Sports
Points race tightening as drivers tackle Pocono's 'Tricky Triangle'
Jun 22, 2025; Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe is congratulated in victory lane by driver Denny Hamlin after winning The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images As the drivers move north to Pocono Raceway, the NASCAR Cup Series continues an exciting stretch with the points race having tightened significantly.
Sunday’s Great American Getaway 400 in Long Pond, Pa., will be the usual distance of 160 times around the odd, tri-cornered track design.
It also marks the fifth consecutive one-race season for the 2.5-mile speedway affectionately called the Tricky Triangle.
The 400-mile event will be the fourth one broadcast by Prime Video thus far, following the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte then Nashville and Michigan.
Prime has two more races on its schedule, Pocono and the inaugural road racing event at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego on June 21.
The second-year broadcast team featuring Adam Alexander, Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte has displayed its strength in its racing knowledge and in-depth racing analysis — informative in the pre-race, race and post-race settings.
Last weekend’s numbers in Michigan’s Irish Hills were not as stunning as Denny Hamlin’s 11.11-second victory over Michigan’s Erik Jones. The No. 11 driver took control in the final 39 laps and zoomed away to the largest margin of victory since Davey Allison smoked the field by 11.72 seconds in 1991.
Prime’s coverage did draw 2.07 million viewers, a 17% increase from last year’s comparable figures and reinforcing the crew as the new gold standard in NASCAR broadcasting.
Hamlin, a 63-time winner, has seven victories at Pocono, one more than four-time series champ Jeff Gordon and the most all-time at the track. The Toyota driver’s last win there was in 2023.
Chase Briscoe is the defending race winner, while Ryan Blaney won two years ago. Toyota has left the honeymoon and vacation haven with nine of the past 13 checkered flags.
In the standings, second-place Hamlin closed his deficit to leader Tyler Reddick and is minus-51 after the No. 45 driver — Hamlin’s 23XI Racing driver — finished a season-worst 35th at Michigan and admitted the margin may soon shrink more.
“All year long we’ve done a really good job of staying out of messes like this,” Reddick said after wrecking out on Lap 83. “We were trying to open (the lead) up on the 11 after losing a little bit of ground. … Pocono’s not going to be great.”
The biggest mover going up the grid was Reddick’s teammate Bubba Wallace, whose third-place finish advanced him four spots to 11th.
Christopher Bell dropped three spots to 10th and also fractured his wrist in a violent wreck with Chase Elliott while fighting for the runner-up spot.
The accident was the hardest in the four-year history of the NextGen car and most vicious since the 2015 season, but the No. 20 is cleared for Sunday.
Josh Berry, driver of the No. 21 Ford, revealed Wednesday that he and iconic Wood Brothers Racing will part ways after two seasons. NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champ Jesse Love, 21, may get that seat.
While the triangular track is known for gapped and lengthy green-flag runs, longstanding images of crazy clashes (see Dale Earnhardt vs. Jeremy Mayfield in 2000) and violent wrecks (Allison, Richard Petty, Steve Park and Jeff Gordon) are part of its history.
Memories are made in the Poconos.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres place C Freddy Fermin on concussion IL
Jun 13, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (54) looks to the dugout during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images The San Diego Padres placed catcher Freddy Fermin on the seven-day concussion injured list and selected the contract of catcher Blake Hunt from Triple-A El Paso on Sunday.
To open a spot on the 40-man roster for Hunt, right-hander Ty Adcock was designated for assignment.
Fremin left Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles in the sixth inning when he was hit in the mask after a warm-up pitch from Yuki Matsui bounced in front of the plate.
Fermin, 31, was batting .148 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 51 games for the Padres this season. In five major league seasons with the Kansas City Royals (2022-25) and Padres (2025-26), he is a .250 hitter with 23 home runs and 105 RBIs in 344 games.
Hunt, 27, is poised to make his major league debut after nine seasons in the minor leagues. He was batting .289 with three home runs and eight RBIs in 15 total minor league games this season.
Adcock, 29, never pitched for the Padres after recording a 7.94 ERA this season in 11 minor league appearances (one start) with the organization. In 18 career major league appearances for the Seattle Mariners (2023) and New York Mets (2024-25), he has a 5.48 ERA.
–Field Level Media
Sports
2027 NBA Championship Odds, Picks, and Sleepers
May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) goes in for a shot against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the first half during game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images The New York Knicks are the 2026 NBA Champions, which means it’s already time to peek ahead to 2027.
Of course, a lot will happen in the NBA between now and next summer. But locking in NBA championship futures ahead of time could provide the best value. For instance, one year ago, the Knicks had +900 odds to win the championship following their Eastern Conference Finals defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.
Let’s take a look at next year’s championship markets on Kalshi, which allows users to trade outcomes of real world events, like the 2027 NBA Finals. Remember, these markets fluctuate, so check them consistently.
Oklahoma City Thunder (27% chance, 27¢ yes)
The Thunder are favored to win next year’s championship despite losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
Thunder GM Sam Presti has a big arsenal of draft picks and Oklahoma City could decide that this offseason is the time to make a major move. Even if the Thunder don’t make a splash, their entire championship core headlined by two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be healthy in 2026-27.
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San Antonio Spurs (26% chance, 26¢ yes)
Much will be made about Victor Wembanyama’s first NBA Finals appearance. But at 22 years old, it’s pretty damn cool that he made it that far.
The Spurs are super young. They were too young to beat the Knicks. Another year together will help this group. There’s no substitute for experience in the NBA Playoffs, and this young group already has plenty of it from their deep run in 2026.
New York Knicks (15% chance, 15¢ yes)
Can the Knicks defend their championship?
Next year’s Eastern Conference will be much improved. The Boston Celtics will be healthy, if they decide to bring back Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Pacers will have Tyrese Haliburton healthy, and the Cleveland Cavaliers could potentially have LeBron James.
New York’s title run was something to behold, and Jalen Brunson proved he should never be counted out.
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Don’t sleep on these teams next year:
Pacers
From worst to first?
The Pacers will be much better with Haliburton and Ivica Zubac. Even though Indiana doesn’t have a draft pick, this team should be really good.
Pistons
J.B. Bickerstaff’s Pistons fell just short of beating the Cavs in Game 7 of the conference semifinals. Cade Cunningham will be an MVP frontrunner next season and has the playoff experience required to make a serious run.
Timberwolves
It feels like it’s only a matter of time before the breakthrough happens for Anthony Edwards. All of these other young, up and coming stars are getting NBA Finals reps. Edwards could be positioned to do the same in 2027.
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Sports
Injunction clears Clemson WR Tristan Smith to play
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney with wide receiver Tristan Smith (3) before kickoff with Furman University at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, SC, Saturday, November 22, 2025. Clemson wide receiver Tristan Smith is on track to play this season after receiving a temporary injunction against the NCAA on Friday.
The 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior sued the NCAA in January after it declined his waiver for a fifth season of eligibility.
Judge Jessica A. Salvini of South Carolina’s 13th Judicial Circuit noted in her ruling that other former junior college players had been granted an additional year by the NCAA.
She pointed to wide receiver Malik Benson, who played two seasons of JUCO ball and received a fifth season for 2025 at Oregon.
“The only material distinction the Court can identify between Mr. Benson’s case, and the instant matter is that Mr. Smith’s final Division I season falls in 2025-26 rather than 2024-25,” Salvini wrote.
The NCAA had granted former JUCO players in the 2024-25 class a blanket extra year of eligibility after Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia won a lawsuit against the NCAA.
“Big win for our client,” Smith’s attorney, Darren Heitner, posted on X after Friday’s ruling. “… The NCAA’s arbitrary application of its Five-Year Rule didn’t hold up. Justice for Tristan!”
“The Marathon continues. I’m Back,” Smith posted on Instagram.
Smith played two seasons at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in 2022 and 2023 and one season at FCS program Southeast Missouri State in 2024 before joining Clemson in 2025. He caught 24 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown in 13 games last season for the Tigers.
–Field Level Media
Padres place C Freddy Fermin on concussion IL
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