Sports

Larson closes strong for ‘surreal’ Brickyard win

Published

9 months ago

July 22, 2024

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Associated Press

Jul 21, 2024, 07:17 PM ET

INDIANAPOLIS — Kyle Larson left Indianapolis in May in the middle of one of the most agonizing days of his racing career.

In his return Sunday, Larson finished one of the most memorable races of his career with one of sports’ more revered celebrations — kissing the bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 31-year-old Californian overcame an early, unscheduled pit stop by charging from 12th place into the lead over the final 32 laps. He won battles for the lead off the final two restarts and barely avoided a third overtime to win his first Brickyard 400 under caution.

“Today was definitely meant to be for us with the way the strategy was working out and all that fell into place,” Larson said after jumping on the roof of his car and climbing through the fence to thank the roaring fans. “I just can’t believe it. It’s just surreal to win here.”

Perhaps it will help Larson forget just how miserable he was Memorial Day weekend when rain in Indianapolis and Charlotte, North Carolina, washed away his shot at completing the full 1,100 miles of the two races. He didn’t even turn a lap in the Coca-Cola 600 after scrambling to fly in.

On Sunday, though, he rebounded with brilliant tactical racing and, yes, some good luck.

Larson was running third in the paint scheme he was supposed to have for the 600 when race leader Brad Keselowski ran out of fuel and pulled off the track just before the second-to-last restart. That put Larson in position to pull into the shorter inside lane, next to Ryan Blaney‘s second-place car, and Larson easily leapfrogged Blaney — just ahead of a five-car crash that brought a red flag and a second overtime.

This time, after needing an assist to get his No. 5 Chevrolet refired, Larson again beat Blaney on the inside and reached the finish line before another caution flag came out.

“I don’t know what was driving him today other than he wanted to win the Brickyard 400,” said Jeff Gordon, who won five Brickyard 400s before rejoining the Hendricks team as an executive. “You could tell he was driving for a purpose.”

Pole winner Tyler Reddick wound up second as Blaney dropped to third.

Larson has now won three of NASCAR’s four crown jewel races, all but the Daytona 500, and this one came in the first Cup race held on Indy’s historic 2.5-mile since 2020. The past three covered 200 miles on the track’s 14-turn road course.

His fourth win of the season also put him atop the Cup standings, ahead of Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott, with four races left before the playoff begins.

The thrilling finish didn’t come by happenstance, though.

Keselowski gambled he could run the final 59 laps without pitting for fuel — and he essentially did. What he didn’t count on was the race going an extra seven laps. And Blaney had been trying to fend off the hard-charging Larson for several laps, even blocking his low line once, to stay in front.

“That’s a heartbreaker,” Blaney said. “We did everything right today. He was in prime position to win, and it just didn’t work out for us.”

But with most drivers in fuel-saving mode, Larson just kept pushing hard — making team owner and pace car driver Rick Hendrick nervous.

“He was coming through the field like a rocket,” Hendrick said. “It was hard to pass, but he made it look a little bit easier to pass. Then I was worried when he got up to second or third, I started worrying about fuel. They said we had enough for one overtime, but we were holding our breath. But he put on a show. That’s Kyle Larson.”

And now, even though Hendrick didn’t give his approval Sunday, Larson told the crowd he wants to make amends for what happened in May by trying it all again.

“I wish we could have done both,” Larson said. “But I think everything comes full circle and everything’s meant to be.”

ODDS AND ENDS

Denny Hamlin won the first stage, his first ever at Indianapolis, and Bubba Wallace took the second, giving him 10 points as he tries to make the playoffs. It was Wallace’s first stage win since 2022 and he finished fifth. Elliott wound up fourth.

QUICK SWITCH

The race was scheduled to be broadcast on NBC, but viewers who tuned into the network found something else — breaking news about President Joe Biden withdrawing from the presidential race.

NBC made the decision to briefly switch the telecast to USA Network, which also covered some of the weekend’s festivities and then went back to Cup coverage at the start of the race. The race also finished on USA Network after the red flag stoppage, again because of the breaking news.

BACK HOME AGAIN

Before the race, speedway owner Roger Penske and PPG announced they have extended and expanded their partnership for both the Cup and IndyCar Series.

PPG will continue to serve as the presenting sponsor of the Brickyard 400, as the paint and finishing supplier for the speedway and as a sponsor for all six Team Penske drivers — Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden and Will Power on the IndyCar side as well as Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric and Joey Logano on the Cup side.

The partnership between PPG and Penske began in 1984.

UP NEXT

NASCAR takes next two weeks off as part of its Olympic break. The first of the final six races will be held Aug. 11 at Richmond, with a new tire compound.

Sports

2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, time, horses, odds, format, purse

Published

3 hours ago

April 30, 2025

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2025 Kentucky Derby: Date, time, horses, odds, format, purse

Keith Jenkins

Apr 29, 2025, 08:15 PM ET

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is set to deliver yet another exhilarating race to the finish. From the field to the favorite, here is everything to know about the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.

When is the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

The 2025 Kentucky Derby will take place Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

What time does the 2025 Kentucky Derby begin?

The post time for the 2025 Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET.

How can fans watch?

Coverage of the 2025 Kentucky Derby begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Peacock will stream early coverage beginning at noon ET.

How many horses run in the Kentucky Derby?

Twenty horses have the chance to compete in the Kentucky Derby.

How do horses qualify for the Kentucky Derby?

To earn a spot in the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby, a horse must compete in a series of designated races from September through mid-April. Points are awarded to the top five finishers in each race. The 20 horses with the most points, or the horses who win their international series, earn a spot in the starting gate in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.

Who is the favorite in the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

Journalism, trained by Michael McCarthy, opened as the 3-1 favorite.

What are the post positions for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

Post 1: Citizen Bull (20-1 morning line odds)

Post 2: Neoequos (30-1)

Post 3: Final Gambit (30-1)

Post 4: Rodriguez (12-1)

Post 5: American Promise (30-1)

Post 6: Admire Daytona (30-1)

Post 7: Luxor Cafe (15-1)

Post 8: Journalism (3-1)

Post 9: Burnham Square (12-1)

Post 10: Grande (20-1)

Post 11: Flying Mohawk (30-1)

Post 12: East Avenue (20-1)

Post 13: Publisher (20-1)

Post 14: Tiztastic (20-1)

Post 15: Render Judgment (30-1)

Post 16: Coal Battle (30-1)

Post 17: Sandman (6-1)

Post 18: Sovereignty (5-1)

Post 19: Chunk of Gold (30-1)

Post 20: Owen Almighty (30-1)

Alternate: Baeza

Which post has produced the most Kentucky Derby winners?

Post 5 has produced the most winners, with 10.

What three races make up horse racing’s Triple Crown?

The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes are the three races needed to accomplish the Triple Crown.

Who won the 2024 Kentucky Derby?

Mystik Dan, trained by Kenny McPeek, won last year’s Kentucky Derby at 18-1 odds.

What is the purse for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?

Since 2024, $5 million in prize money has been guaranteed for the Kentucky Derby.

Check out the ESPN horse racing hub page for the latest news and notes ahead of the big race.

Sports

Panthers’ Ekblad suspended 2 games for Hagel hit

Published

5 hours ago

April 30, 2025

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Panthers' Ekblad suspended 2 games for Hagel hit

Associated Press

Apr 29, 2025, 07:28 PM ET

NEW YORK — Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for two games for elbowing Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head midway through Game 4 of Florida’s first-round series against Tampa Bay.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced its ruling after a phone hearing with Ekblad earlier Tuesday. He will be out for Game 5 and either Game 6 of this series or the Panthers’ first game in the next round.

No penalty was called when Ekblad hit Hagel in the chin with his right elbow and forearm with just under nine minutes left in the second period on Monday night. Hagel left the ice and did not return, and Ekblad scored the first of two goals in 11 seconds late in the third to give the defending Stanley Cup champions a comeback victory and a 3-1 series lead.

Coach Jon Cooper said Hagel would not play in Game 5. Hagel was suspended for Game 3 for his late hit that knocked Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out of Game 2.

Ekblad missed the first two games of the playoffs and the final 18 of the regular season after being suspended for violating the league and NHLPA’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Florida got accustomed to playing without Ekblad.

“If it’s the first time it happens, there’s even questions from the coaching staff about what’s the right adjustment to make in your lineup and how will that play out — there’s a lot of unknown,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Because we’ve been through it so much when Aaron’s out, we know what the D-pairs are — let’s assume — if he’s out of the lineup.”

Another Florida defenseman, Niko Mikkola, was fined $5,000 for boarding Tampa Bay’s Zemgus Girgensons. Mikkola was given a five-minute major and ejected for the play early in the third period of Game 4.

Sports

Tocchet quits; Canucks 8th team seeking a coach

Published

5 hours ago

April 30, 2025

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Tocchet quits; Canucks 8th team seeking a coach

Ryan S. ClarkApr 29, 2025, 05:05 PM ET
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Add Rick Tocchet to the list of available coaching options on the open market with the Vancouver Canucks announcing Tuesday that Tocchet left the team.

There had been a belief that Tocchet’s time with the Canucks could be coming to an end. Last week saw the discussion of Tocchet’s future with the franchise come under greater focus, with Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford saying they weren’t exercising their option on Tocchet’s contract before adding that they offered him a new, more lucrative deal to remain in Vancouver.

But now? Tocchet joins the list of sought-after coaching candidates and the Canucks become the eighth NHL team that will use this offseason to go through a coaching search.

“After a very long and thorough process, unfortunately Rick has decided to leave the Vancouver Canucks,” Rutherford said in a statement. “This is very disappointing news, but we respect Rick’s decision to move to a new chapter in his hockey career. We did everything in our power to keep him but at the end of the day, Rick felt he needed a change.”

In the same news conference in which Rutherford said the team offered Tocchet a new deal, he also said that Tocchet “may have his mind somewhere else” before adding that he felt Tocchet and his staff did “a good job coaching this team this year” as they did in their first full campaign.

Tocchet was a midseason hire during the 2022-23 season. His first full year in charge saw the Canucks win 50 games, finish with 109 points and win the Pacific Division. He led the Canucks to their first postseason appearance since the 2019-20 season and was a win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals.

Entering this season, the Canucks had most of their players from their playoff team. They started strong with a 15-8-5 record but encountered numerous on-ice and off-ice problems that would prove too large.

Among them was the friction between star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The tension between Miller and Pettersson reached a stage in which Canucks captain Quinn Hughes publicly acknowledged there was an issue with Miller and Pettersson denying such issues.

Miller would be traded to the New York Rangers before the trade deadline, and the Canucks struggled to find someone who could replace his production. They would finish six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the final Western Conference wild-card spot.

Still, Tocchet had the support of Hughes, along with others within the organization who wanted him to stay.

As for what it all means going forward for both parties? Tocchet is among those who will join Mike Sullivan, who parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday after winning two Stanley Cups in 10 seasons, as one of the most attractive names for teams seeking a new bench boss.

Then there are the teams that need a coach. It’s a list that includes the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken, plus the Penguins and now the Canucks.

“I’m choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks,” Tocchet said. “Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes an opportune time. While I don’t know where I’m headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities around hockey.”