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BRISTOL, Tenn. — Justin Allgaier earned a spot in the second round of the Xfinity Series playoffs with a win Friday night in the opening race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

It was Allgaier’s second career victory at Bristol — the first was in 2010 — and salvaged an otherwise crummy night for most of the playoff field and his JR Motorsports team.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his first start of the season and first at Bristol since he retired at the end of the 2017 season, made a run at the win until his Chevrolet caught fire with 29 laps remaining. The NASCAR Hall of Famer, who was burned early in his career in a sports car crash and escaped a fiery plane crash in Tennessee in 2019, quickly climbed from the flames after bringing the car to pit road.

Allgaier, who led 110 laps, secured a place in the round of eight of the playoffs. He drove his No. 7 Chevrolet to his third win of the season.

“This team has done such an amazing job at this racetrack since I started at JR Motorsports, we led a lot of laps, and the monkey was definitely on our back,” said Allgaier, who then announced he extended his contract for 2024 with JR Motorsports.

“I don’t know if this is shots fired for the playoffs, but it feels good going into the next two knowing we can have some fun,” he added.

Daniel Hemric, who earlier Friday was named a Cup driver for next season for Kaulig Racing, finished second in a big boost for his title chances. He started the race ranked 11th in the 12-driver playoff field.

Title favorite John Hunter Nemechek finished third in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing and was followed by Cole Custer in a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Chandler Smith was fifth as playoff drivers took the top five spots.

The pant legs on Earnhardt’s firesuit were charred after the race. He led 47 laps but finished 29th and even raced his own driver, Allgaier, at one point for the lead.

“How cool is it that I got to battle with the boss man, Dale Jr.?” Allgaier said.

Earnhardt said he had a blast and looked forward to racing again next month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“I’ve got a hole in my pants!” Earnhardt said. “I saw some smoke in the car and smelled it and thought ‘Hopefully that’s not me,’ but that last lap I saw a big fireball in the car and I felt it, obviously, my uniform was burning up. I was like ‘I can’t keep going. I’ve got to stop.’

“I hate it. We were going to finish in the top 10, top-five, had a shot at winning it if the car was running good at the end.”

Austin Hill, winner of the Xfinity Series regular season title, was livid after contact with Richard Childress Racing teammate Sheldon Creed caused him to crash.

“Who needs enemies when you have teammates,” Hill seethed over his radio. He finished 32nd.

Earlier, JR Motorsports teammates Josh Berry and Sam Mayer were involved in a crash with each other.

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Johnson, 2-time Cup winner with Lightning, retires

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Johnson, 2-time Cup winner with Lightning, retires

Tyler Johnson has announced his retirement after playing 13 NHL seasons and winning the Stanley Cup twice with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Johnson called it a career in a lengthy message posted on social media Monday. Johnson had battled injuries in recent years and is set to turn 35 on July 29.

“As a short kid from a small town, I saw my chances of playing in the NHL as very slim,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “But my family — my parents, Ken and Debbie, and my grandparents — believed in me when doubt clouded my mind. Their unwavering faith turned that dream into reality.”

Listed at 5-foot-8 and 191 pounds, Johnson won at just about ever level, capturing the Western Hockey League and Memorial Cup championships in 2008 with his hometown Spokane Chiefs and the Calder Cup championship with Norfolk of the American Hockey League in 2012.

The NHL brought more success, as he skated in 863 regular-season and playoff games since debuting in the league in 2013, putting up 498 points. Johnson was part of the Lightning’s core when they reached the final in 2015 and helped them hoist the Cup back to back in 2020 and ’21.

Johnson finished with Chicago, playing three seasons with the Blackhawks, and Boston, signing with the Bruins early last season following his training camp tryout.

“After a lifetime devoted to hockey, I’m ready for what’s next,” Johnson said. “This moment is bittersweet, but I leave the game with no regrets.”

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‘Gritty’ McBain secures 5-year deal from Mammoth

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'Gritty' McBain secures 5-year deal from Mammoth

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth re-signed center Jack McBain to a five-year contract worth $21.25 million on Monday.

McBain will count $4.25 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season, which was announced a little more than 24 hours since the team elected salary arbitration with the restricted free agent forward.

“He is a big, strong, physical player who competes hard on a nightly basis and brings a gritty toughness to our group,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “Jack is an important part of the championship-caliber team we are building, and we look forward to having him back on our roster for the foreseeable future.”

McBain, 25, is coming off setting a career high with 27 points and playing all 82 games. He was one of six players to skate in every game of the organization’s first season in Salt Lake City.

“Jack’s versatility as a player, his care for his teammates and his demonstrated willingness to do whatever it takes to win, are all critical elements to our future team success,” president of hockey operations Chris Armstrong said.

McBain has 82 points in 241 games with the franchise, which moved to Utah from Arizona. Since debuting in April 2022, he ranks third in the league with 832 hits.

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‘Workhorse’ York nets five-year deal from Flyers

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'Workhorse' York nets five-year deal from Flyers

Cam York and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to terms Monday on a five-year contract worth $25.75 million, with re-signing the restricted free agent defenseman completing perhaps the team’s last important piece of offseason business.

York, 25, will count $5.15 million against the salary cap through the 2029-30 NHL season. That price could turn out to be a bargain with the upper limit rising from $88 million this past season to $113.5 million by 2027-28.

“Cam has been a workhorse for our team over the last few seasons,” general manager Danny Briere said. “We’re excited by his development and look forward to his continued growth and emergence as a young leader within our group.”

The Flyers are trying to shift from rebuilding to contending, and York was the final player on the roster without a contract. They acquired Trevor Zegras in a trade from Anaheim last month and signed fellow center Christian Dvorak and backup goaltender Dan Vladar on the first day of free agency.

York, the 14th pick in the 2019 draft, has skated nearly 21 minutes a game so far in his pro career, all with Philadelphia. He has 77 points in 235 games for the Flyers, who have not made the playoffs since 2020.

“I believe in this team, and I love the direction we are heading,” York said. “I couldn’t be more excited to continue this journey and build something special together.”

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