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BRISTOL, Tenn. -- A little ray of sunshine was all Alex Bowman needed to secure the pole position for Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway (3 p.m. ET, FS1, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Well, not quite all. Bowman also had to turn a blistering lap in his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet during Saturday's time trials at the 0.533-mile short track, and he did just that.
Bowman covered the distance in 14.912 seconds (128.675 mph) -- the fastest lap ever run at Bristol in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen car. That was good enough to hold off fellow Chevrolet driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (128.563 mph) by 0.013 seconds to secure the top starting spot for the ninth Cup Series race of the season.
It wasn't just the Busch Light Pole Award that had Bowman salivating. Extensive tire wear in the practice session that preceded qualifying compared to last year's spring event in Thunder Valley, where tire fall-off was a crucial aspect of the competition.
"I think we're all much more prepared than we were last spring," said Bowman, who ran his lap under favorable cloud cover -- with the sun coming out shortly after his qualifying attempt and warming the track slightly on an otherwise chilly day.
"I'm excited for a tire management race. It's going to be a lot of fun. We'll see what we've got," he added.
"We started practice with rubber already on the track from the Xfinity cars, peeled it right up and sawed the tires right off. Yeah, confusing why we're doing it again when we didn't do it in the fall.
"It's going to be warmer tomorrow. Maybe that changes it. It's really difficult to say. I think it's going to be like that (the spring race), but we'll find out together, I think."
Kyle Larson (128.511 mph) qualified third, after winning the pole position for Saturday's Xfinity Series race earlier in the day. Denny Hamlin, winner of the last two Cup events, was fourth in the fastest Toyota at 128.460 mph, and Ryan Blaney topped all other Ford drivers with a fifth-place qualifying lap at 128.305 mph.
In seven of the last eight Cup races at Bristol, the winner has come from the top five spots on the starting grid -- two from the pole and two from the second starting position.
Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell claimed the sixth and seventh starting spots, with AJ Allmendinger, Carson Hocevar and Justin Haley claiming eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively.
Kyle Busch was 15th fastest in qualifying, but he spun off Turn 4 on his second lap and flat-spotted his tires. Joey Logano, who qualified immediately after Busch, broke loose off Turn 2 and smacked the outside wall with the right rear of his No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Logano will start 38th on Sunday.
Xfinity Series regular Jesse Love qualified 19th for his Cup Series debut on Sunday in the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
Hyak Motorsports' Ricky Stenhouse Jr. topped the leaderboard in practice at 128.082 mph ahead of Team Penske drivers Blaney (127.571 mph) and Austin Cindric (127.140 mph).
Larson (126.737 mph) and Chase Elliott (126.520 mph) rounded out the top five for Hendrick Motorsports.
Brad Keselowski (126.495 mph), Hamlin (126.461 mph), Busch (126.337 mph), John Hunter Nemechek (126.187 mph) and Bowman (126.121 mph) completed the top 10.
--Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.
More must-reads:
- NASCAR power rankings: New Hampshire results in a new No. 1
- Ryan Blaney wins at New Hampshire, advances to Round of 8
- The 'Multiple 30-TD pass NFL seasons' quiz
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Denny Hamlin addresses JGR philosophy on how teammates should race: ‘Don’t think we’re on the same page’
Winning a NASCAR Cup Series championship is hard. Denny Hamlin knows that all too well as his two-decade career has been a story of good, but not good — or lucky enough — to win a championship. This season, at 44 years old, Hamlin is once again one of the championship favorites. So, when Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Ty Gibbs — a non-playoff driver — held him up during Sunday’s Round of 12 opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Hamlin was dumbfounded. And while battling for 11th on Lap 110, the situation escalated quickly. Hamlin, running the inside lane going into Turn 1, dumped Gibbs and sent him crashing into the outside wall. This was a major moment in Sunday’s race, one that will create plenty of conversation this week at the JGR shop. Hamlin admitted that he doesn’t think the race team is on the same page. “I don’t think we’re on the same page,” Hamlin said on Monday’s Actions Detrimental podcast. “I have always went back to what is the last thing Joe [Gibbs] has said when it comes to non-playoff cars and playoff cars. He has had this conversation multiple times with everyone in the room, but I think it probably needs to be said again. What I’ve heard is that if you’re a non-playoff car, any break that you can cut your teammates, please do.” Hamlin expected his teammate to cut him a break. He had just witnessed Gibbs giving another JGR playoff driver, Christopher Bell, a hard time on the racetrack, and Hamlin was next. Denny Hamlin gives perspective on frustration with Ty Gibbs “I probably got a little upset, a little hot under the collar because first of all, I was a witness to the 54 [Gibbs] and the 20 [Bell] thing. I was right behind it and I’m watching it just shaking my head,” Hamlin said. “There was a just a lot of tire smoke, both from the inside and the outside on that one, but it was just tough to watch. And then, I apparently when you go back and listen to Ty’s audio, he got really upset about the 20 car at that point, and I think whoever got to him next, he was gonna be difficult to. Unfortunately, I was the next guy in line to pass him and again, me and the 20 were fighting so hard to get around the 54 that we ended up fighting each other and then when we got singled out, we both ran him down again. I’m thinking, ‘OK, I’m just gonna go on by, I’m clearly faster.’ “And it was just aero-block this corner, aero-block that corner and then when you get beside, it’s like, ‘OK, what else do I have to prove that we’re clearly faster? I’m definitely going to pass you, we got 60 laps till the end of this stage. What are we doing? You’re not gonna hold off me off for 60 laps. The 20 is right behind me, these are your teammates that need these points.’ I just didn’t understand where the mindset was there, and I still don’t. It’s possible Ty feels like he doesn’t owe us anything, and that’s just a different mindset. It’s OK to have but you would think that one day the roles would be reversed and certainly, he probably would be upset if we did not let him go and he was fighting to move on to the next round.” There’s some interesting dynamics at play, as Ty Gibbs is the grandson of Joe Gibbs. Chris Gabehart, JGR’s competition director, has been orchestrating strategy calls for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team over the last couple of months. Gabehart served as Hamlin’s crew chief from 2019-2024. Hamlin was seen talking to Gabehart and Joe Gibbs on pit road after the race. Hamlin didn’t say much about the incident after the race, but he said Monday he felt he was wronged by Gibbs. “I felt as though a little bit wronged in the sense of my teammate out of the playoffs should not be the hardest car on the track to pass,” Hamlin said. “For God’s sake, Ross Chastain let me by. He’s on the cutline.”
When Teammates Clash: The Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs Feud Exposes Deep Issues at Joe Gibbs Racing
Steelers' Once Promising Third-Year Defender Could Be Relegated On The Depth Chart
The Pittsburgh Steelers have begun the 2025 NFL season with a 2-1 record, however there are some things that need to be figured out. The defense is shaky at best despite forcing five turnovers in Sunday's win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. The group still struggles to get off of the field on possession downs, and stopping the run has been an issue throughout the first three weeks of the season. A lot of that starts with the front seven and the interior defensive line. Pittsburgh has been banged up in that area, but some healthy contributors returning could shake up the lineup. Pittsburgh was able to see the regular season debut of Derrick Harmon on Sunday. The organization selected Harmon in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he suffered a sprained MCL in the preseason finale which kept him on the sidelines throughout the first two weeks of the regular season. He made an impact while serving in a limited role on Sunday against New England as he recorded a sack and two total tackles, and he is expected to help the run defense in the near future. Team insider Mark Kaboly spoke about the interior defensive line after the game on Sunday on the most recent episode of Kaboly + Mack, and he believes there will be two rookies starting in that area very soon. "They made some moves there, and it was able to help them out," Kaboly said. "That's a definite difference in what they were able to do. And I think it's just a matter of time until Yahya Black, Derrick Harmon and Cam Heyward's your one, two and three across the front. It's just a matter of time." Currently, Cam Heyward and Yahya Black are the starting defensive tackles for Pittsburgh while Keeanu Benton has been the starting nose tackle. That is the part of the lineup that will be shuffled, as Benton will likely switch to being a rotational piece, while Harmon enters the starting lineup. He will likely takeover the duties at defensive tackle, while Black shuffles to nose tackle. Benton was expected to take a leap forward going into his second season in 2024, but that didn't necessarily happen. He has made some big plays for Pittsburgh, but he has not been the consistent force that the organization had hoped he would be to this point. There was hope he would improve once again during the 2025 season, but if anything, the third-year pro has shown some regression since his rookie season. Moving to a rotational role where he can fill in at both defensive tackle and nose tackle might be best for Benton at this point. He doesn't necessarily have the size to be a true nose tackle in the NFL, so the coaching staff in Pittsburgh has seemingly been setting him up for failure a little bit in that regard. He would likely play better at defensive tackle, which is something the coaching staff could find out if the starting defensive line gets shuffled. Steelers Need To See Keeanu Benton Step Up No matter what role he is serving, Benton needs to play better moving forward. The interior defensive line is a key part of stopping the run, and Pittsburgh has struggled to do that. It is going to be hard to win meaningful games if that problem persists, especially against the better teams in the NFL that show up on the schedule later in the year. Benton needs to show some signs of progression, whether that be as a starter, or as someone who rotates in with the starting lineup throughout a game. Benton can still have a future in Pittsburgh, but he is going to need to improve in 2025 while setting himself up for success in 2026.
Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield drops harsh quote about former coach after win
Quarterback Baker Mayfield was forced to lead a game-winning drive against the New York Jets after a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown took away a chance for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to ice the game at 29-20 with less than two minutes to play. With 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Mayfield engineered a seven-play, 48-yard drive that ended in a successful 36-yard field goal attempt by kicker Chase McLaughlin to give the Buccaneers a 3-0 start with a 29-27 win over the Jets in front of 62,872 fans at Raymond James Stadium. What Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield had to say about former coach Following the game, Mayfield said he felt vindicated by beating New York, especially defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who cut the former first-round pick (after using him as a scout-team defensive lineman) when he was the interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2022. “I loved it," Mayfield said of beating the Jets via Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. "Their D-coordinator (Steve Wilks) was the one who cut me in Carolina. A lot of stuff was personal today. Haason Reddick. Former Jet. A lot of people.” The loss dropped Wilks and first-year head coach Aaron Glenn to 0-3. The Jets fought hard with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor filling in for Justin Fields, who is still in the concussion protocol from Week 2. Mayfield didn't impress Wilks during his time in Carolina, but he showed the defensive coordinator why he's worthy to be a starter in the league. Mayfield went 19-of-29 passing for 233 yards and one touchdown on Sunday. He added 44 yards rushing on four carries against Wilks' defense.
Steelers Could Be Planning To Use Week 5 Bye As An Opportunity To Make Unexpected Trade
The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 2-1 after defeating the New England Patriots by a score of 21-14 in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. It has appeared as if Aaron Rodgers still has some game left at 41 years old, but the box score on Sunday didn't exactly instill confidence from an outside observer. He was only able to throw for 139 yards in the contest and the offense as a whole was only able to muster up 203 total yards. The unit will be facing a tough test in Week 4 when the team plays against the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland. The long-term plan for the Steelers at quarterback is a bit of a mystery. The organization could draft a signal-caller in 2026, or let Mason Rudolph and Will Howard compete for the job in training camp. The latter seems unlikely, given the fact that franchises need a dominant force playing quarterback to win, and neither of the options under contract for 2026 have proven themselves as much as fans would have liked. The fourth piece to the puzzle currently is Skylar Thompson. The former seventh-round pick showcased his talents in the preseason, and ended up putting plenty of good film on tape. He was one of the better signal-callers throughout the league during the exhibition period, and should have no business being an organization's fourth option. With Howard and Thompson both currently on Injured Reserve (IR), a decision is going to have to be made in the coming weeks about what to do with the emergency quarterback spot on game days. The Steelers are known for not holding onto more than three quarterbacks, so it's very possible that Thompson ends up getting released when, and if, all four players are healthy at the same time. After Pittsburgh's Week 4 matchup overseas, the team will have an early bye in Week 5. This will allow guys to get healthy, but also provide a unique opportunity to explore additions, or subtractions from the roster. Franchises have already experienced quarterback injury issues early on in 2025, and by the time Thompson is healthy, a decision could be made to deal him for a late-round draft selection. There's no guarantee that the Steelers would find a trade partner for Thompson, but as long as he is fully healthy, he's definitely someone to shop around. He is highly likely never going to see the field in Pittsburgh, but has some value because of how well he played during the preseason. Unfortunately for the Steelers, it doesn't make sense to part ways with a rookie while keeping someone else who is on a one-year deal. While Thompson won't be able to return to action until Week 7 (because the bye week does not count when a player is on IR) there is precedent to trade him anyway. The Patriots just traded Ja'Lynn Polk to the New Orleans Saints despite the receiver being on season-ending IR. Thompson's situation is a bit different, as he should be expected to return in 2025. Any team inquiring would need to be confident that he is fully healthy, because his 21-day window would need to be activated upon any deal. General Manager Omar Khan could be interested in getting yet another draft pick for 2026 if another organization throughout the league needs quarterback help. Steelers Hoping To Keep Rodgers Healthy All Season Pittsburgh's offensive line performed better in Week 3, but there is still a long way to go for the unit. While the other three quarterbacks don't necessarily matter for on-field play in games, the 41-year-old in Rodgers could be one hit away from the Steelers' signal-caller situation drastically changing. Overall, Thompson is at the bottom of the list, and could get traded soon if he is almost fully recovered from his injury.
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