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Deadspin | Preds stay within point of Kings with tight win over Wild Apr 11, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; The Nashville Predators celebrate a goal by Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) during the first period of their game against the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for the Nashville Predators in a 2-1 win against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon. Matthew Wood also scored and Justus Annunen made 21 saves for Nashville (38-32-10, 86 points), which stayed within a point of the Los Angeles Kings for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Predators have two games left and the Kings have three. Michael McCarron scored and Jesper Wallstedt made 20 saves for Minnesota (45-23-12, 102 points), which will open the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Dallas Stars. The Predators took a 1-0 lead at 15:01 of the first. Stamkos pulled the puck out of a corner in the Minnesota zone, then passed it from below the goal line to Luke Evangelista. He passed it back to Stamkos, who scored on a wraparound for his 40th goal of the season. It’s the eighth time Stamkos has reached the 40-goal mark in his 18 NHL seasons. Nashville stretched the lead to 2-0 at 6:34 of the second. Wallstedt saved a shot from the right face-off circle by Nick Perbix and the rebound fell at the feet of Stamkos, who made a short backhand feed to Wood that set him up for a score from the inside edge of the right circle. McCarron scored on a rebound off Jonas Brodin’s shot to cut it to 2-1 at 6:54 of the third period. With the Wild nearly locked into their playoff spot, they rested forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jared Spurgeon. Nashville captain Roman Josi returned to the Preds’ blue line after he was a late scratch in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth because of an upper-body injury. Annunen was coming off a 5-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, the first shutout of the season for Nashville. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Preds #stay #point #Kings #tight #win #Wild

Deadspin | Preds stay within point of Kings with tight win over Wild
Deadspin | Preds stay within point of Kings with tight win over Wild Apr 11, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; The Nashville Predators celebrate a goal by Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) during the first period of their game against the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for the Nashville Predators in a 2-1 win against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon. Matthew Wood also scored and Justus Annunen made 21 saves for Nashville (38-32-10, 86 points), which stayed within a point of the Los Angeles Kings for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Predators have two games left and the Kings have three. Michael McCarron scored and Jesper Wallstedt made 20 saves for Minnesota (45-23-12, 102 points), which will open the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Dallas Stars. The Predators took a 1-0 lead at 15:01 of the first. Stamkos pulled the puck out of a corner in the Minnesota zone, then passed it from below the goal line to Luke Evangelista. He passed it back to Stamkos, who scored on a wraparound for his 40th goal of the season. It’s the eighth time Stamkos has reached the 40-goal mark in his 18 NHL seasons. Nashville stretched the lead to 2-0 at 6:34 of the second. Wallstedt saved a shot from the right face-off circle by Nick Perbix and the rebound fell at the feet of Stamkos, who made a short backhand feed to Wood that set him up for a score from the inside edge of the right circle. McCarron scored on a rebound off Jonas Brodin’s shot to cut it to 2-1 at 6:54 of the third period. With the Wild nearly locked into their playoff spot, they rested forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jared Spurgeon. Nashville captain Roman Josi returned to the Preds’ blue line after he was a late scratch in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth because of an upper-body injury. Annunen was coming off a 5-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, the first shutout of the season for Nashville. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Preds #stay #point #Kings #tight #win #WildApr 11, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; The Nashville Predators celebrate a goal by Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) during the first period of their game against the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images

Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for the Nashville Predators in a 2-1 win against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.

Matthew Wood also scored and Justus Annunen made 21 saves for Nashville (38-32-10, 86 points), which stayed within a point of the Los Angeles Kings for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

The Predators have two games left and the Kings have three.

Michael McCarron scored and Jesper Wallstedt made 20 saves for Minnesota (45-23-12, 102 points), which will open the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Dallas Stars.

The Predators took a 1-0 lead at 15:01 of the first.

Stamkos pulled the puck out of a corner in the Minnesota zone, then passed it from below the goal line to Luke Evangelista. He passed it back to Stamkos, who scored on a wraparound for his 40th goal of the season.


It’s the eighth time Stamkos has reached the 40-goal mark in his 18 NHL seasons.

Nashville stretched the lead to 2-0 at 6:34 of the second.

Wallstedt saved a shot from the right face-off circle by Nick Perbix and the rebound fell at the feet of Stamkos, who made a short backhand feed to Wood that set him up for a score from the inside edge of the right circle.

McCarron scored on a rebound off Jonas Brodin’s shot to cut it to 2-1 at 6:54 of the third period.

With the Wild nearly locked into their playoff spot, they rested forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jared Spurgeon.

Nashville captain Roman Josi returned to the Preds’ blue line after he was a late scratch in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth because of an upper-body injury.

Annunen was coming off a 5-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, the first shutout of the season for Nashville.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Preds #stay #point #Kings #tight #win #Wild

Sports news

Apr 11, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; The Nashville Predators celebrate a goal by Nashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) during the first period of their game against the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alan Poizner-Imagn Images

Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist for the Nashville Predators in a 2-1 win against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.

Matthew Wood also scored and Justus Annunen made 21 saves for Nashville (38-32-10, 86 points), which stayed within a point of the Los Angeles Kings for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

The Predators have two games left and the Kings have three.

Michael McCarron scored and Jesper Wallstedt made 20 saves for Minnesota (45-23-12, 102 points), which will open the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Dallas Stars.

The Predators took a 1-0 lead at 15:01 of the first.

Stamkos pulled the puck out of a corner in the Minnesota zone, then passed it from below the goal line to Luke Evangelista. He passed it back to Stamkos, who scored on a wraparound for his 40th goal of the season.

It’s the eighth time Stamkos has reached the 40-goal mark in his 18 NHL seasons.

Nashville stretched the lead to 2-0 at 6:34 of the second.

Wallstedt saved a shot from the right face-off circle by Nick Perbix and the rebound fell at the feet of Stamkos, who made a short backhand feed to Wood that set him up for a score from the inside edge of the right circle.

McCarron scored on a rebound off Jonas Brodin’s shot to cut it to 2-1 at 6:54 of the third period.

With the Wild nearly locked into their playoff spot, they rested forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello and defenseman Jared Spurgeon.

Nashville captain Roman Josi returned to the Preds’ blue line after he was a late scratch in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth because of an upper-body injury.

Annunen was coming off a 5-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, the first shutout of the season for Nashville.

–Field Level Media

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Badminton Asia Championships 2026: Ayush Shetty loses to Shi Yuqi in final, settles for silver <div id="content-body-70853793" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Ayush Shetty was denied a fairytale ending by China’s Shi Yuqi at the Badminton Asia Championships 2026 as the Indian lost 8-21, 10-21 in 42 minutes to the home favourite in the final in Ningbo on Sunday, thus finishing with a silver medal.</p><p>World No. 2 Yuqi dominated the majority of the match, stretching his head-to-head advantage over the 20-year-old Indian to 3-0. The Chinese shuttler also bagged his maiden gold at the continental event, having previously won three bronze medals.</p><p>Barring the loss in the summit clash, it was a memorable week for World No. 25 Ayush who became the seventh Indian to win a men’s singles medal at the event after Dinesh Khanna (gold in 1965 and bronze in 1969), Suresh Goel (bronze in 1965), Prakash Padukone (bronze in 1976), Pullela Gopichand (bronze in 2000), Anup Sridhar (bronze in 2007) and H. S. Prannoy (bronze in 2018).</p><p>Ayush, the 2023 BWF World Junior Championships bronze medallist, had reached the final by stunning defending champion and World No. 1 Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand 10-21, 21-19, 21-17 in the semifinals.</p><p>Earlier, Ayush, the reigning U.S. Open Champion, had taken down World No. 4 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in the quarterfinals, World No. 20 Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei in the round of 16, and World No. 7 Li Shi Feng of China in the first round.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 12, 2026</p></div> #Badminton #Asia #Championships #Ayush #Shetty #loses #Shi #Yuqi #final #settles #silver

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Sawan Barwal breaks oldest National Record, betters Shivnath Singh’s 48-year-old mark by two seconds in his debut marathon <div id="content-body-70853851" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Growing up in the village of Radabhanker, situated in the rolling hills of Himachal’s Mandi district, Sawan Barwal didn’t have very lofty ambitions when he started running. It’s not rare to find scores of runners pounding the mountain trails early in the morning in this part of the country. It’s something most young men do in this region in preparation for Army recruitment.</p><p>Sawan though wasn’t even thinking of that. “A lot of children from my area run because they want to prepare for Army <i>bharti</i> (recruitment). But when I started running in school, it was just because I enjoyed running. At first, I was just happy to run. Then slowly, as I improved, my goals got bigger. I wanted to win a school medal, then a district medal, then state medal and national medal, then become an international athlete. Every time I won a medal, I kept thinking what I could accomplish next,” Sawan tells <i>Sportstar</i>.</p><p>On Sunday morning in Rotterdam, the 28-year-old got his biggest accomplishment yet. Competing in the Rotterdam marathon, Sawan crossed the finish line in a time of 2:11:58. In doing so, he had broken the longest standing record in Indian track and field — Shivnath Singh’s men’s marathon record of 2:12:00 set in 1978.</p><p>Sawan’s achievement is all the more remarkable considering he was making his marathon debut, having only switched to the event five months ago. It’s easily the highest mark in the career of Sawan, whose previous biggest claim to fame was a bronze medal in the Asian half marathon championships in 2023.</p><p><b>READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/athletics/lokesh-sathyanathan-story-career-ncaa-long-jump-title-journey-coach-bengaluru/article70802992.ece" target="_blank">The Lokesh Sathyanathan story: How the long jumper from Bengaluru leapt into history with his maiden NCAA title</a></b></p><p>While it’s a mark that’s eluded many generations of Indian long-distance runners, Sawan had been confident about setting a new national record in his first race. “Before coming to Rotterdam, I had done some research. I knew the course is very flat. I knew I had a good chance to get the record,” he says.</p><p>Growing up though, Sawan wouldn’t have thought he was going to be the one to script history. “I first started running seriously when I was in class 8th in school. I was introduced by my coach. I wasn’t thinking so much of the future. I ran because it focuses your mind and gives you a goal to chase,” he says.</p><p>It soon became obvious that Sawan had talent. He started as an 800m runner and soon progressed from the school to the state and eventually, the national level. In 2015, he finished fourth in the men’s 3,000m at the U-18 national championships. Although he hadn’t medalled, he continued running.</p><p>Although it hadn’t been the reason he started running in the first case, Sawan was eventually recruited by the Army the following year – he’s currently a <i>havaldar</i> with the Engineering Corps. The shift didn’t immediately transform his fortunes. He’d have to wait another five years to win his first medal – a silver in the 10,000m at the National Open Athletics Championships in 2022.</p><p>The following year, he won his first international medal – bronze at the Asian half marathon championships.</p><p>While it was clear he had potential to compete at the longest distance in Olympic track and field, Sawan held off the decision. “The first time I thought about running in the marathon was in 2023. But because we had the Asian Games that year and because I had already done well in the 5,000m, I thought I should stick to that distance,” he says.</p><p>Sawan continued to do well in the 5,000m and 10,000m, winning gold in the latter with a personal best time at last year’s National Games and then, later at the Federation Cup. But coaches continued to nudge him towards the marathon. “Last year, Scott Simmons (who had previously coached Commonwealth Games medallist Avinash Sable) suggested I try the marathon as well. I thought it might be a good chance to qualify for the Asian Games so I decided to make the move,” he says.</p><p>The shift didn’t go smoothly at first. Two months into marathon preparation, Sawan fell in the middle of a run. “I was supposed to make my marathon debut last year but because of the fall, I had to give up that plan,” he says.</p><p>This season though, the plan was to take on the Rotterdam marathon. The goal heading in was to break the national record. Sevaral senior runners said that plan was too ambitious but Sawan says he was always confident. “Because the record has stood for so long, a lot of runners think we can’t even train to run that fast. A lot of old runners told me this. But I didn’t think this time was that hard,” he says.</p><p>Indeed, in recent years, a number of runners have come close to the record. Sawan’s army teammate Gopi Thonackal ran a time of 2:12:12 at the Valencia marathon last year while Kartik Karkera ran 2:13:10 at the New Delhi marathon earlier this year. While those two had come close, at Rotterdam, Sawan would shatter the mark.</p><p>Even with the record, it’s unlikely Sawan would be satisfied. Before the race, Sawan had told <i>Sportstar</i> what his goals were. “I don’t think it’s enough to break the record. I would like to be able to run a sub 2:09:00 race. I also want to win a medal at the Asian Games,” he said.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 12, 2026</p></div> #Sawan #Barwal #breaks #oldest #National #Record #betters #Shivnath #Singhs #48yearold #mark #seconds #debut #marathon

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TOSS

England has won the toss and opts to bowl first.

Three debuts handed out today: N Shree Charani (IND); Mady Villiers and Alice Capsey (ENG)

Playing XIs

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmnpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah odrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana, N Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud

England: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver Brunt, Alice Capsey, Amy Jones, Mady Villiers Ecclestone, Issy Wong, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell

Preview

This Test brings together the founding nation of the sport and its most formidable force. India has a brilliant record against England in Tests. In 16 encounters, India has three wins and a solitary loss, while the others were all drawn. Their most recent clash was at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai in 2023. India marched to a massive 347-run triumph then. England’s last win against India came in 1995.

Red-ball fixtures are few and far between in the women’s game. England and Australia are the ecosystem’s most active participants. India has been an enthusiastic follower, with South Africa too slowly hopping on board. The costs of staging Tests make this a tier too high for everyone else. Even a board like New Zealand, one of the game’s old powers, has been vocal about its disinterest in the format for women.

So, how this Test, staged on one of the game’s grandest stages, slots into cricket’s rhetoric, and whether larger questions about the format’s relevance in the women’s game will be answered, are things to watch.

But this Lord’s Test will be what it has been fashioned to be: historic. It is another major cultural and societal barrier broken. With record audiences expected and two hurting sides looking to sign off from a challenging international summer on a high, it remains to be seen whether this spectacle can prove to be the catalyst the ecosystem’s red-ball ambitions are crying out for.

SQUADS

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (Capt.), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Varma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare and Priya Punia.

England: Nat Sciver-Brunt (Capt.), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Grace Potts, Ellie Threlkeld, Mady Villiers and Issy Wong.

Published on Jul 12, 2026

#IND #ENG #Womens #Test #Day #Live #Score #India #leads #runs">IND vs ENG Women’s Test, Day 3 Live Score: India to 233/4, leads by 348 runs TOSSEngland has won the toss and opts to bowl first.Three debuts handed out today: N Shree Charani (IND); Mady Villiers and Alice Capsey (ENG)Playing XIsIndia: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmnpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah odrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana, N Shree Charani, Kranti GaudEngland: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver Brunt, Alice Capsey, Amy Jones, Mady Villiers Ecclestone, Issy Wong, Lauren Filer, Lauren BellPreviewThis Test brings together the founding nation of the sport and its most formidable force. India has a brilliant record against England in Tests. In 16 encounters, India has three wins and a solitary loss, while the others were all drawn. Their most recent clash was at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai in 2023. India marched to a massive 347-run triumph then. England’s last win against India came in 1995.Red-ball fixtures are few and far between in the women’s game. England and Australia are the ecosystem’s most active participants. India has been an enthusiastic follower, with South Africa too slowly hopping on board. The costs of staging Tests make this a tier too high for everyone else. Even a board like New Zealand, one of the game’s old powers, has been vocal about its disinterest in the format for women.So, how this Test, staged on one of the game’s grandest stages, slots into cricket’s rhetoric, and whether larger questions about the format’s relevance in the women’s game will be answered, are things to watch.But this Lord’s Test will be what it has been fashioned to be: historic. It is another major cultural and societal barrier broken. With record audiences expected and two hurting sides looking to sign off from a challenging international summer on a high, it remains to be seen whether this spectacle can prove to be the catalyst the ecosystem’s red-ball ambitions are crying out for.SQUADSIndia: Harmanpreet Kaur (Capt.), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Varma, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare and Priya Punia.England: Nat Sciver-Brunt (Capt.), Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones, Heather Knight, Emma Lamb, Grace Potts, Ellie Threlkeld, Mady Villiers and Issy Wong.Published on Jul 12, 2026 #IND #ENG #Womens #Test #Day #Live #Score #India #leads #runs

Deadspin | Ryan Blaney wins Atlanta pole, leads Team Penske front-row sweep Jun 14, 2026; Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) races during The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Blaney claimed his second pole position of the season Saturday evening at Atlanta’s fast high-banked EchoPark Speedway — leading a Team Penske Ford front row sweep for Sunday night’s Quaker State 400 (7 p.m. ET, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford turned in a lap of 179.912 mph around the 1.5-mile track, besting his teammate Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford by a slight .016-second in Busch Light Pole Qualifying. It’s the 32-year old Blaney’s 14th career pole and marks the first front-row Penske sweep this year. All three Penske’s advanced to Saturday’s 10-car second round after dominating the top of the speed charts in round one. Austin Cindric will roll off eighth in the No. 2 Penske Ford. The typically low-key Blaney was thrilled for the result, crediting his team for the hard work. However, the 2023 series champion was quick to remind at a high-speed, drafting track such as Atlanta, he was confident starting up front doesn’t automatically translate into a trip to Victory Lane. Toyota, which is enjoying a dominant season in wins, failed to place a single car into the final round of qualifying. NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Denny Hamlin will roll off 28th in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who trails Hamlin by 44 points in the standings, will start 31st in the No. 45 Toyota. A five-time race winner this year, Reddick won at Atlanta this February. Gibbs drivers Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell will start 23rd and 32nd. And Reddick’s 23XI teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst are 23rd and 29th on the grid. “I feel like we’ve seen that,” Blaney said of the Toyotas qualifying effort. “They don’t really qualify great at these speedways, just the build of their race car. So usually that means they can probably be aggressive in the draft and get in the middle and get to the top and things like that. I’m sure we’re going to see them up there. “If you look at the spring race here and Toyotas were really, really good when it came race time. Hopefully, our balance in the race is good enough to be able to either maintain the lead or if we get shuffled back to be able to go forward. You really don’t know that until the race starts.” The Chevrolets of Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports) and Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ) make up row two. Daniel Suarez will start fifth with the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets of Alex Bowman and defending race winner Chase Elliott, Cindric, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Brad Keselowski owner-driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford, rounding out the top 10. The front row start is especially significant for the three-time series champion Logano, who is enduring one of the most challenging seasons of his Hall of Fame-bound career. He’s still not in the top 16 field that will ultimately settle the title in the 10-race Chase. Logano’s ranked 18th, 16 points behind 16th-place Erik Jones. “The good news is the Hunt Brothers Pizza Mustang is fast and that speed you see in qualifying will usually show up in the race,” said Logano, a two-time Atlanta winner. “I’m proud to see the speed that’s there and the handling seemed fine in qualifying. “I feel like our team can handle these speedways really well and you can remember what happened here last Fall (he wrecked after leading laps and winning the pole position), so there’s no guarantee you see the end of it. “But,” he added with a smile, “The speed’s there and that’s half the battle, so we know we have that.” –By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media #Deadspin #Ryan #Blaney #wins #Atlanta #pole #leads #Team #Penske #frontrow #sweepJun 14, 2026; Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) races during The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images

HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Blaney claimed his second pole position of the season Saturday evening at Atlanta’s fast high-banked EchoPark Speedway — leading a Team Penske Ford front row sweep for Sunday night’s Quaker State 400 (7 p.m. ET, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford turned in a lap of 179.912 mph around the 1.5-mile track, besting his teammate Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford by a slight .016-second in Busch Light Pole Qualifying.

It’s the 32-year old Blaney’s 14th career pole and marks the first front-row Penske sweep this year. All three Penske’s advanced to Saturday’s 10-car second round after dominating the top of the speed charts in round one. Austin Cindric will roll off eighth in the No. 2 Penske Ford.

The typically low-key Blaney was thrilled for the result, crediting his team for the hard work. However, the 2023 series champion was quick to remind at a high-speed, drafting track such as Atlanta, he was confident starting up front doesn’t automatically translate into a trip to Victory Lane.

Toyota, which is enjoying a dominant season in wins, failed to place a single car into the final round of qualifying.

NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Denny Hamlin will roll off 28th in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who trails Hamlin by 44 points in the standings, will start 31st in the No. 45 Toyota. A five-time race winner this year, Reddick won at Atlanta this February.

Gibbs drivers Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell will start 23rd and 32nd. And Reddick’s 23XI teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst are 23rd and 29th on the grid.


“I feel like we’ve seen that,” Blaney said of the Toyotas qualifying effort. “They don’t really qualify great at these speedways, just the build of their race car. So usually that means they can probably be aggressive in the draft and get in the middle and get to the top and things like that. I’m sure we’re going to see them up there.

“If you look at the spring race here and Toyotas were really, really good when it came race time. Hopefully, our balance in the race is good enough to be able to either maintain the lead or if we get shuffled back to be able to go forward. You really don’t know that until the race starts.”

The Chevrolets of Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports) and Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ) make up row two.

Daniel Suarez will start fifth with the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets of Alex Bowman and defending race winner Chase Elliott, Cindric, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Brad Keselowski owner-driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford, rounding out the top 10.

The front row start is especially significant for the three-time series champion Logano, who is enduring one of the most challenging seasons of his Hall of Fame-bound career. He’s still not in the top 16 field that will ultimately settle the title in the 10-race Chase. Logano’s ranked 18th, 16 points behind 16th-place Erik Jones.

“The good news is the Hunt Brothers Pizza Mustang is fast and that speed you see in qualifying will usually show up in the race,” said Logano, a two-time Atlanta winner. “I’m proud to see the speed that’s there and the handling seemed fine in qualifying.

“I feel like our team can handle these speedways really well and you can remember what happened here last Fall (he wrecked after leading laps and winning the pole position), so there’s no guarantee you see the end of it.

“But,” he added with a smile, “The speed’s there and that’s half the battle, so we know we have that.”


–By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Ryan #Blaney #wins #Atlanta #pole #leads #Team #Penske #frontrow #sweep">Deadspin | Ryan Blaney wins Atlanta pole, leads Team Penske front-row sweep Jun 14, 2026; Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) races during The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Blaney claimed his second pole position of the season Saturday evening at Atlanta’s fast high-banked EchoPark Speedway — leading a Team Penske Ford front row sweep for Sunday night’s Quaker State 400 (7 p.m. ET, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford turned in a lap of 179.912 mph around the 1.5-mile track, besting his teammate Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford by a slight .016-second in Busch Light Pole Qualifying. It’s the 32-year old Blaney’s 14th career pole and marks the first front-row Penske sweep this year. All three Penske’s advanced to Saturday’s 10-car second round after dominating the top of the speed charts in round one. Austin Cindric will roll off eighth in the No. 2 Penske Ford. The typically low-key Blaney was thrilled for the result, crediting his team for the hard work. However, the 2023 series champion was quick to remind at a high-speed, drafting track such as Atlanta, he was confident starting up front doesn’t automatically translate into a trip to Victory Lane. Toyota, which is enjoying a dominant season in wins, failed to place a single car into the final round of qualifying. NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Denny Hamlin will roll off 28th in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who trails Hamlin by 44 points in the standings, will start 31st in the No. 45 Toyota. A five-time race winner this year, Reddick won at Atlanta this February. Gibbs drivers Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell will start 23rd and 32nd. And Reddick’s 23XI teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst are 23rd and 29th on the grid. “I feel like we’ve seen that,” Blaney said of the Toyotas qualifying effort. “They don’t really qualify great at these speedways, just the build of their race car. So usually that means they can probably be aggressive in the draft and get in the middle and get to the top and things like that. I’m sure we’re going to see them up there. “If you look at the spring race here and Toyotas were really, really good when it came race time. Hopefully, our balance in the race is good enough to be able to either maintain the lead or if we get shuffled back to be able to go forward. You really don’t know that until the race starts.” The Chevrolets of Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports) and Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ) make up row two. Daniel Suarez will start fifth with the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets of Alex Bowman and defending race winner Chase Elliott, Cindric, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Brad Keselowski owner-driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford, rounding out the top 10. The front row start is especially significant for the three-time series champion Logano, who is enduring one of the most challenging seasons of his Hall of Fame-bound career. He’s still not in the top 16 field that will ultimately settle the title in the 10-race Chase. Logano’s ranked 18th, 16 points behind 16th-place Erik Jones. “The good news is the Hunt Brothers Pizza Mustang is fast and that speed you see in qualifying will usually show up in the race,” said Logano, a two-time Atlanta winner. “I’m proud to see the speed that’s there and the handling seemed fine in qualifying. “I feel like our team can handle these speedways really well and you can remember what happened here last Fall (he wrecked after leading laps and winning the pole position), so there’s no guarantee you see the end of it. “But,” he added with a smile, “The speed’s there and that’s half the battle, so we know we have that.” –By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media #Deadspin #Ryan #Blaney #wins #Atlanta #pole #leads #Team #Penske #frontrow #sweep

England’s run at the 1986 World Cup came to a dramatic end due to the “Hand of God” goal scored by Diego Maradona.

Could their run at the 2026 World Cup continue due to the “Cable of God?”

Norway took a 1-0 lead late in the first half during Saturday’s Quarterfinal match between the two teams, thanks to a thunderous strike from Andreas Schjelderup.

However, England pulled level moments later, on a lovely left-footed strike from Jude Bellingham:

But should the goal have even counted?

FOX Sports cameras spotted Norway coach Stale Solbakken chatting with referee Clement Turpin after the goal, and Norway striker Erling Haaland was frustrated as well:

Eventually, replay angles showed why. After a goal kick from keeper Orjan Nyland, the ball appeared to strike one of the FIFA skycam cables, falling to the feet of England’s Anthony Gordon:

On the FOX Sports broadcast, former referee Mark Clattenburg noted that under FIFA rules, the play should have stopped, and a dropped-ball resulted.

A review did come later in the match, but that potential go-ahead goal was taken off the board after VAR noted a foul by Haaland before Norway’s corner kick:

The match remains tied at 1-1 deep into the second half, but no matter the result, expect that non-review to be part of the discussion.

Update: Following the match, FIFA shared this on social media:

#Englands #equalizer #Norway #counted">Why England’s equalizer against Norway should not have counted England’s run at the 1986 World Cup came to a dramatic end due to the “Hand of God” goal scored by Diego Maradona.Could their run at the 2026 World Cup continue due to the “Cable of God?”Norway took a 1-0 lead late in the first half during Saturday’s Quarterfinal match between the two teams, thanks to a thunderous strike from Andreas Schjelderup.However, England pulled level moments later, on a lovely left-footed strike from Jude Bellingham:But should the goal have even counted?FOX Sports cameras spotted Norway coach Stale Solbakken chatting with referee Clement Turpin after the goal, and Norway striker Erling Haaland was frustrated as well:Eventually, replay angles showed why. After a goal kick from keeper Orjan Nyland, the ball appeared to strike one of the FIFA skycam cables, falling to the feet of England’s Anthony Gordon:On the FOX Sports broadcast, former referee Mark Clattenburg noted that under FIFA rules, the play should have stopped, and a dropped-ball resulted.A review did come later in the match, but that potential go-ahead goal was taken off the board after VAR noted a foul by Haaland before Norway’s corner kick:The match remains tied at 1-1 deep into the second half, but no matter the result, expect that non-review to be part of the discussion.Update: Following the match, FIFA shared this on social media: #Englands #equalizer #Norway #counted

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