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Ross Chastain wins rain-shortened O’Reilly Series race at Charlotte

NASCAR OReilly Auto Parts: NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Race at CharlotteMay 23, 2026; Concord, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series 2026 driver Ross Chastain (9) celebrates in victory lane after his win during the Charbroil 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

CONCORD, N.C.-Ross Chastain drove through a succession of challenges-including a patch of oil and a brush with the outside wall-to win Saturday night’s rain-shortened Charbroil 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The victory was Chastain’s first in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series since 2019, his first at Charlotte and the third of his career. The race was stopped for rain for the second time after Chastain crossed the finish line to win the second stage on Lap 90.

With no hope of continuing, NASCAR called the race after Lap 91 and declared Chastain the winner.

“I did not think we would win one like this, driving into the fence in liquid,” said Chastain, who was driving the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. “I have no idea what it was. I went into Turn 1 like normal, and there was something on the track.

“No matter how we win, I feel like we could have raced with them again at the end.”

Chastain’s thoughts quickly turned to the absence of champion driver Kyle Busch, who on Thursday lost his life to a sudden illness at age 41.

“This weekend, it’s just incredible trying to grasp losing Kyle,” Chastain said. “I don’t understand how he’s not here racing. I don’t grasp it mentally or spiritually.

“Obviously, racing is the best thing we can to celebrate what he did in the sport and in his life.”

Defending O’Reilly Series champion Jesse Love, who drives for Richard Childress Racing — as did Busch in the NASCAR Cup Series — was second when the race was called.

“If this week taught us anything, it’s that all this doesn’t matter as much as we think it does,” Love said. “As much as I’m angry and confused and upset (about the way the race finished), I also realized there’s a lot of hurt people right now.”

A spate of cautions punctuated the second stage of the race after a rain delay of more than four hours, but the real damage came on Lap 73, when the drivers of eight cars-including Chastain-slid through fluid deposited by the No. 35 Chevrolet of Dawson Cram.

Chastain kept his car on the track with seemingly minimal damage. Other drivers weren’t as fortunate.

Victims of the oily track included series leader Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray and Jeremy Clements. Allgaier stayed on the lead lap after repeated trips to pit road for repairs but finished 29th as the final 18 laps of the race remained under caution thanks to drizzling rain and mist that wet the track and obscured spotters’ views from the top of the grandstand.

Austin Hill, Love’s RCR teammate, finished third, followed by William Sawalich and Corey Day. Connor Zilisch, Ryan Sieg, Cole Custer, Carson Kvapil and Rajah Caruth completed the top 10, as JR Motorsports placed three drivers in the top 10.

Rain slowed the race twice in the first 33 laps, the first time for a drizzle under caution for Harrison Burton’s spin in Turn 4, the second time for a harder rain that fell after NASCAR called a competition caution on Lap 26.

The rain persisted while the cars circulated under the yellow flag for seven more laps, with Allgaier in the lead behind the pace car. Ultimately, NASCAR red-flagged the race after Lap 33, and the cars sat covered on pit road waiting for a resumption.

At 9:45 p.m. NASCAR called the drivers back to their cars, and the race resumed with eight laps left in Stage 1 after a stoppage of 4 hours, 21 minutes, 58 seconds.

On Lap 42, Allgaier got loose over the bumps in Turn 3 and gave up the lead to Zilisch, who took the green-checkered flag as the stage winner three laps later.

Then came the decisive second stage, fraught with all its perils. And after it was over, Chastain took a bow, mimicking Busch’s signature move, before making his own familiar move — a watermelon smash — from the roof of his car.

The rain that halted the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race prematurely also forced postponement of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race for the third time.

The event is now scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday and will be broadcast on FS1, NRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Charbroil 300

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Concord, North Carolina

Saturday, May 23, 2026

1. (14) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 91.

2. (17) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 91.

3. (6) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 91.

4. (7) William Sawalich, Toyota, 91.

5. (2) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 91.

6. (5) Connor Zilisch(i), Chevrolet, 91.

7. (9) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 91.

8. (29) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 91.

9. (24) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 91.

10. (10) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 91.

11. (8) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 91.

12. (31) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 91.

13. (13) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 91.

14. (21) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 91.

15. (30) Leland Honeyman Jr(i), Chevrolet, 91.

16. (16) Austin Green, Chevrolet, 91.

17. (37) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 91.

18. (23) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 91.

19. (22) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 91.

20. (36) David Starr, Chevrolet, 91.

21. (27) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 91.

22. (35) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 91.

23. (28) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 91.

24. (33) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 91.

25. (26) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 91.

26. (32) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 91.

27. (11) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 91.

28. (20) Andrew Patterson, Chevrolet, 91.

29. (1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 91.

30. (15) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 90.

31. (25) Taylor Gray, Toyota, Accident, 73.

32. (12) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, Accident, 73.

33. (34) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 72.

34. (38) JJ Yeley, Ford, Fuel Pump, 64.

35. (4) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 62.

36. (3) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, Accident, 61.

37. (18) Brent Crews #, Toyota, Accident, 51.

38. (19) Harrison Burton, Toyota, Accident, 51.

–by Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service

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Padres top A's in game light on hitting, heavy on walks

MLB: Athletics at San Diego PadresMay 23, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Lucas Giolito (55) delivers during the first inning against the Athletics at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Lucas Giolito tossed five shutout innings Saturday night and the San Diego Padres took advantage of surprising wildness from Athletics starter J.T. Ginn in a 2-0 home victory.

Giolito (2-0) allowed four hits and issued five walks while striking out two but was able to pitch out of multiple jams. He stranded three walks in the fourth when he induced an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play ball from Jeff McNeil.

San Diego used its high-leverage relievers to wrap up the victory. Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam each handled an inning before former Athletic Mason Miller, facing his old team for the first time since being traded at the deadline last year, worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save in as many chances.

Ginn (2-3), who threw eight no-hit innings Monday night before losing 2-1 to the Angels in Los Angeles, left this one with a no-hitter. But he only lasted 2 1/3 innings because he walked six, hit a batter and threw 73 pitches. Ginn fanned four and was charged with both runs.

Ginn entered the game having issued only three walks in his previous three starts. But two first-inning walks hinted at what happened an inning later. In the third, he gave up free passes to Jackson Merrill, Freddy Fermin and Sung-Mun Song, then hit Fernando Tatis Jr. to force Merrill home.

An inning later, Ginn was pulled after walking Nick Castellanos with one out. Jose Suarez relieved and promptly gave up a double to Merrill, followed by Ty France’s groundout that scored Castellanos.

The Padres didn’t manage another hit until Gavin Sheets singled with two outs in the seventh. They coaxed eight walks but went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners.

The Athletics’ Nick Kurtz was the only player for either team with two hits, and teammate Shea Langeliers managed the A’s only extra-base hit, a double in the eighth. But they were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight men aboard.

–Field Level Media

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Evander has hand in 5 goals as Cincinnati hammers Orlando City

MLS: Orlando City at FC CincinnatiMay 23, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha (20) kicks the ball against Orlando City SC in the first half at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Evander scored two goals and assisted on three others, including Kenji Mboma Dem’s eventual match-winner in the 52nd minute, sending FC Cincinnati into the World Cup break with a 6-2 rout of visiting Orlando City on Saturday evening.

Despite allowing a brace to Orlando’s Martin Ojeda, Cincinnati (5-5-5, 20 points) snapped a 0-1-2 slump in resounding fashion, winning for the first time since May 2.

Orlando (4-9-2, 14 points) saw its three-match unbeaten streak across all competitions (2-0-1) come to an end.

Cincinnati, which entered Saturday with the most goals scored in MLS (30), dominated an Orlando defense that had conceded a league-worst 38 times.

With the match tied at 2-2, Mboma Dem put Cincinnati ahead for good in the 52nd minute with his second goal of the night and fourth of the season. He rushed into the box and struck Evander’s pass first-time into the net to put Cincinnati ahead 3-2.

In the 58th minute, Evander completed his own double with his ninth goal of the season, confidently striding to the top of the box and lacing a low, driven effort past Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau to make it 4-2.

Kevin Denkey made it 5-2 in the 77th minute, bringing his season total to nine goals thanks to Evander’s third assist of the evening.

Tom Barlow capped the scoring in the first minute of second-half stoppage time with his fifth goal of the season.

After Ojeda opened the scoring for Orlando in the 16th minute, Cincinnati pulled ahead with two goals late in the period. Mboma Dem’s header past Crepeau off Evander’s corner kick tied the match at 1-1 in the 42nd minute. Evander then put Cincinnati ahead 2-1 in the third minute of first-half stoppage time off an assist from Pavel Bucha.

Cincinnati’s six goals were its most in an MLS regular-season match since a 6-1 win over Inter Miami on July 6, 2024. Orlando allowed six goals in a match for the second time this season, most recently in a 6-0 loss at Los Angeles FC on April 4.

Evander now has seven goals and five assists in his last five matches.

–Field Level Media

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LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo battle to 1-1 draw entering World Cup break

MLS: Houston Dynamo FC at LA GalaxyMay 23, 2026; Carson, California, USA; Houston Dynamo FC midfielder Mateusz Bogusz (19) moves the ball while pressured by LA Galaxy forward Joseph Paintsil (28) and midfielder Justin Haak (15) during the first half at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

Guilherme Santos scored the tying goal in the 41st minute and Jonathan Bond recorded five saves as the visiting Houston Dynamo earned a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy on Saturday in a Western Conference dustup in Carson, Calif.

It was the final game for both teams before MLS’s two-month World Cup break. The draw was the first this season for the Dynamo (7-6-1, 22 points), who head to the break two points clear of the Galaxy (5-5-5, 20 points) in the West standings.

Houston has earned points in four of its past five league matches (3-1-1). Los Angeles is 3-1-2 in its past six MLS contests.

The Galaxy were the aggressor in the early minutes of the match, as Erik Thommy and then Joseph Paintsil tested Bond with shots on target in the 14th and 17th minute, respectively.

Paintsil broke through in the 30th minute, making short work of a scoring play that started when Edwin Cerrillo passed to the right side of the box to Miki Yamane. Yamane worked hard to center the ball but it bounced through traffic in front of the goal before Paintsil ripped a right-footed shot past Bond and into the top-left corner of the net for a 1-0 Los Angeles lead.

Guilherme had an excellent chance to produce the equalizer for the Dynamo five minutes later but missed over the crossbar from short range.

Guilherme made the most of his next opportunity, taking a pass from Jack McGlynn outside the top of the box and hitting a curving shot past Galaxy keeper JT Marcinkowski (three saves) into the bottom-right corner. Antonio Carlos was credited with a secondary assist on that tying tally.

The second half was full of unrealized scoring chances.

Marcinkowski kept the match knotted with a stop on a low-percentage shot by McGlynn in the 56th minute. He then stopped shots from Mateusz Bogusz in the 70th minute and Jose Artur in the 73rd to quell Houston scoring chances.

Cerrillo, Matheus Nascimento and Gabriel Pec had shots on target in the final 15 minutes for the Galaxy, but Bond rose to the task to save each of them and allow the Dynamo to split the points.

–Field Level Media

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