Sports

Smith leads 1-2-3 finish for JGR in Xfinity race

Published

2 years ago

April 1, 2024

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Associated Press

Mar 30, 2024, 05:50 PM ET

RICHMOND, Va. — Chandler Smith took the lead with 59 laps to go Saturday and won the spring NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Richmond Raceway for the second year in a row.

Smith led a 1-2-3 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing — the seventh time the organization has done it — with Aric Almirola second and Taylor Gray third in his first start in the series.

“I made too many mistakes there throughout the race to be able to capitalize on such a fast car,” Gray said. “I can’t thank all of my guys enough back at the shop.”

Corey Heim was fourth, giving Toyota just its second sweep of the top four finishing positions, Jesse Love was fifth and Bubba Pollard was sixth, also in his first start in the series.

The victory was the second for Smith this season and the third of his career. It also moved him into the series points lead by 10 over Austin Hill. Smith also won at Phoenix on March 9.

“Never give up,” he said. “This car was not good stage one, wasn’t good stage two. But, we were able to do some strategy there. … and this thing was fast when it counted.”

Almirola dominated much of the day, leading 95 laps and sweeping both stages, but finished more than four seconds behind his teammate.

“I let Chandler go, and then when I started to try and just creep back to him, I didn’t have anything to go in and I was too loose in and I couldn’t get the throttle down on exit,” Almirola said.

Both drivers pitted with 71 laps to go, with Smith the first off pit road running 16th, and quickly worked their way around the 15 cars that declined to pit, gambling that there would be another caution late in the race.

“If a caution came out — it is what it is — it probably wouldn’t have been my time, but it was our time today and I’m going to cherish the moment,” Smith said.

Instead, the race stayed green the rest of the way, leaving many teams with a set of tires they never got to use. An exception was Cole Custer, the series champion last year, who pitted with 26 laps to go, emerged 29th and two laps down and raced to a 10th-place finish.

“If we could do it again, we would have pitted,” Custer said. “We talked about it for five days coming here. It just seemed like that was not enough laps on your tires to really take that chance to not have a set at the end.”

Gray’s good day came at the expense of Sam Mayer, who finished second in the second stage but made contact with Gray leaving pit road before the third stage, getting damage to his left front that caused the tire to go flat early in the final stage. After pitting again, he returned running 32nd and two laps down. He finished 30th.

Joey Gase brought out the sixth and final caution when he hit the wall early in the final stage. Gase then tore a rear panel off his car and threw it at the windshield of Dawson Cram’s car when he passed by under caution.

Austin Hill finished eighth, ending his streak of finishing in the top five in every race this year.

Sports

Tampa named host city for 2029 CFP title game

Published

6 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Tampa named host city for 2029 CFP title game

Tampa will host the College Football Playoff national championship game at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 22, 2029, the CFP announced Wednesday.

Tampa will become the fourth city to host the CFP title game for a second time, joining Atlanta, New Orleans and Miami Gardens, Fla.

“We are excited to bring the College Football Playoff National Championship back to Tampa Bay in 2029,” CFP executive director Rich Clark said in a news release. “The city has established itself as an exceptional host for world-class sporting events, and its vibrant downtown, beautiful waterfront, and proven commitment to excellence make it an ideal setting for college football’s greatest night. We look forward to partnering with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission and local leaders to deliver a national championship experience worthy of college football’s biggest stage.”

The 2029 game will be the 15th national championship game in the CFP era, which went into effect following the 2014 college football season.

Miami will host the next national championship game on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium, a game that will feature the winners of the Fiesta and Peach bowls, which will host the semifinals.

The 2027 site will be Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, followed by the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans in 2028.

Sports

Sources: Cincy leading rusher Pryor out vs. Utah

Published

6 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Sources: Cincy leading rusher Pryor out vs. Utah

Cincinnati senior running back Evan Pryor will be officially listed as out with an ankle injury on the Big 12 availability report for the game at No. 24 Utah on Saturday, per sources.

There’s hope Pryor can return for No. 17 Cincinnati’s Nov. 15 game at home against Arizona, per sources.

Pryor suffered the ankle injury against Baylor last week. Pryor, an Ohio State transfer, is the leading rusher for the Bearcats with 478 yards, and he averages 7.2 yards per carry.

Cincinnati head coach Scott Satterfield said earlier this week that Pryor was expected to be out this week.

At Utah on Saturday night, Cincinnati is expected to lean on Wisconsin transfer Tawee Walker, who has 466 yards and averages 5.2 yards per carry.

Cincinnati has a bye after the game at Utah.

Sports

Just like old times? Orgeron talks LSU return

Published

6 hours ago

October 29, 2025

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Just like old times? Orgeron talks LSU return

Oct 29, 2025, 01:07 PM ET

LSU football has a high-profile coaching vacancy, and a familiar face has thrown his hat into the ring.

Ed Orgeron, who was ousted by LSU less than two years after coaching the Tigers to a national championship, said he “would love” to return to the school as Brian Kelly’s replacement.

LSU fired Kelly in stunning fashion Sunday, citing the “high hopes” that the program failed to reach under his leadership and announcing that a “national search” was underway for the Tigers’ new coach.

Three days later, during an interview Wednesday with ESPN’s “UnSportsmanLike,” Orgeron was asked whether he wanted his old job back.

“I’d love to,” Orgeron responded. “Are you kidding me? Hey, I’m one phone call away. I just gotta get in my truck; I could be there today.”

One of the top coaches currently linked to the LSU job is Ole Miss‘ Lane Kiffin, who also worked with Orgeron at USC.

Orgeron, who has been out of coaching since leaving LSU in 2021, was asked Wednesday if he would consider returning to the program as an assistant under Kiffin.

“Yeah, I’d consider it,” he said. “I love LSU. I still got my home in Baton Rouge. I loved when I was coaching for Coach Miles being the defensive line coach. I love the Tigers, and if I’m getting back into coaching, for sure I’d consider it. No doubt.”

Orgeron’s tenure as LSU’s head coach ended after the 2021 season in what he described as a mutual decision between himself and the school. He went 51-20 in his six years at LSU, highlighted by the Tigers’ 15-0 run in a 2019 season punctuated by an NCAA championship.

Orgeron, who grew up rooting for the Tigers in nearby Larose, Louisiana, said LSU’s next head coach must embrace being a part of the state’s culture — something he says Kelly never did.

“I think that’s one of the things — whether it’s true or not — the look from the outside, Brian Kelly never embraced the state of Louisiana,” he said. “When you get those guys on your side, it’s very powerful. I think getting everybody to pull in the same direction, like Pete Carroll did, like we did, one team, one heartbeat, is gonna be the key for the next coach.”