection for Rangers veterans, including Mika Zibanejad
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tennessee State football will play Tennessee, Georgia, Vanderbilt, MTSU from 2026-29
Tennessee State athletic director Mikki Allen confirmed to The Tennessean on July 21 that the Tigers football team will play Georgia, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee State over the next four years. The Tigers, under new coach Reggie Barlow who replaced Eddie George in March, will play at Georgia in 2026. The Tigers tentatively will play Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in 2027. Allen is pushing for that game to be played at the new Nissan Stadium. TSU will then play at Middle Tennessee State in 2028 and at Vanderbilt in 2029. The specific dates for those games are being worked out. Allen said each game will be played early in the season. Allen was excited to get Tennessee on TSU''s schedule. Allen played for the Vols and was part of the 1998 national championship team. "We've been working on the Tennessee game for a while," Allen said. "It's going to be a special game. We're still working with their administration to figure out where to play. Because we're here by the state capital and would love to play that game in the inaugural year at the new Nissan Stadium." The three SEC games will be a boost for TSU financially, coming with guaranteed money as well as national exposure. "That's strong, that's really strong," Allen said. "I'm from Tennessee. That's my stomping grounds, so that was important to me. But you think about what we've got with this coaching staff with coach Barlow. We've got some Super Bowl champs and it just keeps going. So that gave us a lot of connections with some of these bigger program to work these games out." Barlow said he welcomes the challenge that will come with playing FBS opponents. He said he tried to do the same thing during his time as the coach at Alabama State (2007-14). "You're talking about SEC games, you're talking about great tradition programs like Georgia, like Tennessee and, of course, like Vanderbilt who's coming along and doing some wonderful things," Barlow said. "Just being able to go and play in those stadiums and get that experience for our young men here and our coaches is going to be exciting. Obviously, we know that it's a huge task and a huge challenge, but I just look forward to being in that atmosphere and that environment." TSU has played Vanderbilt and MTSU in the past but never played Tennessee or Georgia. TSU does not have an FBS opponent on the schedule this season. The last time the Tigers played an FBS team was in 2023 when they lost to Notre Dame 56-3 in the season opener. Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee State football playing Tennessee, Georgia, Vanderbilt, MTSU
