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Kyle Larson, Josh Berry race into Cook Out Clash via Last Chance Qualifier
It may have taken some beating and banging, but Kyle Larson and Josh Berry advanced to the Cook Out Clash through the Last Chance Qualifier on Sunday.
While Larson moved through the field early and dominated for much of the 75-lap event, Berry found his way to the front in a more methodical manner, taking advantage of misfortune that befell the likes of Erik Jones and Austin Dillon, who had two of the fastest cars in the LCQ.
Jones was taken out by a crash in the closing laps, which cleared the way for Berry to battle Larson for the lead. Berry took the lead on the race's final restart, but Larson moved the No. 21 out of the way to take the checkered flag first.
Berry held off Dillon in order to take the final transfer spot. Ryan Blaney also advanced to the main event by being the highest-finishing driver in the 2024 points standings to not be already advanced.
Larson and the No. 5 team struggled mightily in their heat race on Saturday night, but they found enough speed to make the big show.
Larson, Berry and Blaney will start 21st, 22nd and 23rd in the Cook Out Clash, respectively.
Lights on. Gloves off.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 3, 2025
This is the lineup for the 2025 #CookOutClash! pic.twitter.com/8TyBMsQ2fk
Dillon, John Hunter Nemechek and Michael McDowell rounded out the top five in the LCQ, with Zane Smith, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Justin Haley, Ty Dillon and local favorite Tim Brown rounding out the top 10.
More must-reads:
- Watch: Hometown favorite crashes out in Cook Out Clash Last Chance Qualifier
- Storylines to follow for Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium
- The 'NASCAR Cup Series winners' quiz
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Kyle Larson weathered the storm to claim 2025 NASCAR championship
Kyle Larson's second NASCAR Cup Series championship came in a much different fashion than his first. Larson's 2021 championship campaign was a year in which the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team decimated its competition. Their 2025 title run was one in which they had to fight and claw for everything they got. That included the championship itself, of course, which Larson earned after crew chief Cliff Daniels opted to take two tires on the final pit stop. Denny Hamlin took four, which gave Larson an advantage over Hamlin in NASCAR overtime that the latter did not relinquish. A third-place finish on a day where he led zero laps gave Larson his second championship. The Elk Grove, California, native is only the 18th driver in NASCAR history to win multiple Cup Series championships. Larson's 2025 season was quite the bumpy ride, at least, relative to the type of season he's used to having. Larson won only three races, with the latest victory coming at Kansas Speedway on May 11. He failed to finish inside the top 10 in the first round of the postseason, and a summer "slump" had some fans worried. Kyle Larson closed 2025 strong But Larson finished seventh or better in six of the seven playoff races, and regardless of the controversial circumstances surrounding the playoff format, he'll forever be remembered as the 2025 champion. "This has been a very tough season for the 5 team on a lot of fronts," said Larson's crew chief, Cliff Daniels, in a post-race news conference. "We had some really strong wins early in the year, a lot of strength. The summer was tough. We were down and sideways. Never quite down and out." A flat tire early in Stage 3 of Sunday's season finale at Phoenix Raceway put Larson behind the eight-ball in the closing laps of the season. When the final caution came out, Larson was fourth, second of the championship contenders, but too far back to make any run at Hamlin for the race win and the championship. "I mean, did anybody in here think that we had a shot?," Larson said. "Like Cliff was saying, we weren’t dead but we were pretty close. The final stage was not going as we needed it to. I didn’t feel great about my car, but I thought my team was doing a good job to keep me in striking distance if we had a caution, we could get a good pit stop and make it work, hopefully have a shot that way." Get a shot Larson did — and he took advantage of it, getting a good enough restart to put distance between himself and Hamlin. "I got a better one and two than I expected " Larson said. "For a bit I thought I was going to win. They were going kind of crazy on the radio, my spotter was, telling me that the 11 was kind of jammed up back there. I was going to be committed to the outside lane. I felt like that was going to be my best opportunity to find clean air, maintain momentum. I still wanted to win really bad. It’s been a while. I was trying what I could to win the race. But yeah, we did what we had to do to win the championship. Just insane. Insane circumstances to get us to this point." Those insane circumstances led to an afternoon Larson won't soon forget. Quotes provided by NASCAR Media.
Steelers make hard decision to part ways with once-promising defensive player
The Pittsburgh Steelers sought to bolster their secondary during the 2024 NFL season, and an unlikely solution quickly emerged in undrafted free agent Beanie Bishop Jr. In his rookie season, Bishop impressed by intercepting four passes and showing flashes of playmaking ability. However, following the 2024 campaign, it became clear that Pittsburgh wanted more than just Bishop to play a nickel role, and instead, across their secondary. After making several moves to strengthen depth in the secondary, Bishop's role diminished. He was moved to the practice squad, but after the Steelers were reportedly signing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad on Monday, Bishop was forced off the roster. It was officially announced on Monday that the Steelers would be releasing Bishop from their practice squad. Bishop’s release underscores the harsh realities of roster management in the NFL. Despite his rookie success, the team clearly prioritized adding depth and flexibility elsewhere, particularly at wide receiver. While Bishop showed potential as a ballhawk, the Steelers’ secondary has now shifted toward veterans and other younger options to solidify the unit. For Bishop, this is likely not the end of his NFL journey, as players with his skill set often find opportunities on other teams or return to practice squads later in the season. Steelers fans will remember his contributions, but the organization appears focused on reshaping the roster for greater overall depth heading into the 2025 season. When the Steelers faced the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets during the 2024 NFL season, Bishop rose to the occasion. Targeted by the future Hall of Famer, Bishop answered the call in spectacular fashion, intercepting Rodgers not once, but twice. The performance instantly became a defining moment for the rookie, showcasing his ball-hawking instincts and fearlessness on the field. Ex-Steelers DB steals two footballs from Aaron Rodgers back in 2024 The game did not just make headlines for the on-field heroics. Afterward, Bishop went viral for his heartfelt postgame antics, making it clear that he expected Rodgers to autograph both intercepted footballs he kept. The moment captured the attention of fans and social media alike, cementing Bishop’s reputation as a confident and charismatic young player who was not afraid to make his mark. It is a memory that Bishop and Steelers fans will likely treasure for years to come. Bishop was thrilled to learn that in the 2025 offseason, Rodgers would be joining the Steelers. Rodgers became part of the team for the 2025 season. While it does not appear that the two are currently teammates, the ever-revolving nature of NFL practice squads means this may not be Bishop’s last opportunity in Pittsburgh or in the NFL. His rookie season showed his talent and potential, and there could still be a chance for him to make an impact in the Steel City or elsewhere in the league.
Dolphins' Mike McDaniel Reveals Tua Tagovailoa Decision Before Bills Game
Through nine weeks of the NFL season, the Miami Dolphins have been one of the worst teams in the league. Following the team's 28-6 Week 9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night, the Dolphins have fallen to 2-7 on the year, and have seemingly already laid the groundwork for a total rebuild. One day after the loss, the Dolphins announced that they had fired general manager Chris Grier. A change in power at the GM role indicates that no one on the roster is safe moving forward, as whoever is brought in will have ties or allegiances with the current regime. One person who many believed could be at risk of losing his job is quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Pro Bowl quarterback has been a shell of his former self this season, throwing for 1,779 yards with 15 touchdowns and 11 picks through nine games. For reference, Tagovailoa's previous career high in interceptions came in 2023, when he threw 14 in 17 games. Head coach Mike McDaniel benched Tagovailoa in the team's Oct. 19 loss to the Cleveland Browns after he threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, turning to rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. While calls have been growing again for Tagovailoa to be sent to the bench once and for all, McDaniel confirmed that he's not entertaining that idea at this time. When speaking to the media on Monday ahead of the team's Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills (6-2), McDaniels confirmed he is not anywhere close to making that decision at this time. "I am far from even going down that direction of would've, could've possible things," McDaniel said. "We have a football game against the Buffalo Bills that we are certain that Tua gives us the best chance to win and we have to approach our jobs with diligence. We have to execute and Tua knows that heavy is crown that of being a franchise quarterback." According to ESPN BET, the Bills have opened as 8.5-point favorites. While Miami looks to stay afloat on the season, the Bills are coming off of a monster win over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, as they look to make a Super Bowl run this season. As for the Dolphins, they haven't beaten the Bills since 2022, and are 1-9 against them in their last 10. Tagovailoa has been far from spectacular this season, but is clearly being given some grace by McDaniel. With that being said, the Dolphins have a bye in a couple of weeks, and it does cause one to wonder if that is when the Dolphins would end up benching the former Alabama star if things don't turn around.
Kevin O'Connell provided multiple positive injury updates in his Monday press conference with one significant
The Minnesota Vikings have multiple injuries stemming from before and during the upset win on Sunday against the Detroit Lions by a score of 27-24. It was a masterful game from defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who found a way to attack Jared Goff and the Lions' offense with masterful blitzes and they were able to hold their rushing game at bay to just 65 yards. On the offensive side of the ball, head coach Kevin O'Connell proved that he has the utmost confidence in starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy by trusting him at every turn. They scored 27 points on the day and attacked all three levels of the defense. On the day, there were a few injuries that made an impact on Sunday, and others that could be impactful moving forward. Kevin O'Connell provides multiple injury updates RB Aaron Jones Aaron Jones was fantastic on the day for the Vikings rushing for 78 yards on nine carries, and catching two passes for 20 yards. He looked explosive and decisive in his movements. Unfortunately, he suffered a shoulder injury. O'Connell is optimistic about Jones moving forward. "Aaron Jones, he's sore, obviously, coming out of the game," said O'Connell. "But the evaluations have been pretty positive today. We'll see how he does throughout the week, but expecting him to be able to hopefully ramp up his workload, and I'll give you guys an update as the week goes on. The addition of Jones back into the lineup is such a huge factor for the Vikings' offense, and it's much-needed to help McCarthy. S Theo Jackson After playing just 16 snaps on Sunday afternoon, O'Connell said that Jackson came in on Monday with some mild concussion symptoms, and was placed in concussion protocol. "Just an update on Theo Jackson, he came in this morning with just some very mild symptoms. And we want to be we want to be safe there. So he'll go into the cushion concussion protocol, and, you know, we'll see how he can progress throughout the week," said O'Connell. Jackson taking a step back in usage was paired with Harrison Smith taking a step forward. Being in the concussion protocol doesn't mean he won't play next Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, but it makes it much less likely. Other injuries FB C.J. Ham: "C.J. Ham should return to practice in a limited capacity and see how he does throughout the week." In regard to the run game, Ham will make a serious impact. TE Josh Oliver: "And Josh Oliver will begin working his way back on the side field with the trainers on the rehab field." Oliver injured his foot early on against the Los Angeles Chargers. C Ryan Kelly: "And Ryan Kelly will also begin some of that side field work. Don't really have an update at this time of, [in terms of] opening his window or anything like that, but want to get him started. He seems to be in a good place. And want to kind of see the next part of that process begin." Having continuity at center will be huge for the Vikings. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
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