Christopher Bell started last week in Loudon by letting the cat out of the bag then ended it as he always seems to do at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: First to the checkers. On a historic day when NASCAR ran wet-weather tires on an oval to give the fans their money's worth — actually a few laps more than the planned 301 circuits — Bell showed that he had figured out how to maneuver his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota around the New England track better than any other driver. That came after inadvertently revealing that Chase Briscoe would be joining him as a JGR teammate next season, letting the confidential info slip out last Friday in an interview in the infield media center. Winning Sunday helped erase the oopsie. Bell's second career Cup Series win at Loudon came on the heels of winning his fourth straight Loudon Xfinity Series race Saturday. In all, the Norman, Okla., native has won seven of his 11 starts at NHMS, including a Truck Series triumph in 2017. Now it's on to Nashville Superspeedway, which will be hosting its fourth consecutive Cup race this Sunday, the Ally 400 at the 1.333-mile tri-oval in Lebanon, Tenn. Even with top-10 finishes in each of the three events held there since the 2021 campaign, the JGR hot shoe has not had the good fortune there he has sought. "It's good to head into Nashville having three top-10 finishes but it's been a place where I haven't been super comfortable," said Bell, who is tied with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and William Byron with three victories thus far in the Cup Series. "Since we've gone back with the Next Gen car, we just haven't been great, and I've been the back half of the top-10 and lacking a little speed compared to the winners. "I know we are trying something new to try and improve on that, and I'm going there with a different mindset and a different mentality than I have the last couple of years." Race No. 19 in the Cup Series just outside of Nashville will be 300 laps, and Hendrick Motorsports has played it pretty well for the crowds in the Music City by winning two of the three races. In the inaugural event in 2021, Larson dominated by leading 264 laps. In the process, the No. 5 Chevrolet driver beat Ross Chastain by 4.335 seconds for Larson's third straight win. Also of note in that one, Chase Elliott scored a 13th-place finish but was disqualified after it was discovered in post-race inspection that he had five loose lug nuts. He was scored in last place and stripped of his Stage 1 win. Elliott rebounded by taking the checkers in 2022, but Chastain broke the Hendrick stranglehold on the trophy by putting his No. 1 Chevy Camaro on the pole and beating Martin Truex Jr. last year. On Thursday night at the old Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway short track, Chastain warmed up for the race weekend by finishing fourth, one spot ahead of hometown favorite Josh Berry, in the inaugural Battle of Broadway 150. –Field Level Media
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There has been plenty of uncertainty around the future of Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez, but the 33-year-old has finally come out to confirm he would be staying at the Santiago Bernabeu past this summer, despite receiving offers from elsewhere. His new 12-month contract is expected to be signed in the coming days. Further more, he will reportedly be named as club captain, following the departure of Karim Benzema.
Nacho is yet to put on a shirt of another club. He was a product of the Real Madrid academy, having gone through every level of their youth ranks to earn first-team promotion from the Castilla side in 2012. Since then, he s gone on to make a total of 319 appearances in the famous white shirt, scoring 16 goals.
Though rarely a member of the starting XI wh…
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has completed a season-long loan move to Real Madrid.
The 28-year-old Spain international, who joined the Blues in a £71.6million switch from Athletic Bilbao in August 2018, is contracted at the Bernabeu until June next year.
Real needed a new keeper after Thibaut Courtois was ruled out for the majority of the season with an ACL injury.
A statement on Real’s official website said: “Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC have agreed on the loan of the player Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is linked to the club this season, until June 30, 2024.
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden)
“In his five seasons at Chelsea, he has won one Champions League, one Club World Cup, one European Super Cup and one Europa League.<…
Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has put his failure to land a Ballon d Or award down to not fitting the Mr Perfect mould of perennial winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Despite registering over 500 club goals for the likes of Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, Ibrahimovic has never finished in the top three of the voting for the prestigious individual prize.
The Sweden international s highest finish came in 2013 when claiming fourth place behind Franck Ribery, Messi and Ronaldo, the latter two having taken the award 12 times between them (Messi 7, Ronaldo 5).
Indeed, only Luka Modric in 2018 – after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and playing a starring role in Croatia s run to the World Cup fin…
Kai Havertz may have scored the winning goal in a Champions League final but his late header to seal victory over Brentford and send Arsenal top of the Premier League was also a “dream” moment for the forward.
With title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City facing off 24 hours later, any victory for Arsenal would have taken them to the summit for the first time in 2024.
It looked like they were on course to miss out after returning goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale gifted a goal to Yoane Wissa to cancel out a brilliant Declan Rice header, only for Havertz to convert with four minutes remaining and secure a 2-1 victory.
After a slow start following his summer move from Chelsea, where he netted the only goal of the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City, H…
Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has signed a new deal with Arsenal.
The Japanese star joined the Gunners in August 2021 from Serie A side Bologna and has made 73 appearances in all competitions.
The PA news agency understands Tomiyasu’s new contract is for two years, with the option of a further 12 months.
Manager Mikel Arteta said: “We are so pleased to have Tomi commit his future with us. Together with his natural ability and strength, Tomi’s attitude, mentality and values are first class.
“Tomi is loved by everyone and has been an integral part of the squad since joining us. The way he trains, with his desire and determination to be the best version of himself every day, is admirable. We look forward to continue working with Tomi in the future years…
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With an AFCON final spot hanging in the balance on Wednesday evening, Nigeria will meet South Africa at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
Nigeria
Starting with Nigeria, watching a host of African icons shockingly crashing out at the group stage last month, the Super Eagles are certainly smelling the chance to make more AFCON history. Collecting seven points from their three Group A appearances, Jose Peseiro’s men have quickly gained a reputation for their pragmatic approach. Making a statement on January 27th as they punched their quarter-final ticket thanks to a 2-0 victory against historic rials Cameroon, the mood in Niergia’s camp should be at a real high. Suffering just a single defeat from any of their previous 13 straight appe…
While Europe s elite might have wrapped up the 2021/22 campaign, that doesn t mean we re short of action from across the footballing globe. So, for those of you looking to stick on a Sunday acca, we have found a handful of helpful tips that are worth keeping an eye out for.
Sunday May 29th
BST 02:00 Sporting Kansas City vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Starting with Sunday s hosts, last seen earlier in the week when extending on their US Open Cup adventure, it appears that the mood in Kansas camp should be at a recent high. Eventually mounting a second-half comeback at home against Houston as they grabbed a 2-1 victory, Sporting KC will be desperate to build off of that momentum here. Bouncing back from that dreadful 7-2 drumming away at Portland on May 15th, that is …
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-6 Bayern Munich: Mane and Co. ensure Lewandowski is not missed in emphatic ope
Sadio Mane scored his first Bundesliga goal as Bayern Munich opened the new campaign with a stunning 6-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Europa League winners Frankfurt seemed a tricky first opponent for the champions, but Julian Nagelsmann s side swept them aside in sensational style.
Having defeated RB Leipzig 5-3 in the DFL-Supercup last week in their first competitive match after Robert Lewandowski s departure, Bayern were five up by half-time on Friday – Joshua Kimmich, Benjamin Pavard, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry joining Mane on the scoresheet.
Manuel Neuer s sloppiness gifted Randal Kolo Muani a consolation, yet it was a minor blip in a supreme Bayern display, and Musiala capped things off with his second late on.
Bayern had full co…
Late VAR drama saw Chelsea spared and then angered as they drew 1-1 away to London rivals West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Tomas Soucek had what briefly looked to be a late winner chalked off before the midfielder got away with a clear handball in his own box to leave the visitors stunned.
Chelsea had earlier enjoyed arguably their best spell since Graham Potter s appointment during the first 25 minutes, Joao Felix netting a well-worked opener on his return from suspension.
But former Chelsea full-back Emerson Palmieri levelled soon after, and while the visitors dominated much of the following hour, their woes in front of goal meant they were at the mercy of VAR towards the end.
2014 Emerson is the first player to score his first Premier League…
According to , Real Madrid have put Liverpool s Trent Alexander-Arnold at the top of their wish list for the next summer transfer window. The expiration date on the current contract of the England international is moving ever closer, and unless there s significant change on that front between now and the end of the season, he will leave his boyhood club as a free agent.
Other potential targets for the right-back role at the Santiago Bernabeu would apparently be Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur, Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen, and Juanlu of Sevilla.
Reports in Spain have gone even further, with Marca claiming Liverpool are already aware that Alexander-Arnold will not sign a new deal, though such stories coming from that particular outlet have been known to turn out…