Sports
Emotional Layne Riggs wins Truck Series at Charlotte: 'Did it for Kyle'
Feb 12, 2026; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Truck Series driver Layne Riggs (34) during practice for the Fresh from Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images CONCORD, N.C. — Layne Riggs made clear what was on his mind as he took the checkered flag under caution to win the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday.
“Did it for Kyle, man, did it for Kyle,” Riggs said in a dedication to two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, who passed away Thursday at age 41 due to complications from pneumonia. It was just nine days ago that Busch won the Trucks Series race in Dover, Del.
In a race thrice delayed by rain from its scheduled Friday night start and run under NASCAR’s adverse conditions provision with a noon time limit, Riggs completed 110 of a scheduled 134 laps before the clock ran out.
He earned his second victory of the season, his first at Charlotte and the seventh of his career in a race that featured a record 11 cautions.
After a celebratory burnout in the tri-oval, Riggs, who led a race-high 52 laps and won the second stage, collected the checkered flag, exited his No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford and performed a deep bow to the crowd in the grandstand — emulating Busch’s signature victory move.
Despite the win, however, Riggs’ mood was restrained.
“Our hearts are really heavy this weekend,” he said after giving Ford its first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory on a 1.5-mile intermediate speedway since Ben Rhodes won at Charlotte in 2023. “I’ve been kind of struggling with it a little bit, just trying to keep my game face on and ride. … I was borderline sobbing there at the end.”
“But these guys (the No. 34 team) have put a smile on my face,” he continued. “Great job to everybody at Front Row Motorsports. Thank you so much to my teammate Chandler Smith. We had a little teammate restart there (on Lap 104). He stuck with me and pushed me.
“I’m super proud of him and the performance we had today.”
Ironically, after pushing Riggs to the lead, it was Smith who spun underneath third-place finisher Connor Zilisch off Turn 2 on Lap 106 to cause the final caution and allow Riggs to claim the win under caution after the clock struck noon.
Kaden Honeycutt was second when the yellow slowed the race for the last time, and with the runner-up finish, he retained his series lead by 11 points over Riggs.
“I definitely wanted to be the guy that gave Kyle (Busch) the bow there, because he definitely deserved it,” Honeycutt said. “If I had won, I was planning on giving (Busch’s son) Brexton the flag, because he (Kyle Busch) probably would have laid another butt-whipping on us if he was here.
“Just a bad week for all of us; a tough weekend for the whole community. Hug your loved ones, appreciate them, tell your mom and dad that you love them even if you don’t have a great relationship with them. Life means more than racing, for sure. Second is good, still have a points lead and we will fight in Nashville next week.”
Ben Rhodes ran fourth behind Zilisch, followed by Gio Ruggiero. Stage 1 winner Christian Eckes, Brandon Jones, Tanner Gray, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and William Sawalich completed the top 10.
Corey Day started from the pole in the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Busch had been slated to drive, but Day’s race ended early in a dramatic accident on Lap 47.
Running in the top 10, Day threw a block on the No. 17 Toyota of Ruggiero on the backstretch, but contact from Ruggiero’s truck turned Day’s Silverado sideways and airborne.
Day’s truck completed one full rotation in mid-air before landing upright and colliding with the inside wall near the entrance to Turn 3 with bone-jarring impact.
After leaving the infield care center, Day expressed disappointment at not being able to deliver a good finish in Busch’s honor.
“The 17 got a big run there off of (Turn) 2,” Day said. “He kind of started to shade down, and I shaded with him. He shaded back up, and that was it.
“My spotter didn’t do anything wrong. He told me he was there. I thought I was clear, and I wasn’t. I hate it for the No. 7 guys. This is exactly what I didn’t want to do there. I just wanted to give them a good run. I feel terrible.”
–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
Sports
Rays OF Jonny DeLuca (hamstring) placed on 10-day IL
May 20, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Jonny DeLuca (21) makes a diving catch against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images The Tampa Bay Rays placed outfielder Jonny DeLuca on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to a right hamstring strain.
The move is retroactive to Saturday.
DeLuca felt a tug at his hamstring while legging out an infield single in the seventh inning of Tampa Bay’s 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday.
DeLuca is batting .269 with two homers and 19 RBIs in 41 games this season. The 27-year-old is hitting .244 with 10 homers and 60 RBIs in 192 career games with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Rays.
Also on Sunday, the Rays recalled outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. from Triple-A Durham.
Mesa, 24, batted .188 with one homer and six RBIs in 16 games last season with the Miami Marlins. He is hitting .350 with three homers and nine RBIs in 21 games across two levels of minor-league baseball this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jannik Sinner begins French Open quest as odds-on favorite
Mar 29, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy hits a backhand against Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic after beating him in the final of the men’s singles at the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images The French Open is the lone Grand Slam that has eluded world No. 1 Jannik Sinner to date. Play also began at Roland Garros on Sunday with Sinner as the heaviest pre-tournament favorite since Rafael Nadal in 2009.
That’s in large part due to Nadal’s countryman and two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz being forced to sit out this French Open out due to a wrist injury.
The cards are stacked heavily in Sinner’s favor. The four-time Grand Slam champion entered his opening match against wild-card entry Clement Tabur riding a 29-match winning streak. He also has a 17-0 record on clay in 2026.
The draw also stacks up favorably, with Novak Djokovic on the other side along with two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud of Norway. One notable potential hurdle is Russian Daniil Medvedev, but Sinner has won 10 of their past 11 meetings.
It all leads to Sinner beginning the tournament as the -325 favorite at BetMGM to win the men’s title. The next-closest competitor is German Alexander Zverev at +900, followed by Djokovic at +1100 and Ruud at +2000.
DraftKings has even shorter odds on Sinner at -340, followed by Zverev (+1100), Djokovic (+1300) and Ruud (+2200).
Nadal entered the 2009 French Open as the -400 favorite. While he had shorter pre-tournament odds, Sinner is the most overwhelming favorite in modern tennis history when compared to his next closest challengers.
Sinner, still only 24 years old, is a two-time Australian Open champion who also won the U.S. Open in 2024. He will be the defending champion at Wimbledon this year.
The women’s draw features far more depth, at least in the eyes of sportsbooks.
Aryna Sabalenka is the +275 title favorite at BetMGM, followed by Elena Rybakina (+300), Iga Swiatek (+400), Coco Gauff (+600) and Amanda Anisimova (+800).
Sabalenka and Swiatek opened play at Roland Garros as the co-+275 favorites at DraftKings. Gauff was next at +600, followed by Rybakina (+650) and Mirra Andreeva (+900). The book had far longer odds on Anisimova at +4000, making her tied for just the 10th-shortest odds.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Thunder vs. Spurs Game 4 Picks: Best Bets for WCF Sunday
May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can steer the defending champions to a commander 3-1 series lead in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday night.
SGA was clutch in Friday’s 123-108 win over the Spurs in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals and has left San Antonio confounded over possible solutions to slow him down.
If they send a double team, SGA has consistently found open shooters and points.
With Ajay Mitchell out of the lineup again, he’ll have the ball in his hands constantly. Can the Spurs adjust or is this series all but over?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 7+ assists (-120)
Gilgeous-Alexander has 33 assists with just seven turnovers and he’s getting more out of players the Spurs aren’t necessarily afraid of. Oklahoma City’s bench has outscored San Antonio’s 183-64, with Alex Caruso averaging 21 points and Jared McCain 14.3.
De’Aaron Fox played in Game 3 Friday and Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said Saturday he expected Dylan Harper to play Game 4. But if neither is full strength, the Thunder will find and expose their weaknesses.
Oklahoma City continues to thrive with the ball in SGA’s hands.
Our Current Best Offers
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Over 218.5 total points
The over remains a market lean. DraftKings stuck at 218.5 while FanDuel has vascilllated between 218.5 and 219.5. We like the number anywhere under 220.
All three games in the series have finished above that range despite stretches of uneven shooting. If the pace stays elevated and Oklahoma City’s bench keeps creating transition chances, the total will stay in focus.
Oklahoma City Thunder +2.5
Books are giving the Spurs the edge in San Antonio. The line remains tight enough to watch pregame.
Oklahoma City has won the last two games, owned the bench-production battle and a healthy De’Aaron Fox or Dylan Harper could quickly shift the advantage. But the Thunder proved last postseason the road isn’t a place they fear.
Our Current Best Offers
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Rays OF Jonny DeLuca (hamstring) placed on 10-day IL
Jannik Sinner begins French Open quest as odds-on favorite
