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While the 2024 NASCAR season concluded almost a month ago, fans have had more than their share of racing news with the 23XI Racing-Front Row antitrust lawsuit against the governing body and Silly Season moves seemingly happening on a daily basis across one of the three national touring series.
On Friday, Jordan Anderson Racing produced the latest headlines with the announcement of its two-driver roster for the Xfinity Series in 2025 and how it will include veteran and returning driver Jeb Burton, as well as Blaine Perkins, who drove for RSS Racing last year.
That news confirmed Parker Retzlaff would not be returning to the No. 31 car next year for a third season with the team.
Burton appeared as a guest on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and talked about coming back for another year with JAR and his personal expectations. He also got candid and discussed what happened to Retzlaff.
“You know, Parker Retzlaff was a great teammate,” Burton said. “Me and him got along. Wish him the best in his future. The reason Parker's not coming back — has nothing to do with Blaine. It has nothing to do with him. Our sport takes funding and we've all been there. I told Parker a couple of weeks ago that keep his head held high and he'll find something.
@JebBurtonRacing shared reason @Parker79p isn't returning next year as his teammate is due to funding and candidly spoke of his own similar experiences and the "dark place" it can be. pic.twitter.com/97pdyWSYZH
— Kyle Dalton (@kdsportswriter) December 6, 2024
“He's only 21 years old, right? I've been in the same spot that Parker's in right now and it can be a dark place, but he's 21 years old and he's gonna have a good future. So he's a good little race car driver as well.”
NASCAR is fun and entertaining to the fans but at the end of the day, it's a business that's powered by sponsors. The drivers understand that. Retzlaff knew that and like so many others before him has become another casualty of the system.
More must-reads:
- NASCAR to race at Naval Base Coronado in 2026 as next street race destination
- No end in sight in Jonathan Kuminga-Warriors 'staring contest'
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Kevin Harvick reacts to driver flipping rival car in on-track retaliation during late model race
Report: Bears' Ben Johnson screamed at Caleb Williams during training camp
There is no ramp-up period for the Chicago Bears at training camp this year. Head coach Ben Johnson brought the same intensity he harbored during OTAs at the Bears’ first practice of training camp Wednesday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois. Adam Hoge of CHGO Bears said that Johnson was upset with Williams and the offense multiple times on Wednesday. He got into the face of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft during a seven-on-seven drill. “Accountability is what I’m talking about, though, because, look, it was like a three-strike thing, let’s call three strikes, and you’re out all right,” Hoge said on the CHGO podcast. “Because we saw Ben get in Caleb’s, you know what, during seven-on-sevens about something. I don’t know what it was about, but he wasn’t happy, and he was screaming at him, alright.” Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson tried to show patience Johnson tried to show patience with the second mistake, when there was a miscommunication with the wide receivers getting lined up. He let Williams and the receivers sort the issue out before the play. But Johnson didn’t stand idly on the third pre-snap mistake; another miscommunication between Williams and the receivers. Johnson pulled the entire first-team off the field in favor of the second-team led by veteran quarterback Case Keenum. Caleb Williams is picking up where he left off in OTAs Per multiple reports, the Bears’ offense had a poor day. Mark Carman called Williams’ performance on Wednesday the worst part of practice. “Today was just bad,” Carman said. “They had to pull the offense off the field. (Williams) wasn’t getting them lined up. It might not have been his fault every single time...his first pass was picked off (by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds). “He rolled right on long play, Cold Kmet’s wide open right in front of him. He ended up running out of bounds. It just wasn’t a good day for the quarterback.” Williams didn’t have a great spring. He struggled with every duty from calling the play in the huddle to getting the cadence right to throwing the ball into the middle of the field or further than 10 yards. As of Day 1 at camp, all of those things are still problems. But at least the $13 million per year head coach is mad.
Yankees rumors: Teams’ Ben Rice trade interest comes with intriguing catch
The New York Yankees just lost another series to the Toronto Blue Jays to fall four games back in the AL East. They are in desperate need of reinforcements at the trade deadline, including an infielder and multiple pitchers. There are only so many sellers, so the Bombers might have to give up a big piece to get what they need. Teams are looking at young Yankees 1B Ben Rice before the MLB trade deadline, but are looking at his catching prospects, according to Joel Sherman. “Even as the Yankees have become more reluctant to trade Ben Rice, interested teams continue to explore if he can catch regularly. A Diamondback scout is on Yankees AAA hinting strongly toward an Az sell,” Sherman reported in the New York Post. Rice came up as a first baseman last year when Anthony Rizzo was hurt. He did not play in the postseason, but forced his way onto the team with a fantastic spring training. The Yankees have platooned Rice with Paul Goldschmidt at first base and also used him as a third catcher. Rice was drafted as a catcher, but his offense outpaced his defense. He was moved to first base in the minors and came up as one in 2024 and 2025. The Yankees are not thrilled about trading him, which is understandable considering Goldschmidt’s expiring contract. But the Arizona Diamondbacks may not give them a choice. The Yankees need pitching and infield help. The Diamondbacks are looking to sell amid an underwhelming season that has left them well out of the playoff race. While Arizona has not been good this year, they have the core to compete in the immediate future. Rice as a slugging catcher could change their lineup and help them compete in the National League. What should the Yankees do with Ben Rice at the MLB trade deadline?
Yankees-Cardinals Deal? Trade Deadline Rumors Heating Up
Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently discussed some of the top names available at the trade deadline. One of the names Reuter discussed was St. Louis Cardinals reliever Phil Maton. With Maton sitting on an expiring contract, it seems quite likely he's traded away. "Few pitchers have done a better job limiting hard contact this season than Maton, who ranks among the MLB leaders in hard-hit rate allowed (97th percentile), average exit velocity allowed (100th percentile) and barrel rate allowed (97th percentile)," Reuter wrote. "The 32-year-old has a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 with 18 holds in 38 games." The Cardinals were reportedly the only team that had interest in Maton as a free agent in the offseason, but now, a lot of contenders will likely go after him on the trade block. One of the team's that would be a perfect fit for Maton is the New York Yankees. The Yankees are bound to be quite aggressive at the trade deadline, and they need to add an arm to the bullpen. While it would be fun for the Yankees to chase a name like Ryan Helsley or Emmanuel Clase, it's more likely they'll use their top prospects to trade for a third baseman and a starting pitcher. That means the Cardinals could ship Maton to the Bronx in exchange for one or two mid-level prospects at the deadline. This would work for St. Louis, who is not going to contend for the World Series this season either way. It would also work for the Yankees, who could add to their bullpen in an affordable way, while saving the top prospects to be traded in the bigger deals.
Carter Hart, others found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Callan Foote, Michael McLeod and Alex Formenton have been found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in London, Ontario, according to reporting from The Athletic, after being charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault involving the 2018 Canadian men’s national junior team. Carroccia said that she did not find E.M.’s [the alleged victim] evidence “credible or reliable,” in explaining her reasoning. “Having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of E.M. and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me,” Carroccia said. The allegations against Dube, Foote, Formenton, Hart and McLeod first became public in May of 2022, when reports emerged that Hockey Canada had paid to settle a lawsuit with a woman, known in court documents as E.M., who said she was sexually assaulted by eight players “over several hours” in a London hotel room on July 18, 2018. No charges were levied as a result of the initial investigation by local police, which was closed in February 2019, but the case was reopened after the 2022 report. Formal charges were then brought against the five defendants on Jan. 30, 2024. The trial began on April 22, 2025, and the verdicts were reached solely by Justice Carroccia after two mistrials influenced her to dismiss the jury. The NHL does not have a formal policy for players accused of or charged with domestic violence, sexual assault or similar crimes. Instead, the four players who were under NHL contracts at the time – Dube, Foote, Hart and McLeod – were granted indefinite leaves of absence by their clubs shortly before the charges were announced. All of them were pending restricted free agents on expiring contracts and were not extended qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents as of July 1, 2024. When asked about the playing eligibility of the defendants, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has continually deferred action until after a verdict was reached. While none of the players are formally suspended by the league, similar situations have routinely required some sort of permission from league offices for them to play in or return to the NHL. If teams approach any of them with a contract offer, they will presumably wait for that guidance before registering the deal.
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