The NSCS Subway Fresh Fit 500 on Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz., was no wreck-fest like the Daytona 500, but PIR is a 1.0-mile track and Daytona is 2.5-mile track. Both tracks have been recently resurfaced, but PIR was only completed late last year and has had little time to age.

The 312 lap race was more about gas mileage than any effects of crashing.
Common thought indicates that it takes four or five races before the strongest teams emerge, but early results may be predictive.

The top three finishers in Sunday’s race, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle had comments before the green flag and after the checkered flag.

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Toyota) Finished first. (Started 13th)

Before the green flag:

“During testing, I was very worried about how the race was going to be,” Hamlin said. “I think the time we got on it and the rubber that laid down — it raced better than expected. It will still be two to three years before we see really good side-by-side racing, but they had to make changes.”

After the checkered flag:

“If you would have asked me at the beginning of the day, I would have said I’d take a top-15 finish,” Hamlin said. “Just an amazing job by this FedEx Office team. Just kept working on it. Every time we worked on it, it got better.

“Huge momentum. We’ve never been in this position this early in the season. We’ve always struggled. We’ve always taken our time – five or six races in – before we hit our stride. This is particularly not my type of race track – new pavement.

“We knew we were going to have a rebound year and I told everyone we were. You got to prove it. You got to go out and win these races. A great step in the right direction for our race team.”

Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Chevrolet) Finished second. (Started eighth)

Before the green flag:

“They did a great job prepping for the race,” Harvick said. “With the shorter tracks, the grip is greater but it’s a different environment than what you experience on the mile-and-a-half tracks.

“They spent a lot time laying the track out, taking their strength and weaknesses and thinking about the fans as to what they can see from their seats. It all played out really well and I hope to have another good race this weekend.”

After the checkered flag:

I was really nervous coming here about how we were going to run,” Harvick said. “You cut the fuel mileage that close, you’re figuring it right. So I’m proud of all my guys. When they come to a place like this where we struggled so much, and then race for a win, is hopefully what sets the tone for the year.”

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ford) Finished third. (Started seventh)

Before the green flag:

“I am ready to get on the track in Phoenix and I think the fans are going to love our 3Mwraps.com paint scheme,” Biffle said. “After Phoenix I get to spend a little time at the sand dunes on my way to Vegas, which is always fun.”

After the checkered flag:

“It started out really loose and then we would go dead right,” Biffle said. “We got the balance much better toward the end of that race and got some track position. The guys did a great job with the 3M Ford Fusion. I wish I wouldn’t have tried to save so much gas. I probably would have caught the 29, but you just never know how much gas you’ve got.”

FYI WIRZ is the select presentation of topics by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com. Unless otherwise noted, quotes and information were obtained from official release materials provided by NASCAR and team representatives. Photo credit: Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1090692-fyi-wirz-nascars-top-3-finishers-talk-sprint-cup-desert-win-at-phoenix

Dallas Braden David Price Felix Hernandez Francisco Liriano Gio Gonzalez

CC Sabathia Chad Billingsley Chris Carpenter Clay Buchholz Clayton Kershaw

Manu Ginobili Michael Beasley Monta Ellis Nick Young Pau Gasol

After struggling for most of 2011 with marginal results, Denny Hamlin bounced back on Sunday afternoon to capture the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Phoenix with a hard charging Kevin Harvick just a car length back before running out of gas with one to go.

The race began with veteran racer Mark Martin claiming his 52nd career pole position. He led the opening lap, but quickly gave it up to Tony Stewart, who led nine laps before Harvick took the point and often.

Jimmie Johnson led a bunch of laps, as did Kyle Busch, along with a rapid Martin Truex Jr. Toward the later stages of the event, Harvick worked hard to pass Busch before eventually giving up the point during one of the final pit stops.

Gas concerns, or the lack thereof, certainly came into play before this race was over. Hamlin, Harvick and Marcos Ambrose all rolled the dice in this department with two coming up short. With Harvick making up a sizable deficit to leader Hamlin, he ran out while in hot pursuit. Ambrose came up short, but may have suffered an engine issue with little more than a dozen to go.

The official margin of victory was well over seven seconds, but only because of the gas issue—the white flag lap showed only a car length apart. Capping off the top five were the cars of Greg Biffle, Johnson and Keselowski.

Others with gas issues or incidents on the day included Tony Stewart having a car that wouldn’t re-fire, winding up two laps down in 22nd. His teammate Ryan Newman got together with Carl Edwards in a slight on-track altercation, leaving Newman backed into the wall and a 21st place finish.

Edwards improved throughout the day, running among the top 10 in the closing stages, only to run out of gas and finish 17th.

Hamlin’s 18th career win vaults him into the points lead with Greg Biffle second and Harvick sitting in third.

Nationwide

Denny Hamlin won the pole for the Nationwide race on Saturday and led a lot of laps, as did Kevin Harvick. But despite the two teaming up to lead the most laps, Nationwide full-timer Elliott Sadler managed to get up on the wheel for the final two dozen laps and grab his first Nationwide trophy in nearly 14 years!

Others in the top five included Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Austin Dillon and Harvick.
Sadler’s win elevates him to the top of the charts in points, just 10 points over rookie Dillon and 17 ahead of Trevor Bayne.

Danica Patrick’s second Nat run of the year netted a 21st place finish, some three laps down from the leader. Immediately after the race, she stomped off to her trailer, refusing post-race interviews.

From Rumorville

Those fines and penalties in regards to Jimmie Johnson’s Sprint Cup car failing pre-race inspection with illegal “C” pillars at Daytona were announced last week. Crew chief and car chief were both set down for six weeks, in addition to a $100,000 fine for Chad Knaus. Throw in a 25 point penalty to driver Johnson and owner Jeff Gordon and the overall picture was rather severe.

My problem with the situation is that the car never made it onto the racetrack, yet the penalties were harsh. Sometimes, NASCAR allows teams to massage on the body panels to get them into spec and other times not. Team Hendrick has appealed NASCAR’s ruling, so I’d expect a decision in the next few weeks, but I don’t see any kind of reversal.

Roger Penske’s NASCAR program made a big announcement this past week to proclaim their switch to Ford power for 2013 and beyond. Seeing that their Dodge powered cars have been performing well enough to have both been in the Chase makes this a little surprising, but with the only other Dodge in the field, that being Robby Gordon, there’s ‘slim pickins’ to bounce information off of. I think this was only a natural decision to make and may leave Dodge on the outside looking in down the road.

That’s it for this week. Next week, RWR will review the NASCAR results from Las Vegas along with more racing news from around the globe.

concluded Ward

Read more Motorsports news on BleacherReport.com

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1090827-nascar-denny-hamlin-back-to-winners-circle-in-phoenix

Drew Brees David Garrard Jon Kitna Kyle Orton Jay Cutler

The Philadelphia Union are preparing for the upcoming MLS season with a trip to Costa Rica, home to their very first partner club, Deportivo Saprissa. Whatever goodwill between Philly and Costa Rica was established with that deal was quickly bruised, however, when the Union fell behind 2-0 to Primera Division club Belen FC in a routine friendly before proving are already in midseason scuffling form.

After getting frustrated by a Belen defender, Union midfielder Michael Farfan decided to unleash his fury with a lunge from behind on another Belen player, who avoided it with an impressive bit of levitation. With a bit of convenient editing, the video uploaded by Belen cuts to the two teams fighting and the Union’s Keon Daniel chucking the ball at an opponent.

The match was soon abandoned even though they only made it midway through the first half and Belen’s official website accused Philadelphia of “anti-futbol.”

This is definitely a team ready to beat the LA Galaxy. Or at least throw balls at them.

Video: The Brotherly Game via Deadspin

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/dtotd-philadelphia-union-prepare-season-fighting-costa-rican-074104213.html

Jered Weaver Johan Santana Johnny Cueto Jon Garland Jon Lester

As a Wimbledon fan, it’s not easy to recall the opening day of the 1996/97 season, when I sat slumped in disbelief as Davey Becks put away Manchester United’s third goal of the afternoon from his own half. In the Spanish second division tie between Elche and Almeria, unpronounceable midfielder Xumetra pulled a Beckham of his own with a tremendous long-range lob over the Almeria keeper. Thanks for bringing up the fun memory, Xumetra.

Another contender for goal of the weekend: Miroslav Stoch’s awesome volley in the Turkish Super League

Video H/T: 101GG

Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/elche-xumetra-scores-beckham-esque-60-yard-goal-165853250.html

Clay Buchholz Clayton Kershaw Cliff Lee Cole Hamels Dallas Braden

As the Irish Independent reported, Talbot claimed the handicap reduction took a personal toll on him over the last six years, as friends at his former club refused to play with him and labeled him a cheat.

The golf club claimed  that based on GUI Rule 19, it had an obligation to lower his handicap if it felt it was too high relative to his ability on the course. But Talbot didn’t see it that way, and so here we are … talking about a guy suing his golf club for a lowered handicap. A LOWERED handicap.

“This case has been going on for the past six years. It has been hugely stressful. I didn’t care so much about the handicap issue, it is more the principle of it.

“I’d turn up for a competition and there would be nobody to play with. I have learned the hard way that friends are a funny species — they’re never there when you want them.["]

On one hand, I feel bad for Talbot because playing golf with friends is one of the best things on earth. But on the other hand, I want to know how he went five years without questioning his handicap. If this was such a big deal back then, why didn’t he just talk to someone at the club and get things cleared up? That’s the real question that needs to be answered.

More golf news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute:

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/mans-sues-golf-club-13-2-million-lowering-175136549.html

Mike Tolbert Ronnie Brown Chris Ivory Brandon Jackson Ryan Mathews

When Benson Henderson walked out of the cage after winning the UFC lightweight title, he walked right past security and the UFC staff who was directing him towards the locker room. He had to go celebrate with the woman who has supported him throughout his career: his mom.

In a sweet moment, Henderson hugged his mother. She pulled back and grabbed at his belt, bursting with pride over her son’s accomplishment. Henderson provided another great performance in beating Frankie Edgar, but didn’t forget to say thank you to his mom.

He admitted that he did hear her cheering during his fight.

“”My mom has a pretty distinct voice. I can hear her everywhere,” Henderson said.

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Kevin Iole’s UFC 144 breakdown
? Jim Irsay seizes control of Colts from Peyton Manning, ready to take Andrew Luck
? Video: Jeremy Evans wins Slam Dunk Contest | Ranking the dunks

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/photo-benson-henderson-celebrates-ufc-lightweight-title-mom-070500889.html

Michael Young Miguel Cabrera Nick Markakis Nick Swisher Orlando Hudson

Harris English is another who knows all about making a splash in the professional ranks. Just last season as a senior at the University of Georgia, the then-21-year-old showed up at a Nationwide Tour Children’s Hospital Invitational, as an amateur, and walked away with the title.

If anything, the win taught us that English would be one to watch this season when he teed it up for the first time on the PGA Tour. And so far, it appears the Georgia product is living up to the sky-high expectations.

Aside from making the cut in all five of his starts this season, English also has two top-20 finishes, something most rookies would kill to have this early in the year. By Sunday afternoon, he could have something even more important if things fall his way, after English fired a 4-under 66 on Saturday — he’s currently ranked third in greens in regulation this week at PGA National — to get within two of Rory McIlroy going into the final round.

While Rory isn’t Kyle Stanley (at Torrey Pines), Spencer Levin or Robert Allenby, there’s always a chance he could coming crashing down to earth, and if that happens, don’t be surprised if English is there waiting in the wings.

He’s a rookie and he’s never been in the final group on Sunday at a PGA Tour event — so you have to think nerves may play a role — but based on the confidence English has shown in his game recently (and the win he picked up on the Nationwide Tour as an amateur), you have to like his chances not just in the final round, but going forward.

He’s definitely one to keep an eye. And while it seems like these young guns keep coming up in bunches, English has more than separated himself from the pack as a future star. We’ve seen crazier things happen on Sunday this season; who knows, maybe this is his time to jump into the spotlight. He certainly has the game to make it happen.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/harris-english-continues-strong-play-honda-classic-033619497.html

Chris Bosh Danny Granger David West DeMar DeRozan Deron Williams

With England down 2-0 to Holland, temporary(?) captain Scott Parker had to take control and will his side back into the match. But before he did that, he tried to get a little too creative with his footwork and ended up tackling himself in the center circle, surrendering possession of the ball in the process.

Perhaps relaxed by their captain’s comedy routine, England went on to score two goals in five minutes shortly after this. But then Arjen Robben scored his second goal of the night in added time to give Holland the win.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/dtotd-england-captain-scott-parker-tackles-himself-210102356.html

Michael Beasley Monta Ellis Nick Young Pau Gasol Paul Millsap