On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Alex Bowman and Denny Hamlin are not happy with each other. Hamlin, making a pass on Bowman during Stage 2 of Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, waved out his window as he drove by.
Bowman responded over his radio: “Tell him to put his hand back in the window and don’t drive me in the fu*king fence next time,” via Jeff Gluck of The Athletic.
Karma did bite Hamlin in the butt soon after. Hamlin’s team made a mistake on the ensuing green flag pit stop, causing him to lose seven spots.
A slow stop for the No. 11 causes @dennyhamlin to lose seven spots on pit road. pic.twitter.com/iDOwrPMM34
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) May 11, 2025
Make that two weeks in a row where Hamlin has paid the price for a previous action. Showered with boos during driver introductions ahead of last Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, Hamlin threw the Horns Down gesture at the crowd in attendance. That gesture proved to be costly, if you believe in karma. Hamlin’s engine blew up on Lap 75, prematurely ending his race.
“That didn’t last long for me. Eventually, the karma caught up pretty quickly,” Hamlin said on Monday’s Actions Detrimental podcast. “Their fans were the nicest fans in defeat that we have ever come across. They’re nice people.”
Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin running well at Kansas
Still, it’s been a quality day of racing for Hamlin. He’s currently running eighth, two spots behind Bowman. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has finished 27th or worse in three of his last four starts and desperately needs a good performance.
So far, so good for Bowman, who has led two laps at Kansas. But he and the rest of the field are chasing Kyle Larson, who started on the pole. Larson has led all but 15 laps and looks to be closing in on his third victory of the season.
More must-reads:
- Denny Hamlin has revealing comments about his future after signing extension
- Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
NASCAR Cup Series champion criticizes fans' 'Mickey Mouse' playoff narrative
NASCAR's current playoff format has been a hot-button topic recently, as fans continue to express frustration regarding the process to crown a champion 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney was the latest to express his thoughts on the matter during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday. While the majority opinion amongst the fan base is that drivers who win a championship today are less deserving than those who won a title under the full season points structure, Blaney completely disagrees. "What kind of bugs me a little bit is the people that are so diehard on, like, 'If you won a championship in this format that we have now, oh, it's a Mickey Mouse championship and it doesn't matter. It doesn't count,'" Blaney said. 'It's like, man, everyone has the same opportunity as the guy who won it. This isn't the full season points. Like everyone always talks about like, 'Oh, this guy, he would have won the full season points.' Like, well, that's great. But we haven't used that format in 20 years. "... I look at our championship as like, we had a good year, and we even had a better playoffs than everybody else. And we rose to the occasion when we needed to, and we dug in, and we we're the best car during the playoffs and had some big wins and I was able to get the championship." The playoff format debuted in 2004 when it was known as the "Chase." In that format, the top drivers in points competed in a 10-race stretch of races to determine the champion for that season. Since the current elimination-style format was introduced in 2014, 16 drivers are re-seeded based on the wins and playoff points they accumulated throughout the season. From there, four drivers are eliminated after the third race of each round, ultimately setting the stage for a winner-takes-all championship race where the four remaining drivers battle for the title. The finish to the 2024 season only frustrated fans that much more when Joey Logano hoisted the trophy at Phoenix Raceway after posting the worst average finish (17.1) of any driver in a championship-winning season. Blaney won the title two years ago in a season where he was not the most dominant car. When the time came, he got hot in the playoffs, winning two races and clinching his first championship with a runner-up finish at Phoenix. While he said he prefers the old "Chase" format so a driver can be rewarded for his consistency, the current format should not discredit a championship regardless of how it is won. "I mean, everyone can have their opinion," Blaney said. "It gets under my skin a little bit when they're like, 'You guys didn't deserve that championship.' It's like, what are you talking about, man? Like we went through the grinder, everyone digs in. And we were resilient when it mattered." However you view it, the current playoff format is not without its critics, notably NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, who has not been afraid to voice his opinion on the matter. As of now, NASCAR has not announced anything on potential tweaks to the playoff system going forward. With so many scheduling changes, such as the recently announced San Diego street race at Naval Base Coronado in 2026, NASCAR continues to prove it is not afraid to try new things. Perhaps a tweak to the current playoff system is on the table as well.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
Raiders HC Pete Carroll expands on decision to release DT Christian Wilkins
For the first time since the Las Vegas Raiders' shocking release of DT Christian Wilkins on Thursday, head coach Pete Carroll fielded questions about the move. "To make our decision, we watched our way through the whole thing," Carroll told the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vinny Bonsignore. "We're keeping really clear with what we said. I think there was no clear path to his return, and we just had to move on." Wilkins was injured in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos last season, suffering a foot injury that would put him on the IR after five games. It was not what the Raiders had hoped for after then-general manager Tom Telesco signed him to a four-year, $110 million deal in March 2024. Initially, Wilkins did have surgery, but wasn't healthy by the time organized team activities started, and his rehab proved to be a "challenging process" as described by Carroll a few months ago. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Las Vegas reportedly wanted Wilkins to undergo another foot surgery, but he declined, which led to the release of the six-year pro from Clemson. The Raiders are attempting to void $35.2 million in remaining guarantees that Wilkins was owed on his contract. The NFLPA filed a grievance against Las Vegas as a result. Wilkins was brought in to help star pass rusher Maxx Crosby create problems for opposing offenses. The Raiders got a brief look when Wilkins recorded 17 tackles, two tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and two sacks before he got injured in the second quarter. The injury was unfortunate for Las Vegas, which had counted on Wilkins to produce similar results, as he had in his last three seasons with the Dolphins, recording 17 sacks, including nine in 2023. Perhaps Raiders GM John Spytek saw this coming when the silver and black selected Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues in the 2025 NFL Draft. While there is still time to find the next player to fill the void left by Wilkins, there is a massive hole in the interior line.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
