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Deadspin | Taylor Gray fends off Sheldon Creed, wins eventful race in Kansas Apr 18, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Taylor Gray (54) poses with his team after winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The early bird got the victory on Saturday night. The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray. Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short. “How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer. “Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It’s been a long start to the year, man — not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track. It’s just that things haven’t really gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out.” Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings. As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a 0,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed’s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money. “It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today… “It’s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there and got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.” Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers. Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points. Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage. The race wasn’t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch. Contact from Byron’s Chevy turned Kvapil’s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff piled into Kvapil’s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil’s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof. With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center. “Maybe on dirt, I’ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.” On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill’s car. “I’ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close. Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire. Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Kansas Lottery 300 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, Kansas Saturday, April 18, 2026 1. (10) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 200. 2. (4) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200. 3. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200. 4. (9) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200. 5. (5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200. 6. (2) William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 200. 7. (36) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 200. 8. (14) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200. 9. (19) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200. 10. (12) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200. 11. (22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 199. 12. (6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 199. 13. (16) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199. 14. (24) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 199. 15. (18) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199. 16. (11) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 199. 17. (30) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199. 18. (27) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 198. 19. (17) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 198. 20. (7) William Sawalich, Toyota, 198. 21. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 198. 22. (29) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 198. 23. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 198. 24. (32) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 197. 25. (25) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 197. 26. (23) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196. 27. (33) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194. 28. (20) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 190. 29. (28) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 120. 30. (31) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 65. 31. (37) Blake Lothian, Chevrolet, Brakes, 62. 32. (35) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Engine, 61. 33. (34) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, Engine, 51. 34. (15) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Accident, 37. 35. (26) Luke Baldwin(i), Ford, Suspension, 4. 36. (8) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 2. 37. (1) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, Accident, 1. Average Speed of Race Winner: 116.946 mph. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: .718 Seconds. Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps. Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers. Lap Leaders: C. Kvapil 0;C. Day 1-23;B. Jones 24-48;A. Alfredo 49-54;W. Byron(i) 55;B. Jones 56-70;J. Love 71;B. Jones 72-98;S. Creed 99-146;C. Day 147-149;R. Sieg 150-152;T. Gray 153-200. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Brandon Jones 3 times for 67 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 48 laps; Taylor Gray 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Day 2 times for 26 laps; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 3 laps; Jesse Love 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap. Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,17,7,2,96,54,00,19,27,88 Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,00,7,2,17,8,54,24,41,26 –By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media. #Deadspin #Taylor #Gray #fends #Sheldon #Creed #wins #eventful #race #Kansas

Deadspin | Taylor Gray fends off Sheldon Creed, wins eventful race in Kansas
Deadspin | Taylor Gray fends off Sheldon Creed, wins eventful race in Kansas Apr 18, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Taylor Gray (54) poses with his team after winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The early bird got the victory on Saturday night. The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray. Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short. “How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer. “Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It’s been a long start to the year, man — not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track. It’s just that things haven’t really gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out.” Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings. As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a 0,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed’s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money. “It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today… “It’s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there and got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.” Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers. Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points. Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage. The race wasn’t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch. Contact from Byron’s Chevy turned Kvapil’s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff piled into Kvapil’s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil’s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof. With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center. “Maybe on dirt, I’ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.” On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill’s car. “I’ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close. Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire. Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Kansas Lottery 300 Kansas Speedway Kansas City, Kansas Saturday, April 18, 2026 1. (10) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 200. 2. (4) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200. 3. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200. 4. (9) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200. 5. (5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200. 6. (2) William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 200. 7. (36) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 200. 8. (14) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200. 9. (19) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200. 10. (12) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200. 11. (22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 199. 12. (6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 199. 13. (16) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199. 14. (24) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 199. 15. (18) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199. 16. (11) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 199. 17. (30) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199. 18. (27) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 198. 19. (17) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 198. 20. (7) William Sawalich, Toyota, 198. 21. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 198. 22. (29) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 198. 23. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 198. 24. (32) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 197. 25. (25) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 197. 26. (23) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196. 27. (33) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194. 28. (20) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 190. 29. (28) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 120. 30. (31) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 65. 31. (37) Blake Lothian, Chevrolet, Brakes, 62. 32. (35) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Engine, 61. 33. (34) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, Engine, 51. 34. (15) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Accident, 37. 35. (26) Luke Baldwin(i), Ford, Suspension, 4. 36. (8) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 2. 37. (1) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, Accident, 1. Average Speed of Race Winner: 116.946 mph. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: .718 Seconds. Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps. Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers. Lap Leaders: C. Kvapil 0;C. Day 1-23;B. Jones 24-48;A. Alfredo 49-54;W. Byron(i) 55;B. Jones 56-70;J. Love 71;B. Jones 72-98;S. Creed 99-146;C. Day 147-149;R. Sieg 150-152;T. Gray 153-200. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Brandon Jones 3 times for 67 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 48 laps; Taylor Gray 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Day 2 times for 26 laps; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 3 laps; Jesse Love 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap. Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,17,7,2,96,54,00,19,27,88 Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,00,7,2,17,8,54,24,41,26 –By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media. #Deadspin #Taylor #Gray #fends #Sheldon #Creed #wins #eventful #race #KansasApr 18, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Taylor Gray (54) poses with his team after winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The early bird got the victory on Saturday night.

The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career.

Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray.

Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short.

“How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer.

“Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It’s been a long start to the year, man — not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track. It’s just that things haven’t really gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out.”

Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings.

As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed’s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money.

“It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today…

“It’s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there and got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.”

Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers.

Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points.

Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage.

The race wasn’t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch.

Contact from Byron’s Chevy turned Kvapil’s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff piled into Kvapil’s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil’s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof.

With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center.

“Maybe on dirt, I’ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.”

On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill’s car.

“I’ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close.

Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire.

Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Kansas Lottery 300

Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, Kansas

Saturday, April 18, 2026

1. (10) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 200.

2. (4) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.

3. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.

4. (9) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.

5. (5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.

6. (2) William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 200.

7. (36) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 200.

8. (14) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.

9. (19) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.

10. (12) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.


11. (22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 199.

12. (6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 199.

13. (16) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.

14. (24) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 199.

15. (18) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199.

16. (11) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 199.

17. (30) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199.

18. (27) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 198.

19. (17) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 198.

20. (7) William Sawalich, Toyota, 198.

21. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 198.

22. (29) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 198.

23. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 198.

24. (32) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 197.

25. (25) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 197.

26. (23) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196.

27. (33) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194.

28. (20) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 190.

29. (28) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 120.

30. (31) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 65.

31. (37) Blake Lothian, Chevrolet, Brakes, 62.

32. (35) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Engine, 61.

33. (34) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, Engine, 51.

34. (15) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Accident, 37.

35. (26) Luke Baldwin(i), Ford, Suspension, 4.

36. (8) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 2.

37. (1) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, Accident, 1.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 116.946 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: .718 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.

Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C. Kvapil 0;C. Day 1-23;B. Jones 24-48;A. Alfredo 49-54;W. Byron(i) 55;B. Jones 56-70;J. Love 71;B. Jones 72-98;S. Creed 99-146;C. Day 147-149;R. Sieg 150-152;T. Gray 153-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Brandon Jones 3 times for 67 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 48 laps; Taylor Gray 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Day 2 times for 26 laps; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 3 laps; Jesse Love 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,17,7,2,96,54,00,19,27,88

Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,00,7,2,17,8,54,24,41,26

–By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.

#Deadspin #Taylor #Gray #fends #Sheldon #Creed #wins #eventful #race #Kansas

Sports news

Apr 18, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Taylor Gray (54) poses with his team after winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The early bird got the victory on Saturday night.

The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career.

Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray.

Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short.

“How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer.

“Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It’s been a long start to the year, man — not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track. It’s just that things haven’t really gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out.”

Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings.

As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed’s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money.

“It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today…

“It’s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there and got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.”

Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers.

Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points.

Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage.

The race wasn’t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch.

Contact from Byron’s Chevy turned Kvapil’s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff piled into Kvapil’s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil’s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof.

With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center.

“Maybe on dirt, I’ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.”

On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill’s car.

“I’ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close.

Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire.

Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Kansas Lottery 300

Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, Kansas

Saturday, April 18, 2026

1. (10) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 200.

2. (4) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.

3. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.

4. (9) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.

5. (5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.

6. (2) William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 200.

7. (36) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 200.

8. (14) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.

9. (19) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.

10. (12) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.

11. (22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 199.

12. (6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 199.

13. (16) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.

14. (24) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 199.

15. (18) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199.

16. (11) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 199.

17. (30) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199.

18. (27) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 198.

19. (17) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 198.

20. (7) William Sawalich, Toyota, 198.

21. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 198.

22. (29) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 198.

23. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 198.

24. (32) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 197.

25. (25) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 197.

26. (23) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196.

27. (33) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194.

28. (20) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 190.

29. (28) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 120.

30. (31) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 65.

31. (37) Blake Lothian, Chevrolet, Brakes, 62.

32. (35) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Engine, 61.

33. (34) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, Engine, 51.

34. (15) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Accident, 37.

35. (26) Luke Baldwin(i), Ford, Suspension, 4.

36. (8) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 2.

37. (1) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, Accident, 1.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 116.946 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: .718 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.

Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C. Kvapil 0;C. Day 1-23;B. Jones 24-48;A. Alfredo 49-54;W. Byron(i) 55;B. Jones 56-70;J. Love 71;B. Jones 72-98;S. Creed 99-146;C. Day 147-149;R. Sieg 150-152;T. Gray 153-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Brandon Jones 3 times for 67 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 48 laps; Taylor Gray 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Day 2 times for 26 laps; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 3 laps; Jesse Love 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,17,7,2,96,54,00,19,27,88

Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,00,7,2,17,8,54,24,41,26

–By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.

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#Deadspin #Taylor #Gray #fends #Sheldon #Creed #wins #eventful #race #Kansas

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South Korea on Saturday announced its squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 as the most successful Asian football side readies to make a 12th appearance at the “greatest show on Earth.”

LA FC’s Son Heungmin is the standout name of the squad as Korea Republic gears up to face Mexico, South Africa and Czechia in its Group A fixtures. The side also has the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Heechan and FC Bayern’s centre-back Kim Minjae.

READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 — Cristiano Ronaldo as hungry as ever, says Portugal coach Roberto Martinez

The team is currently coached by Hong Myungbo, who has experienced the tournament as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. At Qatar 2022, South Korea advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in 12 years, but its campaign ended with a defeat to Brazil.

The side qualified for the 2026 showpiece by remaining undefeated and finishing at the top of Group B in the third round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers. Its direct entry was secured with a 2-0 away victory against Iraq in Basra.

KOREA REPUBLIC FULL SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

  • Goalkeepers: Kim Seunggyu, Song Bumkeun, Jo Hyeonwoo
  • Defenders: Kim Moonhwan, Kim Minjae, Kim Taehyeon, Park Jinseob, Seol Youngwoo, Jens Castrop, Lee Kihyuk, Lee Taeseok, Lee Hanbeom, Cho Yumin
  • Midfielders: Kim Jingyu, Bae Junho, Paik Seungho, Yang Hyunjun, Eom Jisung, Lee Kangin, Lee Donggyeong, Lee Jaesung, Hwang Inbeom, Hwang Heechan
  • Forwards: Son Heungmin, Oh Hyeonggyu, Cho Guesung

Published on May 16, 2026

#South #Korea #squad #FIFA #World #Cup #Son #Minjae #headline #26man #squad">South Korea squad for FIFA World Cup 2026: Son, Minjae headline 26-man squad South Korea on Saturday announced its squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 as the most successful Asian football side readies to make a 12th appearance at the “greatest show on Earth.”LA FC’s Son Heungmin is the standout name of the squad as Korea Republic gears up to face Mexico, South Africa and Czechia in its Group A fixtures. The side also has the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Heechan and FC Bayern’s centre-back Kim Minjae.READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 — Cristiano Ronaldo as hungry as ever, says Portugal coach Roberto MartinezThe team is currently coached by Hong Myungbo, who has experienced the tournament as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. At Qatar 2022, South Korea advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in 12 years, but its campaign ended with a defeat to Brazil.The side qualified for the 2026 showpiece by remaining undefeated and finishing at the top of Group B in the third round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers. Its direct entry was secured with a 2-0 away victory against Iraq in Basra.KOREA REPUBLIC FULL SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 Goalkeepers: Kim Seunggyu, Song Bumkeun, Jo Hyeonwoo Defenders: Kim Moonhwan, Kim Minjae, Kim Taehyeon, Park Jinseob, Seol Youngwoo, Jens Castrop, Lee Kihyuk, Lee Taeseok, Lee Hanbeom, Cho Yumin Midfielders: Kim Jingyu, Bae Junho, Paik Seungho, Yang Hyunjun, Eom Jisung, Lee Kangin, Lee Donggyeong, Lee Jaesung, Hwang Inbeom, Hwang Heechan Forwards: Son Heungmin, Oh Hyeonggyu, Cho Guesung Published on May 16, 2026 #South #Korea #squad #FIFA #World #Cup #Son #Minjae #headline #26man #squad

FIFA World Cup 2026 — Cristiano Ronaldo as hungry as ever, says Portugal coach Roberto Martinez

The team is currently coached by Hong Myungbo, who has experienced the tournament as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. At Qatar 2022, South Korea advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in 12 years, but its campaign ended with a defeat to Brazil.

The side qualified for the 2026 showpiece by remaining undefeated and finishing at the top of Group B in the third round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers. Its direct entry was secured with a 2-0 away victory against Iraq in Basra.

KOREA REPUBLIC FULL SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

  • Goalkeepers: Kim Seunggyu, Song Bumkeun, Jo Hyeonwoo
  • Defenders: Kim Moonhwan, Kim Minjae, Kim Taehyeon, Park Jinseob, Seol Youngwoo, Jens Castrop, Lee Kihyuk, Lee Taeseok, Lee Hanbeom, Cho Yumin
  • Midfielders: Kim Jingyu, Bae Junho, Paik Seungho, Yang Hyunjun, Eom Jisung, Lee Kangin, Lee Donggyeong, Lee Jaesung, Hwang Inbeom, Hwang Heechan
  • Forwards: Son Heungmin, Oh Hyeonggyu, Cho Guesung

Published on May 16, 2026

#South #Korea #squad #FIFA #World #Cup #Son #Minjae #headline #26man #squad">South Korea squad for FIFA World Cup 2026: Son, Minjae headline 26-man squad

South Korea on Saturday announced its squad for FIFA World Cup 2026 as the most successful Asian football side readies to make a 12th appearance at the “greatest show on Earth.”

LA FC’s Son Heungmin is the standout name of the squad as Korea Republic gears up to face Mexico, South Africa and Czechia in its Group A fixtures. The side also has the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Hwang Heechan and FC Bayern’s centre-back Kim Minjae.

READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 — Cristiano Ronaldo as hungry as ever, says Portugal coach Roberto Martinez

The team is currently coached by Hong Myungbo, who has experienced the tournament as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. At Qatar 2022, South Korea advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in 12 years, but its campaign ended with a defeat to Brazil.

The side qualified for the 2026 showpiece by remaining undefeated and finishing at the top of Group B in the third round of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers. Its direct entry was secured with a 2-0 away victory against Iraq in Basra.

KOREA REPUBLIC FULL SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

  • Goalkeepers: Kim Seunggyu, Song Bumkeun, Jo Hyeonwoo
  • Defenders: Kim Moonhwan, Kim Minjae, Kim Taehyeon, Park Jinseob, Seol Youngwoo, Jens Castrop, Lee Kihyuk, Lee Taeseok, Lee Hanbeom, Cho Yumin
  • Midfielders: Kim Jingyu, Bae Junho, Paik Seungho, Yang Hyunjun, Eom Jisung, Lee Kangin, Lee Donggyeong, Lee Jaesung, Hwang Inbeom, Hwang Heechan
  • Forwards: Son Heungmin, Oh Hyeonggyu, Cho Guesung

Published on May 16, 2026

#South #Korea #squad #FIFA #World #Cup #Son #Minjae #headline #26man #squad
Deadspin | Quinn Hughes open to contract extension with Wild May 11, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates with the puck against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Quinn Hughes made a tremendous impact during his half season in Minnesota, and the standout defenseman is interested in a contract extension with the Wild. The older brother of New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes made headlines when he was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Wild on Dec. 12, 2025. A captain with the Canucks, Quinn Hughes did not disappoint in Minnesota, amassing 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 games. He also led the NHL in ice-time average in the regular season (27:44 per game). Hughes continued his production in the postseason, putting up 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 11 games and a plus-10 rating. He led Minnesota to a first-round upset of second-seeded Dallas before the Colorado Avalanche ousted the Wild in five games. “I really like it here. I would definitely be open to re-signing. We’ll see what (general manager) Billy (Guerin) wants to do,” Hughes said Friday. “We’re 36 hours removed (from elimination). I’m not sure I’m ready to get into details, what they would look like.” Hughes will be entering the final season of his six-year, .1 million deal, but can sign an extension with Minnesota on July 1. All three Hughes’ brothers (Luke is a defenseman with the Devils) are represented by agent Pat Brisson. Jack is signed through 2030 and there has been speculation that Quinn would sign a three-year deal so both brothers could sign with the same team in advance of the 2030-31 season. “Between brothers, there’s so many conversations. But we haven’t had any specific (conversations) about this,” Brisson said. “Those are possibilities. I’m not going to deny the fact.” Hughes plans on remaining in Minnesota for at least part of the summer as he decompresses from a year with three teams, including his stint as a member of the gold-medal winning United States Olympic ice hockey squad. “I think I can say that I really like it here,” Hughes said of Minnesota. “I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Just being in that locker room, it’s a special group. It’s an amazing state, so passionate about hockey. “From a mental aspect, a lot has happened this year. I never let myself process it or let my hair down a little bit,” he said. “It’ll be nice to just go home, process the whole year and get some rest.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Quinn #Hughes #open #contract #extension #WildMay 11, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates with the puck against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Quinn Hughes made a tremendous impact during his half season in Minnesota, and the standout defenseman is interested in a contract extension with the Wild.

The older brother of New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes made headlines when he was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Wild on Dec. 12, 2025.

A captain with the Canucks, Quinn Hughes did not disappoint in Minnesota, amassing 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 games. He also led the NHL in ice-time average in the regular season (27:44 per game).

Hughes continued his production in the postseason, putting up 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 11 games and a plus-10 rating. He led Minnesota to a first-round upset of second-seeded Dallas before the Colorado Avalanche ousted the Wild in five games.

“I really like it here. I would definitely be open to re-signing. We’ll see what (general manager) Billy (Guerin) wants to do,” Hughes said Friday. “We’re 36 hours removed (from elimination). I’m not sure I’m ready to get into details, what they would look like.”


Hughes will be entering the final season of his six-year, $47.1 million deal, but can sign an extension with Minnesota on July 1.

All three Hughes’ brothers (Luke is a defenseman with the Devils) are represented by agent Pat Brisson. Jack is signed through 2030 and there has been speculation that Quinn would sign a three-year deal so both brothers could sign with the same team in advance of the 2030-31 season.

“Between brothers, there’s so many conversations. But we haven’t had any specific (conversations) about this,” Brisson said. “Those are possibilities. I’m not going to deny the fact.”

Hughes plans on remaining in Minnesota for at least part of the summer as he decompresses from a year with three teams, including his stint as a member of the gold-medal winning United States Olympic ice hockey squad.

“I think I can say that I really like it here,” Hughes said of Minnesota. “I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Just being in that locker room, it’s a special group. It’s an amazing state, so passionate about hockey.

“From a mental aspect, a lot has happened this year. I never let myself process it or let my hair down a little bit,” he said. “It’ll be nice to just go home, process the whole year and get some rest.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Quinn #Hughes #open #contract #extension #Wild">Deadspin | Quinn Hughes open to contract extension with Wild May 11, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) skates with the puck against the Colorado Avalanche during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Quinn Hughes made a tremendous impact during his half season in Minnesota, and the standout defenseman is interested in a contract extension with the Wild. The older brother of New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes made headlines when he was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Wild on Dec. 12, 2025. A captain with the Canucks, Quinn Hughes did not disappoint in Minnesota, amassing 53 points (five goals, 48 assists) in 48 games. He also led the NHL in ice-time average in the regular season (27:44 per game). Hughes continued his production in the postseason, putting up 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) in 11 games and a plus-10 rating. He led Minnesota to a first-round upset of second-seeded Dallas before the Colorado Avalanche ousted the Wild in five games. “I really like it here. I would definitely be open to re-signing. We’ll see what (general manager) Billy (Guerin) wants to do,” Hughes said Friday. “We’re 36 hours removed (from elimination). I’m not sure I’m ready to get into details, what they would look like.” Hughes will be entering the final season of his six-year, .1 million deal, but can sign an extension with Minnesota on July 1. All three Hughes’ brothers (Luke is a defenseman with the Devils) are represented by agent Pat Brisson. Jack is signed through 2030 and there has been speculation that Quinn would sign a three-year deal so both brothers could sign with the same team in advance of the 2030-31 season. “Between brothers, there’s so many conversations. But we haven’t had any specific (conversations) about this,” Brisson said. “Those are possibilities. I’m not going to deny the fact.” Hughes plans on remaining in Minnesota for at least part of the summer as he decompresses from a year with three teams, including his stint as a member of the gold-medal winning United States Olympic ice hockey squad. “I think I can say that I really like it here,” Hughes said of Minnesota. “I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Just being in that locker room, it’s a special group. It’s an amazing state, so passionate about hockey. “From a mental aspect, a lot has happened this year. I never let myself process it or let my hair down a little bit,” he said. “It’ll be nice to just go home, process the whole year and get some rest.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Quinn #Hughes #open #contract #extension #Wild

The lengthy MLB season provides a sample size that’s meant to favor averages over abnormalities. Hot- and cold-streaks blend together as weeks become months. But the weight of those games can also fall victim to entropy as months become years. The long summers are tests of endurance and commitment as much as talent. The San Diego Padres finished just three games behind the Dodgers in the 2025 division race, and the Toronto Blue Jays pushed them to seven games and extra innings last November.

The thin line between dynasty and disappointment will be carved out over the next 120 games. FanDuel has odds on the NL West Division winner, which is an opportunity to prognosticate on the predictive ability of the first 40 games, and which performances will propel their team to a division title.

The Dodgers (-900) are heavy favorites to remain atop the division, with a deep roster that’s built to weather a long season. But their offense is still struggling midway through May. Shohei Ohtani is enduring his first cold streak, going hitless between starting pitching assignments for the first time in his career. Andy Pages (9 HRs, 35 RBI) and Max Muncy (11 HRs, .917 OPS) have been pacing an offense that’s welcoming back Mookie Betts this week. They’ve been able to afford patience with their bats because Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are anchoring an elite starting rotation.

The Padres (+800) have caught the Dodgers in the standings despite a slow start from their offense, ranking 25th in wRC+. Michael King (2.76 ERA) and Randy Vasquez (3.05 ERA) have held together a starting rotation that suffered key injuries early, including to projected Opening Day starter Nick Pivetti. Xander Bogaerts has kept the offense afloat while Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill are working back to their expected averages.

The Diamondbacks (+3000) have had a slow start, but the betting lines still see potential in their young talent that made a run to the World Series in 2023. Corbin Carroll is building back up to his all-world production after a broken hand, and they recently promoted top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt. It’s not any of the young guys but 34-year-old Ildemaro Vargas who’s been leading the offense thus far, posting a .331 average with 7 HRs and 28 RBI.

The Giants (+5000) have a top-10 payroll and a brand new manager getting his first taste of the MLB. Rafael Devers has been a disappointment, but Luis Arraez has been a bright spot, along with Landen Roupp and Logan Webb on the mound.

The Rockies (+30000) are just 9 games back from first place now, but the lines expect that number to grow closer toward last season’s line, when they finished 50 games back.

#West #odds #Padres #payout #huge #close #division #race #Dodgers">NL West odds: Padres payout would be huge in close division race with Dodgers The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t win the NL West Division was 2021, the year after winning the World Series. The Dodgers have now won the last two World Series, and they’ve backfilled their roster churn by upgrading to star players through free agency and their own stellar farm system.The lengthy MLB season provides a sample size that’s meant to favor averages over abnormalities. Hot- and cold-streaks blend together as weeks become months. But the weight of those games can also fall victim to entropy as months become years. The long summers are tests of endurance and commitment as much as talent. The San Diego Padres finished just three games behind the Dodgers in the 2025 division race, and the Toronto Blue Jays pushed them to seven games and extra innings last November.The thin line between dynasty and disappointment will be carved out over the next 120 games. FanDuel has odds on the NL West Division winner, which is an opportunity to prognosticate on the predictive ability of the first 40 games, and which performances will propel their team to a division title.The Dodgers (-900) are heavy favorites to remain atop the division, with a deep roster that’s built to weather a long season. But their offense is still struggling midway through May. Shohei Ohtani is enduring his first cold streak, going hitless between starting pitching assignments for the first time in his career. Andy Pages (9 HRs, 35 RBI) and Max Muncy (11 HRs, .917 OPS) have been pacing an offense that’s welcoming back Mookie Betts this week. They’ve been able to afford patience with their bats because Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are anchoring an elite starting rotation.The Padres (+800) have caught the Dodgers in the standings despite a slow start from their offense, ranking 25th in wRC+. Michael King (2.76 ERA) and Randy Vasquez (3.05 ERA) have held together a starting rotation that suffered key injuries early, including to projected Opening Day starter Nick Pivetti. Xander Bogaerts has kept the offense afloat while Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill are working back to their expected averages.The Diamondbacks (+3000) have had a slow start, but the betting lines still see potential in their young talent that made a run to the World Series in 2023. Corbin Carroll is building back up to his all-world production after a broken hand, and they recently promoted top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt. It’s not any of the young guys but 34-year-old Ildemaro Vargas who’s been leading the offense thus far, posting a .331 average with 7 HRs and 28 RBI.The Giants (+5000) have a top-10 payroll and a brand new manager getting his first taste of the MLB. Rafael Devers has been a disappointment, but Luis Arraez has been a bright spot, along with Landen Roupp and Logan Webb on the mound.The Rockies (+30000) are just 9 games back from first place now, but the lines expect that number to grow closer toward last season’s line, when they finished 50 games back. #West #odds #Padres #payout #huge #close #division #race #Dodgers

NL West Division winner, which is an opportunity to prognosticate on the predictive ability of the first 40 games, and which performances will propel their team to a division title.

The Dodgers (-900) are heavy favorites to remain atop the division, with a deep roster that’s built to weather a long season. But their offense is still struggling midway through May. Shohei Ohtani is enduring his first cold streak, going hitless between starting pitching assignments for the first time in his career. Andy Pages (9 HRs, 35 RBI) and Max Muncy (11 HRs, .917 OPS) have been pacing an offense that’s welcoming back Mookie Betts this week. They’ve been able to afford patience with their bats because Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are anchoring an elite starting rotation.

The Padres (+800) have caught the Dodgers in the standings despite a slow start from their offense, ranking 25th in wRC+. Michael King (2.76 ERA) and Randy Vasquez (3.05 ERA) have held together a starting rotation that suffered key injuries early, including to projected Opening Day starter Nick Pivetti. Xander Bogaerts has kept the offense afloat while Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill are working back to their expected averages.

The Diamondbacks (+3000) have had a slow start, but the betting lines still see potential in their young talent that made a run to the World Series in 2023. Corbin Carroll is building back up to his all-world production after a broken hand, and they recently promoted top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt. It’s not any of the young guys but 34-year-old Ildemaro Vargas who’s been leading the offense thus far, posting a .331 average with 7 HRs and 28 RBI.

The Giants (+5000) have a top-10 payroll and a brand new manager getting his first taste of the MLB. Rafael Devers has been a disappointment, but Luis Arraez has been a bright spot, along with Landen Roupp and Logan Webb on the mound.

The Rockies (+30000) are just 9 games back from first place now, but the lines expect that number to grow closer toward last season’s line, when they finished 50 games back.

#West #odds #Padres #payout #huge #close #division #race #Dodgers">NL West odds: Padres payout would be huge in close division race with Dodgers

The last time the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t win the NL West Division was 2021, the year after winning the World Series. The Dodgers have now won the last two World Series, and they’ve backfilled their roster churn by upgrading to star players through free agency and their own stellar farm system.

The lengthy MLB season provides a sample size that’s meant to favor averages over abnormalities. Hot- and cold-streaks blend together as weeks become months. But the weight of those games can also fall victim to entropy as months become years. The long summers are tests of endurance and commitment as much as talent. The San Diego Padres finished just three games behind the Dodgers in the 2025 division race, and the Toronto Blue Jays pushed them to seven games and extra innings last November.

The thin line between dynasty and disappointment will be carved out over the next 120 games. FanDuel has odds on the NL West Division winner, which is an opportunity to prognosticate on the predictive ability of the first 40 games, and which performances will propel their team to a division title.

The Dodgers (-900) are heavy favorites to remain atop the division, with a deep roster that’s built to weather a long season. But their offense is still struggling midway through May. Shohei Ohtani is enduring his first cold streak, going hitless between starting pitching assignments for the first time in his career. Andy Pages (9 HRs, 35 RBI) and Max Muncy (11 HRs, .917 OPS) have been pacing an offense that’s welcoming back Mookie Betts this week. They’ve been able to afford patience with their bats because Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are anchoring an elite starting rotation.

The Padres (+800) have caught the Dodgers in the standings despite a slow start from their offense, ranking 25th in wRC+. Michael King (2.76 ERA) and Randy Vasquez (3.05 ERA) have held together a starting rotation that suffered key injuries early, including to projected Opening Day starter Nick Pivetti. Xander Bogaerts has kept the offense afloat while Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Jackson Merrill are working back to their expected averages.

The Diamondbacks (+3000) have had a slow start, but the betting lines still see potential in their young talent that made a run to the World Series in 2023. Corbin Carroll is building back up to his all-world production after a broken hand, and they recently promoted top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt. It’s not any of the young guys but 34-year-old Ildemaro Vargas who’s been leading the offense thus far, posting a .331 average with 7 HRs and 28 RBI.

The Giants (+5000) have a top-10 payroll and a brand new manager getting his first taste of the MLB. Rafael Devers has been a disappointment, but Luis Arraez has been a bright spot, along with Landen Roupp and Logan Webb on the mound.

The Rockies (+30000) are just 9 games back from first place now, but the lines expect that number to grow closer toward last season’s line, when they finished 50 games back.

#West #odds #Padres #payout #huge #close #division #race #Dodgers

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