Sports
Denny Hamlin tops Dover All-Star grid after late qualifying charge
May 2, 2026; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin (11) is interviewed after the qualifying session for the 2026 Wurth 400 Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images DOVER, Del. – Denny Hamlin has claimed pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR All-Star Race (1 p.m. ET, FS1, FOX Deportes, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) in a late qualifying session effort, unseating owner-driver Brad Keselowski in the final minutes of Saturday’s unique three-lap bid to set the field at Dover Motor Speedway.
The next to last driver to qualify, Hamlin spun his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the warm-up lap just as he took to the one-mile high-banked track but recovered and excelled when it mattered — taking the lead starting position by .149-second over Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Keselowski’s No. 6 Ford.
“Quite eventful for sure,” Hamlin conceded of his lap, insisting he’d never really been remarkably fast in this style of qualifying format.
“I just spun out. I don’t know. I didn’t think I was being that aggressive but spun out. At that point, just tried to minimize the damage. … That wasn’t ideal, but then I just committed to run the lap as hard as I could, and it was still good enough.”
“It’s risk versus reward and certainly challenges the driver. … But definitely a team effort.”
Zane Smith’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford team won Saturday’s $100,000 Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge, establishing themselves best on the speed chart early in the session and their work ultimately proving unbeatable. Although Smith’s overall speed places him 25th on the starting grid, the Pit Stop Challenge win earned the team first pit stall selection Sunday – something that could be the difference in advancing Smith into the 200-lap finale.
The pole position was based on a three-lap run that also included the timed pit stop on the second lap. Late in the session, Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson seemed to have bettered Keselowski’s early work, but Larson received penalties for being too fast on pit road and not blending properly back onto The Monster Mile’s high banks – the time penalty ultimately costing the three-time All-Star race winner a front row spot. And Hamlin topped both drivers in the end.
Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron rounded out the five fastest cars. Defending All-Star Race winner, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell was sixth fastest.
Several perennial favorites struggled during the unique qualifying format with pit road miscues and/or time penalties, including rookie Connor Zilisch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez along with former series champs Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney, who had slow stops.
This marks the first time the series has held its annual $1 million to-win, All-Star Race at the concrete Dover Motor Speedway. It will include two 75-lap segments and then a 200-lap finale to settle the big check.
There are 19 drivers currently in the 200-lap final segment and trophy-determining portion of the event – including NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Tyler Reddick and fellow 2026 race winners Ty Gibbs and Carson Hocevar. Joining them are 2025 race winners Hamlin, Shane Van Gisbergen, Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Byron, Larson, Elliott, Austin Dillon, Chastain, Josh Berry, Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace and Bell.
Kyle Busch, who won Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Dover, also has an automatic spot on the grid as a former All-Star race winner — as does Keselowski as a former series champion.
The first two segments of Sunday’s event are 75-laps followed by the 200-lap finale which includes the 19 drivers locked in, plus the six best performing drivers from the opening segments and the “Fan Vote” winner.
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying – NASCAR All-Star Race
Dover Motor Speedway
Dover, Del.
Saturday, May 16, 2026
1. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 98.812 mph.
2. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 98.682 mph.
3. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 98.289 mph.
4. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 98.261 mph.
5. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 98.194 mph.
6. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 98.084 mph.
7. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 97.962 mph.
8. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 97.868 mph.
9. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 97.815 mph.
10. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 97.799 mph.
11. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 97.386 mph.
12. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 97.379 mph.
13. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 97.218 mph.
14. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 97.084 mph.
15. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 96.999 mph.
16. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 96.737 mph.
17. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 96.404 mph.
18. (97) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 96.054 mph.
19. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 95.899 mph.
20. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 94.444 mph.
21. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 94.349 mph.
22. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 93.923 mph.
23. (51) Cody Ware, Chevrolet, 93.185 mph.
24. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 91.867 mph.
25. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 90.532 mph.
26. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 88.938 mph.
27. (88) Connor Zilisch #, Chevrolet, 87.709 mph.
28. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 84.942 mph.
29. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 83.581 mph.
30. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 83.422 mph.
31. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 80.981 mph.
32. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 77.170 mph.
33. (7) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
34. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
35. (42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
36. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
— Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
Sports
Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy hoping to leave hospital Monday
Oct 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) runs the ball during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy is in “good spirits” after being shot in the leg at a concert last weekend and hopes to check out of the hospital on Monday, Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz told ESPN on Saturday.
Hardy, an All-American last season, returned to Columbia, Mo., earlier this week following the incident on May 10 at an outdoor concert in Mississippi.
Drinkwitz said Hardy still is in the hospital to monitor his wounds post-surgery, but he is walking and doing physical therapy three times a day, per ESPN.
On Thursday, police arrested Rashodrick Harris in Paducah, Ky., in connection with the shooting in Laurel, Miss.
Hardy, 20, is a Mississippi native. He began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, where he was named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year after he led the conference in rushing yards (1,351) and rushing touchdowns (13) on 237 attempts.
He transferred to Missouri, where he ranked second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season, a mark that broke the Tigers’ single-season record. He earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and a consensus All-American while scoring 16 TDs and averaging 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Red Sox SS Trevor Story headed to IL
May 4, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) hits a single in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story is headed to the 10-day injured list, the Boston Globe reported on Saturday.
The newspaper also reported that utility man Nick Sogard will be summoned from Triple-A Worcester to fill Story’s roster spot.
Story, 33, reportedly been dealing with a minor groin strain for much of this season.
He is batting .206 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 41 games this season, while his six errors are tied for second most in the American League heading into play on Saturday.
Story is hitting .262 with 207 homers and 655 RBIs in 1,106 career games with the Colorado Rockies and Red Sox.
Sogard, 28, played in 61 games spread over the last two seasons with Boston.
He is batting .269 with five homers and 23 RBIs in 36 games this season with Worcester.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals place LHP Matt Strahm on IL, activate LHP Bailey Falter
Apr 24, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Matt Strahm (25) throws a pitch in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals placed left-hander Matt Strahm on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation and activated left-hander Bailey Falter from the IL.
Strahm, 34, is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 17 relief appearances during his return to the Royals, who selected him in the 2012 MLB Draft.
In 11 major league seasons, Strahm is 35-39 with a 3.37 ERA in 412 appearances (35 starts) for the Royals (2016-17, 2026), San Diego Padres (2018-21), Boston Red Sox (2022) and Philadelphia Phillies (2023-25).
Falter, 29, had a 13.50 ERA over two early-season relief appearances before going on the IL with left elbow inflammation. He was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in nine relief appearances while on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha.
In six major league seasons, Falter is 25-30 with a 4.64 ERA in 116 appearances (83 starts) for the Phillies (2021-23), Pittsburgh Pirates (2023-25) and Royals.
–Field Level Media
Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy hoping to leave hospital Monday
HBO's Most Raunchy, Boundary-Breaking Series Is Streaming Uncensored For The First Time
