AVONDALE, Ariz. — Katherine Legge spent 25 years working her way through professional motorsports before getting her shot at driving a NASCAR Cup Series car. Her first go-round was a bumpy ride.
The first woman to drive a Cup Series car in seven years, Legge spun out twice and didn’t finish the race in her debut at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.
“It was baptism by fire,” Legge told Fox Sports. “I think there’s a lot of positives to take from it. Obviously, there were mistakes made, but I learned so much. Hopefully, I get to come back.”
Legge had raced everything from dirt bikes to IndyCars during her climb through the ranks, learning she would get her Cup Series shot about 10 days before Sunday’s race. The English driver had limited experience on ovals, spending much of her prep time in a simulator in North Carolina before becoming the first female driver on the circuit since Danica Patrick at the 2018 Daytona 500.
Legge struggled in qualifying at the mile oval in the desert, so she and the Live Fast Motorsports team opted to make several overnight changes to her No. 78 Chevrolet. It didn’t work out quite how they wanted.
Fighting the car from the start, Legge spun out on Lap 4 of the 312-mile race before returning to the field. She struggled to make up any ground and spun again late in the race after bumping off another car, taking out Daniel Suarez with her.
Legge couldn’t continue to race and finished 30th.
“I was so loose. I was hanging on to it,” she said. “We kept making adjustments. We kept making the car way more stable for me. At the end there, I think we were relatively quick, so it wasn’t bad. I wish we hadn’t made the changes. It was a rough start.”
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A home belonging to Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte was burglarized during the Major League Baseball All-Star break, according to police.
Scottsdale, Arizona, police confirmed that the department is investigating a “high-dollar residential burglary” that is believed to have happened on Tuesday night, which is when Marte was playing for the National League in its All-Star game win in Atlanta.
Numerous personal items and jewelry were stolen. No one was at home when the burglary occurred.
Police said the home is “reportedly” owned by Marte. Maricopa County Assessor’s Office records show Marte owns a home on the block near the investigation.
Police say the investigation is ongoing.
Marte hit a two-run double in the first inning of the NL’s win, which was secured after a home run contest at the end of the game after the score was tied after nine innings.
The burglary is the latest in a series of thefts from the homes of high-profile athletes across the country this year. Players have been targeted because of the high-end products believed to be in their homes and sometimes the thefts occur when they are away with their teams for road games.
The FBI has warned sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to athletes.
A Seattle man was charged last month in connection with a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent active and retired professional athletes in the area.
Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he is “continuing to fight” cancer and is prioritizing time with those closest to him.
He posted a letter addressed to his fans and extended baseball family on Instagram.
“I wanted to share an update regarding my health,” wrote Sandberg, 65. “It’s been a challenging few months as I have been going through treatment on a regular basis.
“While I am continuing to fight, I’m looking forward to making the most of every day with my loving family and friends.
“I haven’t been to Wrigley Field as much as I hoped in the first half but I’m watching every game and am excited for the second half.”
He threw out the first pitch, surrounded by fellow Cubs greats, before the home opener on April 4.
In January 2024, Sandberg announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, then last August announced he was cancer-free. In December, he said the cancer had recurred and spread. He vowed to “continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this.”
Sandberg spent 15 of his 16 major league seasons with the Cubs, along with 13 games at the start of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies (1981).
Sandberg was the 1984 National League MVP, when he batted a career-high .314 with a major-league-leading 19 triples and 114 runs scored as well as 19 home runs, 84 RBIs and 32 stolen bases.
The second baseman also earned the second of his nine career Gold Glove awards that year. He was a 10-time All-Star selection and a seven-time Silver Slugger honoree, batting .285 with 282 home runs and 1,061 RBIs in his 2,164-game career.
Sandberg, who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, also spent parts of three seasons (2013-15) as the Phillies’ manager.
Despite an excellent first half to the season, Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t selected as an All-Star this year, but the team made sure that he’ll be paid like one.
Despite the snub, Eovaldi was given the $100,000 All-Star bonus in his contract by the Rangers after he posted a 1.58 ERA with 94 strikeouts over 91 innings. Teammate Jacob deGrom, who was selected as an All-Star, also received a $100,000 bonus.
Eovaldi, in his 15th major league season, would lead the majors in ERA, but after missing a month due to a triceps injury, he fell six innings short of the necessary 97 innings to qualify among leaders for individual statistical categories.
Eovaldi, a two-time All-Star, won his third straight game on Sunday to improve to 7-3, giving up five hits and a run with eight strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings against the Houston Astros.
The right-hander ranks second only to Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal among MLB starting pitchers in WHIP (0.85) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.71). Opposing batters are hitting a paltry .194 with a .237 on-base percentage, .286 slugging percentage and .523 OPS against Eovaldi.
Eovaldi is scheduled to make his first start of the second half at home on Sunday against Skubal and the Tigers at Globe Life Field.