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McLaren celebrates F1 legacy with Miami street show ahead of first race since last month’s Japanese GP  McLaren showed off its ​Formula One heritage with a deafening display of title-winning cars driven by champions past and present on the streets ‌of Miami on Wednesday.Reigning champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri joined double ​champions Mika Hakkinen and Emerson Fittipaldi in thrilling the fans ahead of what would ⁠have been a 1,000th grand prix celebration but for conflict in the Middle East.The cancellation of April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as a result of the Iran war means the milestone, achieved previously only by Ferrari, ‌will now be marked officially in Monaco in June — the race where the team founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren debuted in 1966.“We were meant, obviously, to celebrate it ‌here,” Norris told        Reuters before taking his 2025 car for a spin — literally — at Regatta ‌Harbour ⁠in the Florida city’s historic Coconut Grove area.READ | Audi appoints McNish as Racing Director ahead of Miami GP “It’s nice that I’ve played a small ⁠part in that but today is also a day where you get to see all the cars, the history, the drivers that have driven for McLaren,” added the Briton. “It’s a big milestone and I’m very proud of it.”FITTIPALDI, 79, STILL AT ​THE WHEEL Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                REUTERS
                            

                            Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                REUTERS
                                                    Brazilian Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion in 1974 ‌and now 79-years-old, drove a V8-engined McLaren M23 similar to the one that took the late James Hunt to the 1976 crown.“I was the first one, I made a small part of McLaren history but then McLaren has a huge history and I’m very proud to be ‌here,” Fittipaldi, who won his first title with Lotus in 1972, told Reuters.Hakkinen, the 1998 ​and 1999 champion, shook the ground with his V10-powered MP4-14 while Bruno Senna, nephew of Brazil’s late triple champion Ayrton, drove his uncle’s MP4/6 with its ear-splitting V12. Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Marco Bello
                            

                            Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Marco Bello
                                                    Brazilian ⁠Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner, also drove an Arrow McLaren IndyCar.“To just be alongside them, even just to be able to talk to them is really cool,” said Piastri.Norris and Piastri, driving Lewis ‌Hamilton’s 2008 title-winner, then took to the track together to salute the cheering throng before interviews on a stage.“It was nice to see so many people and it was just good to have a bit of fun,” said Norris. “Normally we have to be all serious and drive properly … we don’t get to just go out and do (tyre) burnouts and stuff.“I won the championship last year and wasn’t allowed to do any burnouts. So it was nice to just let loose and have a nice ‌day out.”McLaren has won the last two Miami Grands Prix — Piastri last year and Norris in 2024 — and Sunday could ​complete a hat-trick although Mercedes has been dominant since the start of a new engine and rules era.The Australian was cautious in offering any prediction, however, ahead of ⁠a weekend that could also see some thunderstorms and that will also be the first test of the ⁠rules since they were tweaked.“I think last year, and even 2024, we had a really big advantage around a place like this and this year we don’t have that so ‌we’ll have to wait and see,” said Piastri.“I think it’s going to be a weekend full of changes and trying to get on top of things better than everybody else. And if ​we can do that then there’s still going to be opportunities to finish higher than maybe where you should.”Published on Apr 30, 2026  #McLaren #celebrates #legacy #Miami #street #show #ahead #race #months #Japanese

McLaren celebrates F1 legacy with Miami street show ahead of first race since last month’s Japanese GP

McLaren showed off its ​Formula One heritage with a deafening display of title-winning cars driven by champions past and present on the streets ‌of Miami on Wednesday.

Reigning champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri joined double ​champions Mika Hakkinen and Emerson Fittipaldi in thrilling the fans ahead of what would ⁠have been a 1,000th grand prix celebration but for conflict in the Middle East.

The cancellation of April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as a result of the Iran war means the milestone, achieved previously only by Ferrari, ‌will now be marked officially in Monaco in June — the race where the team founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren debuted in 1966.

“We were meant, obviously, to celebrate it ‌here,” Norris told Reuters before taking his 2025 car for a spin — literally — at Regatta ‌Harbour ⁠in the Florida city’s historic Coconut Grove area.

READ | Audi appoints McNish as Racing Director ahead of Miami GP 

“It’s nice that I’ve played a small ⁠part in that but today is also a day where you get to see all the cars, the history, the drivers that have driven for McLaren,” added the Briton. “It’s a big milestone and I’m very proud of it.”

FITTIPALDI, 79, STILL AT ​THE WHEEL

McLaren celebrates F1 legacy with Miami street show ahead of first race since last month’s Japanese GP  McLaren showed off its ​Formula One heritage with a deafening display of title-winning cars driven by champions past and present on the streets ‌of Miami on Wednesday.Reigning champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri joined double ​champions Mika Hakkinen and Emerson Fittipaldi in thrilling the fans ahead of what would ⁠have been a 1,000th grand prix celebration but for conflict in the Middle East.The cancellation of April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as a result of the Iran war means the milestone, achieved previously only by Ferrari, ‌will now be marked officially in Monaco in June — the race where the team founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren debuted in 1966.“We were meant, obviously, to celebrate it ‌here,” Norris told        Reuters before taking his 2025 car for a spin — literally — at Regatta ‌Harbour ⁠in the Florida city’s historic Coconut Grove area.READ | Audi appoints McNish as Racing Director ahead of Miami GP “It’s nice that I’ve played a small ⁠part in that but today is also a day where you get to see all the cars, the history, the drivers that have driven for McLaren,” added the Briton. “It’s a big milestone and I’m very proud of it.”FITTIPALDI, 79, STILL AT ​THE WHEEL Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                REUTERS
                            

                            Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                REUTERS
                                                    Brazilian Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion in 1974 ‌and now 79-years-old, drove a V8-engined McLaren M23 similar to the one that took the late James Hunt to the 1976 crown.“I was the first one, I made a small part of McLaren history but then McLaren has a huge history and I’m very proud to be ‌here,” Fittipaldi, who won his first title with Lotus in 1972, told Reuters.Hakkinen, the 1998 ​and 1999 champion, shook the ground with his V10-powered MP4-14 while Bruno Senna, nephew of Brazil’s late triple champion Ayrton, drove his uncle’s MP4/6 with its ear-splitting V12. Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Marco Bello
                            

                            Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Marco Bello
                                                    Brazilian ⁠Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner, also drove an Arrow McLaren IndyCar.“To just be alongside them, even just to be able to talk to them is really cool,” said Piastri.Norris and Piastri, driving Lewis ‌Hamilton’s 2008 title-winner, then took to the track together to salute the cheering throng before interviews on a stage.“It was nice to see so many people and it was just good to have a bit of fun,” said Norris. “Normally we have to be all serious and drive properly … we don’t get to just go out and do (tyre) burnouts and stuff.“I won the championship last year and wasn’t allowed to do any burnouts. So it was nice to just let loose and have a nice ‌day out.”McLaren has won the last two Miami Grands Prix — Piastri last year and Norris in 2024 — and Sunday could ​complete a hat-trick although Mercedes has been dominant since the start of a new engine and rules era.The Australian was cautious in offering any prediction, however, ahead of ⁠a weekend that could also see some thunderstorms and that will also be the first test of the ⁠rules since they were tweaked.“I think last year, and even 2024, we had a really big advantage around a place like this and this year we don’t have that so ‌we’ll have to wait and see,” said Piastri.“I think it’s going to be a weekend full of changes and trying to get on top of things better than everybody else. And if ​we can do that then there’s still going to be opportunities to finish higher than maybe where you should.”Published on Apr 30, 2026  #McLaren #celebrates #legacy #Miami #street #show #ahead #race #months #Japanese

Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

lightbox-info

Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Brazilian Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion in 1974 ‌and now 79-years-old, drove a V8-engined McLaren M23 similar to the one that took the late James Hunt to the 1976 crown.

“I was the first one, I made a small part of McLaren history but then McLaren has a huge history and I’m very proud to be ‌here,” Fittipaldi, who won his first title with Lotus in 1972, told Reuters.

Hakkinen, the 1998 ​and 1999 champion, shook the ground with his V10-powered MP4-14 while Bruno Senna, nephew of Brazil’s late triple champion Ayrton, drove his uncle’s MP4/6 with its ear-splitting V12.

Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.

Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event. | Photo Credit: Marco Bello

lightbox-info

Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event. | Photo Credit: Marco Bello

Brazilian ⁠Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner, also drove an Arrow McLaren IndyCar.

“To just be alongside them, even just to be able to talk to them is really cool,” said Piastri.

Norris and Piastri, driving Lewis ‌Hamilton’s 2008 title-winner, then took to the track together to salute the cheering throng before interviews on a stage.

“It was nice to see so many people and it was just good to have a bit of fun,” said Norris. “Normally we have to be all serious and drive properly … we don’t get to just go out and do (tyre) burnouts and stuff.

“I won the championship last year and wasn’t allowed to do any burnouts. So it was nice to just let loose and have a nice ‌day out.”

McLaren has won the last two Miami Grands Prix — Piastri last year and Norris in 2024 — and Sunday could ​complete a hat-trick although Mercedes has been dominant since the start of a new engine and rules era.

The Australian was cautious in offering any prediction, however, ahead of ⁠a weekend that could also see some thunderstorms and that will also be the first test of the ⁠rules since they were tweaked.

“I think last year, and even 2024, we had a really big advantage around a place like this and this year we don’t have that so ‌we’ll have to wait and see,” said Piastri.

“I think it’s going to be a weekend full of changes and trying to get on top of things better than everybody else. And if ​we can do that then there’s still going to be opportunities to finish higher than maybe where you should.”

Published on Apr 30, 2026

#McLaren #celebrates #legacy #Miami #street #show #ahead #race #months #Japanese

McLaren showed off its ​Formula One heritage with a deafening display of title-winning cars driven by champions past and present on the streets ‌of Miami on Wednesday.

Reigning champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri joined double ​champions Mika Hakkinen and Emerson Fittipaldi in thrilling the fans ahead of what would ⁠have been a 1,000th grand prix celebration but for conflict in the Middle East.

The cancellation of April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as a result of the Iran war means the milestone, achieved previously only by Ferrari, ‌will now be marked officially in Monaco in June — the race where the team founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren debuted in 1966.

“We were meant, obviously, to celebrate it ‌here,” Norris told Reuters before taking his 2025 car for a spin — literally — at Regatta ‌Harbour ⁠in the Florida city’s historic Coconut Grove area.

READ | Audi appoints McNish as Racing Director ahead of Miami GP 

“It’s nice that I’ve played a small ⁠part in that but today is also a day where you get to see all the cars, the history, the drivers that have driven for McLaren,” added the Briton. “It’s a big milestone and I’m very proud of it.”

FITTIPALDI, 79, STILL AT ​THE WHEEL

Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

lightbox-info

Emerson Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion from 1974, drove the M23 during the event.
| Photo Credit:
REUTERS

Brazilian Fittipaldi, McLaren’s first champion in 1974 ‌and now 79-years-old, drove a V8-engined McLaren M23 similar to the one that took the late James Hunt to the 1976 crown.

“I was the first one, I made a small part of McLaren history but then McLaren has a huge history and I’m very proud to be ‌here,” Fittipaldi, who won his first title with Lotus in 1972, told Reuters.

Hakkinen, the 1998 ​and 1999 champion, shook the ground with his V10-powered MP4-14 while Bruno Senna, nephew of Brazil’s late triple champion Ayrton, drove his uncle’s MP4/6 with its ear-splitting V12.

Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.

Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.
| Photo Credit:
Marco Bello

lightbox-info

Two-time champion Mika Hakkinen in his V10-powered MP4-14 during the event.
| Photo Credit:
Marco Bello

Brazilian ⁠Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner, also drove an Arrow McLaren IndyCar.

“To just be alongside them, even just to be able to talk to them is really cool,” said Piastri.

Norris and Piastri, driving Lewis ‌Hamilton’s 2008 title-winner, then took to the track together to salute the cheering throng before interviews on a stage.

“It was nice to see so many people and it was just good to have a bit of fun,” said Norris. “Normally we have to be all serious and drive properly … we don’t get to just go out and do (tyre) burnouts and stuff.

“I won the championship last year and wasn’t allowed to do any burnouts. So it was nice to just let loose and have a nice ‌day out.”

McLaren has won the last two Miami Grands Prix — Piastri last year and Norris in 2024 — and Sunday could ​complete a hat-trick although Mercedes has been dominant since the start of a new engine and rules era.

The Australian was cautious in offering any prediction, however, ahead of ⁠a weekend that could also see some thunderstorms and that will also be the first test of the ⁠rules since they were tweaked.

“I think last year, and even 2024, we had a really big advantage around a place like this and this year we don’t have that so ‌we’ll have to wait and see,” said Piastri.

“I think it’s going to be a weekend full of changes and trying to get on top of things better than everybody else. And if ​we can do that then there’s still going to be opportunities to finish higher than maybe where you should.”

Published on Apr 30, 2026

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Meta Could Spend $145 Billion This Year Due to AI<img src="https://gizmodo.com/app/uploads/2026/04/GettyImages-2261835380-1280x880.jpg" /><br><div> <p>Wednesday was a big day for the tech industry with Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft all reporting earnings at the same time in the afternoon. Out of the four, though, Meta was the clear loser with its shares down more than 7% even though revenue increased 33% this past quarter, the company’s <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/29/meta-q1-earnings-report-2026.html">fastest</a> since 2021.</p> <p>It’s probably because the company upped its already outrageous spending expectations for the year. Meta said that 2026 capital expenditures would be at least $10 billion more than expected and could top $145 billion. While emphasizing his “confidence in this investment,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that most of this increase was due to “higher component costs, particularly memory pricing.”</p> <p>The AI boom has led to an unprecedented data center buildout that has constrained the global memory chip supply and increased prices for these valuable chips. The result has been <a href="https://gizmodo.com/think-the-ram-crisis-is-bad-now-it-just-keeps-getting-worse-2000735579">a global memory crisis</a> that has impacted not only Meta and the rest of the AI industry but also caused the prices of consumer electronics like laptops and smartphones to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/10/micron-ai-memory-shortage-hbm-nvidia-samsung.html">soar</a>.</p> <p>Meta’s $145 billion is a dramatic increase from the $72 billion capital expenditure it recorded just last year, and Zuckerberg is betting it all on an AI turnaround effort.</p> <p>Meta has been left behind in the AI race as industry rivals like <a href="https://gizmodo.com/google-gives-openai-20-billion-reasons-to-worry-2000752324">Google</a> have soared past. Roughly 10 months ago, Zuckerberg acknowledged the situation and announced a major catch-up effort that saw him commit billions upon billions of dollars to research and development, and to poach talent from all over the industry, including bringing in Scale AI’s founder Alexandr Wang to lead the new Meta Superintelligence Labs AI division.</p> <p>Many have been reasonably nervous about this commitment, considering that the company’s latest big bet in emerging tech, the Metaverse, has flopped dramatically. In Wednesday’s earnings report, Meta said that the Reality Labs division, which had helmed the Metaverse efforts, notched an operating loss of more than $4 billion, while only cashing in $402 million in sales. That adds to the whopping $80 billion and more the division has lost in the past six years.</p> <p>But experts are somewhat more hopeful about the AI bet because, earlier this month, the tech giant debuted the first fruits of that investment with the AI model Muse Spark, a proprietary model that the company plans to open-source in the future. It’s a step in the right direction, but Meta still has to do more before it can confidently say the catch-up effort is successful.</p> <p>“This was the first release from Meta Superintelligence Labs, and it shows that our work is on track to build a leading lab,” Zuckerberg assured investors in the company’s earnings call. “Now that we have a strong model, we can develop more novel products as well.”</p> <p>Those novel products will include two agents, one for personal and the other for business uses, according to Zuckerberg.</p> <p>“We’re already testing an early version of business AIs and weekly conversations have grown 10x since the start of this year,” Zuckerberg said.</p> <p>One way that AI is clearly showing up to benefit Meta is internally. Meta CFO Susan Li said that over half a billion users weekly on Facebook and Instagram each are now watching videos translated and dubbed by AI. The company is also incorporating the new AI model into parts of its core business, like ads, and particularly into its recommendation system. The goal is to have the AI hyper-personalize feeds for users.</p> <p>“Since our recommendation systems are operating at such large scale, we’ll phase in this new research and technology over time,” Zuckerberg said. “But the trend over the last few years seems clear that we are seeing an increasing return on the amount that we can improve engagement for people and value for advertisers.”</p> <p>AI is also taking over internally at Meta. The company is laying off <a href="https://gizmodo.com/meta-is-racing-to-move-faster-and-break-more-things-2000750107">10% of its workforce</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-voluntary-buyouts-ai-224eee4489cbc227244558ff02f5919a">reportedly</a> offering voluntary buyouts to 7% of its U.S. staff, in what seems to follow <a href="https://gizmodo.com/oracle-will-downsize-its-product-teams-because-of-ai-2000732097">a purportedly AI-driven trend</a> that has taken Silicon Valley by storm.</p> <p>On the call, executives wouldn’t say if the layoffs had to do with automation of jobs, but Li did say that a “leaner operating model” would help “offset the substantial investments we’re making.”</p> </div>#Meta #Spend #Billion #Year #DueArtificial intelligence,Mark Zuckerberg,Meta

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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