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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The panic set in for Jimmie Johnson on the final lap of his qualifying race for the Daytona 500. The seven-time NASCAR champion and newest Hall of Fame inductee recognized he was dangerously close to missing the cut for “The Great American Race.”

Johnson, now co-owner of Legacy Motor Club, didn’t have the speed in time trials to earn a spot Wednesday in the season-opening race. It meant he had to race his way into the 40-car field Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway.

He only needed to beat J.J. Yeley in the qualifying race – and Yeley was driving a car that barely even made it to Daytona and only announced Yeley as the driver Wednesday, two days after Greg Biffle said he had pulled out as the driver over non-payment from 2022.

But a late spin put Johnson in a precarious position, and the desperation set in on the backstretch of the last lap. He knew he needed help from another driver, understood how challenging his final two turns would be, and yet his mind was racing about what would happen if he failed to qualify

“I’m like, ‘I’m not going to make it, not going to make the Daytona 500,'” Johnson said. “I’m going to have to call all our partners. I’m going to have to stand in the suite during the 500 and shake hands, not drive a car. This is running through my mind – ‘I have to figure out a way.'”

He pulled it off with a three-wide move through the final turn that has Johnson locked into his 21st Daytona 500. Johnson won the race twice, in 2006 and 2013, while driving for Hendrick Motorsports.

Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing won the 150-mile race that is part of how the field is set Sunday for the season opener. Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing won the second race as Toyota swept the two duels.

Kaz Grala in a Ford for Front Row Motorsports earned the final spot in the race in the second qualifier by finishing higher than B.J. McLeod, who had a guaranteed spot in the field until Live Fast Motorsports sold its charter to Spire Motorsports at the end of last season.

“That was so much more stressful than it needed to be for us,” Grala said. “We looked to be in good shape and then we had some trouble on pit road. Really cool to be able to get in the show. This is a big opportunity for me here.”

Johnson, meanwhile, put the 500 on what he expects to be a nine-race schedule this season. In his second season as co-owner of Legacy, Johnson switched the team from Chevrolet to Toyota.

But the Toyotas lacked speed in time trials and backed Johnson into a difficult situation Thursday night.

“I’ve never been through anything like this. In my first year down here, we fortunately won the pole,” Johnson said of his 2002 Daytona 500 debut. “To fight like we did in those closing laps, I mean, I’ve only done that for a race win here. Never had that level of anxiety and fight for a Duel or anything else except for a proper win.”

A Johnson spin with 11 laps remaining put him in danger and set up a restart with six laps remaining. Yeley was 14th, Johnson was 18th and desperately begging for a partner to line up behind the No. 84 Toyota and help push him past Yeley.

The help didn’t come until the closing seconds.

Martin Truex Jr., a fellow Toyota driver, dropped back to give Johnson some aid. Ross Chastain then checked up in traffic and Yeley dipped into an outside line to try to get around Chastain. With the push from Truex, Johnson slid into the center lane behind Chastain and the trio sailed past Yeley to the finish line.

“Going into Turn 3, I was not counting my chickens but I was getting close,” Yeley said. “Saw there was some contact. Someone in the middle (Chastain) lost a lot of momentum and I just made a split-second decision to go to the outside, try to carry the momentum. He stayed in the middle, (Truex) pushed him, the momentum just pushed him all the way to the checkered flag.”

Johnson, meanwhile, said missing out on the Daytona 500 might not have been the most embarrassing moment of his career – he said that was when he broke his wrist while surfing on top of a golf cart. But the pressure to make the race was heavier than he expected.

“Disappointment would have been really, really high. Embarrassment? I think we raced really well. We did a lot of things right,” Johnson said. “I think I could have hung my hat on that. We really were fast enough and raced really well. I just would have been really disappointed. I think I’m identifying with the fact that there’s a lot more riding on my performance in the car these days than when I was a full-time driver. Not only my own personal goals of being a driver, but what’s going on as being a team owner, trying to help grow a race team. There’s a lot more weight on it.

“If you would have asked me that question this morning, I wouldn’t have this point of view or be able to reflect on it,” Johnson added. “I had to go through this experience to understand it.”

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.

Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.

The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.

If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.

Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.

“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”

Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.

“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”

Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.

The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.

“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”

The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.

Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.

The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”

Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.

Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.

San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.

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Twins SS Correa helped off with sprained ankle

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Twins SS Correa helped off with sprained ankle

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa had to be helped off the field after injuring his right ankle when Pittsburgh‘s Tommy Pham slid into him at second base.

Pham was trying to get to second on his liner off the wall in right field in the seventh inning of the Twins’ 2-1 victory Friday night. Right fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr.’s throw beat Pham, whose batting helmet made contact with Correa’s lower leg.

Correa rolled over and stayed on the ground before leaving the game. Brooks Lee moved from second base to shortstop to replace Correa. The team said Correa had a mild ankle sprain.

Correa said X-rays were negative and that he expects to sit out Saturday’s game, adding that he “hopefully” can play on Sunday, according to MLB.com.

The 30-year-old Correa is already in his 11th big league season and has been a mainstay at shortstop for the Twins since signing as a free agent in 2022. He missed about half of last season with a concussion and a plantar fascia injury, the latter of which kept him from playing in the All-Star Game after he was chosen for the third time.

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Acuña replaced in HR Derby by teammate Olson

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Acuña replaced in HR Derby by teammate Olson

ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr. won’t participate in the Home Run Derby, replaced Friday by Atlanta teammate and fellow All-Star Matt Olson.

Acuña is a starting outfielder for the National League and still is expected to play in the All-Star Game on his home field. Olson is a reserve infielder.

Instead of Acuña, Olson will try to become the first Atlanta player to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night. He could become the fourth to win at home. The All-Star Game is Tuesday night.

Olson competed in the 2021 Derby while with the Athletics. He was eliminated in the first round. The 31-year-old entered the weekend with 17 homers this season.

The other scheduled participants are Brent Rooker, the first for the Athletics since Olson, along with Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Yankees, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and James Wood of Washington.

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