Sports
G2 Esports, PARIVISION, 3DMAX keep winning at IEM Krakow
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
G2 Esports, PARIVISION and 3DMAX claimed upper-bracket victories in the second round of the play-in stage on Thursday at the Intel Extreme Masters Krakow event in Poland.
The $1 million Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament began with 24 teams — 16 competing in a double-elimination play-in bracket with eight already seeded straight into the group stage.
Play-in matches are best-of-three, with eight teams advancing.
The next stage will split the remaining teams into two groups of eight for double-elimination play involving best-of-three matches. The group winners earn spots in the playoff semifinals, the group runners-up head to the playoff quarterfinals as high seeds and the third-place teams go to the playoff quarterfinals as low seeds.
The playoffs will feature a single-elimination bracket of best-of-three matches until the grand final on Feb. 8, which will be best-of-five.
The championship team will receive $400,000, and the runner-up will get $180,000.
On Thursday, PARIVISION knocked off Aurora Gaming 2-1, winning 13-5 on Mirage, dropping a decision by the same score on Anubis and capturing the match with a 13-4 victory on Dust II. The all-Russian PARIVISION was led by Vladislav “xiELO” Lysov’s 37-31 kill-death differential and 1.35 rating, and Ivan “zweih” Gogin’s 39-35 K-D and 1.20 rating.
Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dortkardes of the all-Turkish Aurora Gaming posted a 38-36 K-D and 1.09 rating.
G2 Esports edged Team Liquid 2-1 in a dramatic match, winning 13-8 on Mirage, falling 13-6 on Inferno and then triumphing on Anubis 16-14 in overtime. G2 was paced by Nemanja “huNter-” Kovac of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a 54-47 K-D differential and 1.33 rating. Team Liquid’s Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak of Poland posted a 66-41 differential and 1.52 rating.
3DMAX swept BC.Game Esports 2-0, winning on Overpass 13-3 and Anubis 13-4. Lucas “Lucky” Chastang paced the all-French 3DMAX with a 37-13 K-D and 2.02 rating. BC.Game did not have a player with a positive rating.
In Round 1 of the lower bracket, Ninjas in Pyjamas got the better of Passion UA, 2-1, after dropping the opener 13-8 on Overpass. NIP rallied to win on Nuke 13-5 and Anubis 13-10. Ukraine’s Artem “cairne” Mushynskyi paced NIP with a 59-42 K-D differential and 1.34 rating, followed by teammate Kacper “xKacpersky” Gabara of Poland with a 50-42 K-D and 1.29 rating.
Passion UA was led by Ukraine’s Vladyslav “Kvem” Korol with a 50-47 K-D and the United States’ Michael “Grim” Wince with a 51-49 differential. Both players had a 1.12 rating.
FUT Esports swept Legacy 2-0 in the lower bracket, winning 13-7 on Dust II and 13-10 on Ancient. Ukraine’s Dmytro “dem0n” Myroshnychenko led FUT with a 45-22 K-D differential and 1.63 rating. Romania’s Laurentiu “lauNX” Tarlea contributed a 32-20 K-D and 1.31 rating to the victory.
Also in the lower bracket, paiN Gaming won a battle with B8 2-0, capturing Dust II 16-12 and Mirage 13-10. The all-Brazilian paiN Gaming was led by Joao “snow” Vinicius with a 45-30 K-D differential and 1.35 rating, Lucas “nqz” Soares with a 44-28 differential and 1.33 rating, and Vinicius “vsm” Moreira with a 40-26 differential and 1.32 rating.
Friday’s matches:
–Upper-bracket Round 2: Astralis vs. NRG
–Lower-bracket Round 1: GamerLegion vs. HEROIC
–Lower-bracket Round 2: BC.Game Esports vs. Ninjas in Pyjams
–Lower-bracket Round 2: Team Liquid vs. FUT Esports
–Lower-bracket Round 2: Aurora Gaming vs. paiN Gaming
–Lower-bracket Round 2: TBD vs. TBD
Intel Extreme Masters Krakow prize pool
1. $400,000
2. $180,000
3. $100,000
4. $60,000
5-6. $40,000
7-8. $24,000
9-12. $16,000
13-16. $10,000
17-20. $4,500
21-24. $2,500, Passion UA, Legacy, B8
–Field Level Media
Sports
Romain Grosjean returning to IndyCar with Dale Coyne Racing
Romain Grosjean ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Romain Grosjean has signed with Dale Coyne Racing for the 2026 IndyCar season, marking a return to the team with which he made his series debut in 2021.
The announcement was made on Friday, with the former Formula 1 driver stepping into the No. 18 Honda for DCR. He will team with rookie Dennis Hauger for the team, which parted ways with Rinus VeeKay after last season.
“Pairing an exceptional rookie in Dennis with a proven veteran like Romain gives us a strong competitive foundation,” team owner Dale Coyne said. “Bringing back key pieces of our history while building new global partnerships positions us well for 2026.”
Grosjean was out of IndyCar in 2025 after racing with Juncos Hollinger Racing. He competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but in August he expressed optimism about returning to the IndyCar grid.
The 39-year-old Swiss-born Frenchman started 179 F1 races from 2009-20. He has made six podiums and won three poles in 64 IndyCar races.
The 2026 IndyCar season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Darren Clarke posts 2 eagles, shares Chubb Classic lead with Michael Wright
Darren Clarke tees off on 1 to start the final round of The Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., Sunday, March 30, 2025. Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland made two eagles over his final four holes to grab a share of the first-round lead at the Chubb Classic on Friday in Naples, Fla.
Clarke and Australian Michael Wright posted 7-under-par 65 at Tiburon Golf Club’s Black Course with two rounds to go. Tied for third one stroke behind are defending champion Justin Leonard, Scott Parel, Rob Labritz and Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez.
Clarke already had a busy round when he reached the par-5 15th hole, with five birdies and two bogeys on his card. He reached the green in two on that hole, and again at the par-5 18th, sinking eagle putts both times.
“The one on 15, I hit driver, 3-iron from 237 (yards) to 12 feet and holed it for eagle,” said Clarke, 57. “Then the last one I hit driver, 3-wood. The 3-wood was from 241 or something straight into the wind. Hit it to 15 feet behind the hole. So they were both pretty good. Take those any day.”
Wright, 51, is newer to the tour and is well-positioned to go for his first win.
He sank nine birdies, including four of his last five holes, helping absorb a double bogey at the par-4 13th. He said his son Charlie carried his bag and read most of his putts for him Friday.
“This is his first Champions event and his first event ever was three weeks ago in Australia,” Michael Wright said. “He’s doing a great job. I love having him on the bag.”
Leonard posted four birdies on each nine. After a bogey at No. 17, he bounced back at No. 18 when he stuck his approach shot a few feet from the hole to set up birdie.
“I hit a lot of greens today,” Leonard said. “I think I may have only missed one or two greens. Did make a couple bogeys, but I played well on the par-5s and got off to a good start. I kind of did all the things you need to do around here.”
Leonard won by four shots here in 2025.
Two shots off the pace at 5-under 67 are Bo Van Pelt, David Toms, Germany’s Alex Cejka and South Korea’s K.J. Choi.
–Field Level Media
Sports
William Byron to use backup car in pursuit of Daytona 500 three-peat
Feb 13, 2026; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver William Byron (24) during NASCAR Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images William Byron will need to rely on a backup car on Sunday when he tries to become the first driver to win the Daytona 500 in three consecutive years.
Byron’s preferred No. 24 Chevrolet took enough damage during qualifying Thursday to relegate him to a backup car for the Great American Race.
The bright side for Byron? He drove a backup car in 2024 when he won the first of his two Daytona titles.
“We’ve won this race with a backup car, so I’m not super worried on that aspect,” Byron said. “But it does suck that you put a lot of work into the primary and you don’t get to race it.”
The Hendrick Motorsports driver is attempting to achieve a three-peat that Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, Sterling Marlin and Denny Hamlin had chances at over the years before each fell short in Year 3.
Byron, 28, will start 39th in the 41-car pack.
–Field Level Media
Romain Grosjean returning to IndyCar with Dale Coyne Racing
Darren Clarke posts 2 eagles, shares Chubb Classic lead with Michael Wright
