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Despite having two wins combined and three of the top four drivers in points, Jeff Gordon wants to see more from Hendrick Motorsports. It is no longer good enough to just be good enough, the stakes are constantly being raised.
The top three drivers in points right now are William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Alex Bowman. Chase Elliott is 6th in points. You would think that would make Jeff Gordon happy, and it does to some extent.
The thing is, there are a lot of fast cars and drivers in this series. Ryan Blaney was one blown engine from dominating on Sunday. Christopher Bell already has three wins. It has only been six races but a lot is already happening in the Cup Series.
In the winner’s press conference on Sunday night, Jeff Gordon talked about wanting to see more from all four of his teams.
“I know we’ve had a couple races where all four of the cars are in the top eight or ten. You know, it’s a finicky sport because you want to get off to a good start, get in a good position in points so that you’re not on your heels and playing catch-up. So that part is really nice.
“But we’ve been getting beat, you know. While it’s nice to have won the Daytona 500, the next three weeks, maybe take out Atlanta because I think our guys were in position to win that one, but Phoenix they got beat. Vegas, I mean, there are a few things that kind of didn’t go great there, but basically got beat there, too.”
Jeff Gordon worried about keeping up with others
With how good Christopher Bell has been this season, there is reason to be unsatisfied for Jeff Gordon. He also saw how great Ryan Blaney was until his engine blew.
During his comments he also brought up Larson’s short speed. I’m sure he noticed how good Bubba Wallace was in the short runs. The four-time champ is never going to be satisfied.
“So I think our guys really focused more on how do you bring the car with the most speed every single weekend?” Gordon continued. “Then when you get to Hendrick Motorsports on Monday, even if you brought four of the fastest cars to the racetrack, one of them said, Mine wasn’t as fast as… It’s just constantly you’re just chasing it.”
That desire and will to win appears to be contagious at Hendrick Motorsports. Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick are no strangers to competition among teammates at HMS. With four great drivers, you’re going to win a few races.
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
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Denny Hamlin has revealing comments about his future after signing extension
The fat lady is yet to serenade Denny Hamlin's NASCAR career, but she's slowly beginning to warm up. On Friday, it was announced that Hamlin signed a two-year contract extension with Joe Gibbs Racing — an extension Hamlin says is "most likely" the final one of a career that has spanned two decades. Should 2027 be Hamlin's final season, it would be his 22nd year of full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition. Hamlin, 44, is a 58-time Cup Series winner and leads the series with four victories this season. Even in the twilight of his career, Hamlin is one of the best drivers in the garage — and that's completely intentional. "The ability to win week in and week out, that's a high motivating factor in wanting to do this," Hamlin said in a news conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday. "Certainly, as competitive as I am, I'm motivated by being able to win." "Who knows what could happen three years from now?," Hamlin said when asked about why he didn't opt for a longer deal. "I just want to make sure I give them (Joe Gibbs Racing) proper time, make sure I commit to them for not one year, (but) multiple years, let them continue to try and build the program. But no particular reason — if I was 26 I would take 10 years. I want to make sure I'm still at peak form in my final year." Hamlin will go for first Brickyard 400 win on Sunday, and a win at Indianapolis would give him a victory in all four of NASCAR's crown jewel races.
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.
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
Athletics' Nick Kurtz makes MLB history vs. Astros
Athletics rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz already had an impressive start to his career. Kurtz entered Friday having posted a .288/.360/.622 batting line in 265 plate appearances, hitting 19 homers and 17 doubles. Despite making his major league debut on April 23, Kurtz has been the A's most valuable player, leading the team with 2.6 bWAR. He appeared to be on the cusp of becoming the superstar the A's needed to sell the team to the residents of Las Vegas. That performance set the stage for what may have been the most impressive game for any rookie in major league history. Kurtz became the 20th player in MLB history to have a four-home run game and the first rookie to achieve that feat. Kurtz's performance also put the 2025 season into baseball history. Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez had a four-home run game on April 26, making this the third time that there have been two four-homer games in a season. That had happened in 2002 (outfielders Mike Cameron and Shawn Green) and 2017 (utility man Scooter Gennett and left fielder J.D. Martinez). Kurtz did not stop with those four homers. He was 6-6 in the A's 15-3 victory over the Astros, with a double and eight runs batted in. The favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year award, Kurtz put an emphatic stamp on an already impressive season with his barrage on Friday.
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