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Brad Keselowski fastest in Daytona 500 final practice
With a lap of 46.558 seconds, 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski topped the speed charts in Saturday's final practice session for the 67th Daytona 500.
Only 24 cars chose to participate in the practice session, with 17 teams opting to sit in the garage. The practice provided drivers with ample opportunity to practice pit road entry and exit, which could be crucial in Sunday's race.
Alex Bowman, Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier and Kyle Larson rounded out the top-five in the session, with Corey LaJoie, Ryan Preece, Justin Haley, Chris Buescher and Zane Smith completing the top-10.
Other notable drivers include Ryan Blaney in 11th, Joey Logano in 12th, Helio Castroneves in 20th, Jimmie Johnson in 22nd and William Byron in 23rd. Cody Ware was the slowest car on the charts in 24th, clocking in with a lap of 49.797 seconds around the 2.5 mile tri-oval.
Chase Briscoe and 2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric will lead the field to green on Sunday. The Daytona 500 will go green shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Pre-race coverage will begin on FOX at 11:30 a.m. ET.
William Byron is the defending winner of the Daytona 500, and will start fifth on Sunday.
More must-reads:
- Justin Allgaier earns pole position as rain cancels NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at Daytona
- Daytona DQ the latest heartbreaking NASCAR defeat for Parker Kligerman
- The 'Daytona 500 winners' quiz
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Throws Shade at Richard Childress’ Loyalty to Austin Hil
It looks like someone else is finally saying what everyone else is thinking. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has expressed disgust with the whole Austin Hill fiasco. The NASCAR legend recently weighed in on Richard Childress Racing’s unwavering support of their driver amid all the controversy, and let’s just say Junior sees some familiar patterns here. If you’ve been taking a break from the recent NASCAR drama for five minutes, Austin Hill has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. The guy managed to get himself suspended for a race after some questionable comments about NASCAR officials, and instead of throwing him under the bus, Richard Childress doubled down on his support. Sound familiar? According to Dale Earnhardt Jr., it absolutely should. The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree During a recent episode of the “Dale Jr. Download,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. couldn’t help but draw parallels between Childress’ current stance and the loyalty he showed to Dale Sr. back in the day. It’s kind of beautiful in a twisted, motorsports soap opera kind of way. “There were times in the 80s and 90s where there was a little bit of that where dad would get penalized for rough driving and boy you know Richard would be like you know NASCAR’s wrong, they, you know, they screwed us,” he explained. It’s almost poetic in a sense, or at least that’s what it seems like based on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s perspective. Here’s Childress, decades later, still playing the same tune but with a different driver wearing the helmet. The man has been consistent, I’ll give him that. Whether it was defending The Intimidator’s aggressive driving style or standing by Austin Hill’s recent outburst, Childress seems to have a “my driver, right or wrong” mentality that’s both admirable and slightly concerning. The Richmond Effect Still Haunts RCR Dale Earnhardt Jr. thinks this whole situation with Austin Hill has been amplified by what went down at Richmond last year. Remember when Austin Dillon basically turned into a wrecking ball on the final lap, taking out Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to steal a win? Yeah, that didn’t go over well with NASCAR, and they stripped the victory away faster than you could say “intentional contact.” “What I’m seeing ain’t nothing new, but it’s just really aggravated. I think in this instance because of that Richmond result and how that was handled, they didn’t love, and it just seems like ever since then Richard feels like that they’re out to get them,” Earnhardt Jr. observed. He might have a point. When you feel like the sanctioning body has it out for you, every penalty starts to feel personal. Every call goes from being questionable to being part of some grand conspiracy. It’s like when you’re already having a bad day and then someone cuts you off in traffic suddenly, they’re not just a bad driver, they’re personally attacking your entire existence. The Childress Philosophy: Loyalty Over Logic? Richard Childress has always been known for his fierce loyalty to his drivers, and in many ways, that’s exactly what you want from a team owner. But there’s a fine line between having your driver’s back and enabling bad behavior, and sometimes it feels like Childress might be doing a tightrope walk on that line. Back in 2011, Childress told ESPN about the racing philosophy he shared with Dale Earnhardt Sr.: “That’s race as hard as you can, run up front all day to give these fans a show.” It’s a noble sentiment, really. Race hard, give it your all, let the chips fall where they may. However, when that philosophy starts extending to defending every questionable decision your drivers make, well, that’s when things get complicated. The man retired the legendary No. 3 after Dale Sr.’s death and didn’t bring it back until his grandson Austin Dillon was ready to drive it in 2014. That’s the kind of loyalty and respect that makes you believe in humanity again. But defending a driver’s right to publicly trash NASCAR officials? That’s something else entirely. The Bigger Picture: Is NASCAR Really Out to Get RCR? Here’s the million-dollar question based on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s synopsis of the never-ending Austin Hill saga. Is NASCAR actually targeting Richard Childress Racing, or is RCR just really good at finding trouble? It’s like that friend we all have who always seems to have drama following them around. At some point, you start to wonder if maybe they’re the common denominator. Since the Richmond incident, it does seem like RCR can’t catch a break. But then again, when you’re consistently pushing the boundaries and making headlines for the wrong reasons, maybe those breaks become a little harder to come by. NASCAR isn’t exactly known for its sense of humor when it comes to public criticism. The fact that Hill received a one-race suspension under the new 2025 regulations indicates that NASCAR is taking a tougher stance on driver conduct. Whether that’s specifically targeting RCR or just applying the rules equally across the board is probably a matter of perspective. Moving Forward: Can Austin Hill Redeem Himself? Despite all the drama, Austin Hill did manage to score a top-5 finish at Watkins Glen after returning from his suspension. Of course, thanks to the penalty, he won’t earn any playoff points for his efforts, but at least he showed he can still drive when he’s not busy putting his foot in his mouth. NASCAR granted RCR a playoff waiver for sitting out Iowa, suggesting they’re not completely out to destroy the team. According to Dale Earnhardt Jr., it’s more like they’re the stern parent who still loves you but really needs you to learn your lesson and stop acting up in public. And he’s right. Final Thoughts The truth is, Austin Hill has the talent to be successful in NASCAR, but he needs to learn that sometimes the best response to adversity is to let your driving do the talking. Save the commentary for after you’ve won the championship, not while you’re trying to make the playoffs. At the end of the day, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s observations about the situation are spot-on. Richard Childress is doing what Richard Childress has always done. standing by his drivers through thick and thin. Whether that’s the right approach in this particular situation remains to be seen, but you can’t fault the man for consistency.
Vikings joint practice recap, Day 1: How'd J.J. McCarthy fare vs. Patriots?
The Vikings and Patriots just held their first of two joint training camp practices on a beautiful afternoon at TCO Performance Center. Fans packed the stands to watch as the Vikings got an opportunity to test themselves against a different opponent in a practice setting after weeks of battling each other. Let's dive into what took place on Wednesday, starting with the obvious question. How'd J.J. look? J.J. McCarthy, coming off of one 12-snap drive in Minnesota's preseason opener on Saturday (and a normal, lighter practice on Monday), got a ton of reps against the Patriots' defense in this joint practice. That'll be the case again on Thursday. These two days are designed to provide some highly-valuable work for the Vikings' starters, who aren't going to play at all in this weekend's preseason game. McCarthy came out of the gates strong in 7-on-7 action. He completed his first three passes, all to Jordan Addison, including a great throw with touch on an out-breaking route towards the sideline. He also fired a ball into a tight window to Jeshaun Jones. McCarthy started 6 for 6, by my count. It wasn't all perfect, though. He threw a decent ball to Addison that wasn't quite hauled in through good coverage by the Patriots corner. And McCarthy's final throw of the period was one he'd like to have back. He tried to hit Jalen Nailor on an in-breaking route but sailed it way over his head for an interception by Marcus Jones. One thing we've seen from McCarthy is that when he misses, he tends to miss high — and that's dangerous in the NFL. He's continuing to work on his accuracy on certain throws, especially ones that require layering and touch. That was the only interception McCarthy threw on the day. For the most part, he threw the ball well, and his connection with his top two healthy targets was on full display. He and Addison connected numerous times, often on in-breaking intermediate routes. They nearly connected on a deep ball later in the practice, but Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was able to break it up at the last moment. McCarthy also found tight end T.J. Hockenson frequently on short and intermediate routes. Those two have developed a strong rapport. As has been the case throughout training camp, McCarthy was up and down. There was one move-the-ball period that didn't go particularly well. His first throw was a bit high for Hockenson, although his TE was able to catch it. He then was "sacked" on consecutive plays — and it's always hard to tell from watching live if the blame falls on McCarthy, someone on the O-line, or his targets not creating separation. On 3rd and very long, he was pressured again and could only check it down to Jordan Mason for a short juggling catch. Later, McCarthy lost the ball on a snap exchange with Ryan Kelly. Back to the good stuff: McCarthy never lost confidence and continued to laser the ball into tight windows. He made a great throw to Nailor, who secured a contested catch against Jones. After the deep ball fell incomplete, McCarthy came right back to Addison for a chunk gain on the next play. And to wrap up his day, McCarthy led the Vikings' offense on a successful 1-minute drill. He moved the chains with completions to Hockenson and Aaron Jones, then couldn't quite connect with Nailor on the next play and had to throw the ball away on second down. On third and long, he scrambled to make it a manageable fourth and 5, and he kept the drive alive with yet another completion to Addison on an in-breaking route. The Vikings only had time to settle for a field goal, which Will Reichard drilled from 48 yards out to tie the hypothetical game as time expired. The overall takeaway from McCarthy's day is that it looked a lot like what we've seen from him over the past three-plus weeks. There's a lot of good, but there are plenty of teaching moments as well. I imagine things will continue to be up and down for McCarthy early in the regular season, with the Vikings looking to lean on the run game, short passes, and play-action passing to try to get him in rhythm. Despite the expected inconsistency, there's a ton to like about his potential both this season and in the long term. Thursday, which will feature a good bit of red zone work, will be another big day for McCarthy. Vikings' defense vs. Maye My vantage point for Wednesday's practice was close to the Vikings' offense going against the Patriots' defense, so that was what I watched more intently. But from what I saw — and heard from others who were closer to the far field — the Vikings' defense had a decent day. They were getting lots of pressure on Drake Maye, with Jonathan Greenard feasting on rookie left tackle Will Campbell and the interior guys making life tough on former Vikings center Garrett Bradbury. When the pressure didn't get home, though, Maye looked good. New England's second-year QB has a heck of an arm, which he showed throughout 1-on-1s and into the team periods. Another former Viking, Stefon Diggs, made his presence felt during practice. There were a couple coverage busts from the Vikings' first-team defense that led to long touchdowns for the Patriots. On one, Mack Hollins got wide open and proceeded to punt the ball into the stands after scoring. On another, rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson leaked up the left sideline past Ivan Pace Jr. and caught a Maye pass for a 70-yard TD. Other notes Not participating for the Vikings were Justin Jefferson, Andrew Van Ginkel, Harrison Smith, C.J. Ham, and Levi Drake Rodriguez. Christian Darrisaw did some live work with the first-team offense before giving way to Justin Skule. The biggest highlight of the entire day for the Vikings came from rookie guard Donovan Jackson. The Vikings dialed up a screen pass to Aaron Jones at the perfect time, taking advantage of a Patriots blitz. With tons of green grass in front of him, Jones moved upfield but didn't go into a full sprint, in order to let Jackson and Will Fries get out in front of him. Jackson, after hitting Milton Williams at the line of scrimmage, sent Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins flying to the ground and then knocked over Peppers for good measure. The Vikings' first-round pick pushed three separate defenders to the ground on a play that resulted in a gain of around 60 yards. Jackson's teammates and the fans in the stands went wild. The Vikings' second-team defense had a pair of pick-sixes off of former Minnesota QB Josh Dobbs, who is now the Patriots' backup. Dwight McGlothern got the first one, adding to his array of interceptions over the course of camp. The second-year corner is simply a ball magnet. Later on, safety Jay Ward jumped a route and got another one off of Dobbs, then proceeded to punt the ball in celebration (perhaps in response to Hollins' earlier punt). We didn't see a ton of reps from the Vikings' backup QBs, which is by design since they're going to play a lot in Saturday's preseason game. But all three looked solid in small samples. Sam Howell was accurate underneath, connecting with guys like Tai Felton and Thayer Thomas. The second-team offense was unsuccessful in their crack at the 1-minute drill, though. Brett Rypien also had a few completions, and for the second straight practice, rookie Max Brosmer connected with Tim Jones on a beautiful deep ball that drew plenty of cheers. Fighting can sometimes be a problem in joint practices around the NFL, but Kevin O'Connell and Mike Vrabel made it very clear that they didn't want the competitiveness to cross a line and impede the productivity of their work. There were no real skirmishes on Wednesday. The closest we got was when Patriots WR Javon Baker and Vikings DB Kahlef Hailassie got very chippy during a 1-on-1 special teams drill. This was the most we've gotten to see from the Vikings' punter competition throughout training camp. Ryan Wright had a couple bad punts during his opportunities, and I thought undrafted rookie Oscar Chapman clearly had the better day of the two. He might have a legit chance to win that job. Holding will also matter, but at least in this practice, neither punter had an issue. They split the holds as Reichard went 4 for 4 from 33, 44, 48, and 53 yards to end the day. More Vikings coverage
Bruins' top prospect makes decision on college that will shake up the scene
Boston Bruins top prospect James Hagens has announced he will return to Boston College for his sophomore season. In a brief interview with Scott McLaughlin of Boston’s WEEI 93.7, Hagens shared that he’s in no rush to advance to the next step, acknowledging that development is a, “marathon, not a sprint.” Hagens revealed the news while participating at the Bruins’ 14th annual back-to-school celebration, alongside current Bruins Mason Lohrei and John Beecher. Few announcements will shake the college scene as much as the news of Hagens’ return. He was among the best freshmen in college last season, tracking to 37 points in 37 games. That scoring earned him a unanimous selection to Hockey East’s All-Rookie team — an accolade he shared with teammate Teddy Stiga and Boston University rival Cole Hutson. Hagens reached those heights while filling an interesting role with the Eagles, stepping in between wingers Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard after the two spent their last three years centered by San Jose Sharks prospect Will Smith. Each of Perreault, Leonard and Hagens scored fewer points than the Eagles’ top-line managed in 2023-24, but it seemed that was more the cause of a low-scoring year across Hockey East. The top unit recorded points on 36 percent of BC’s goals this season, an ever-so-slight improvement over the 34 percent contributed by Smith, Leonard and Perreault in 2024. But while Hagens faced questions of his scoring upside relative to other top draft-eligible talents in the NCAA, it was hard not to be impressed by his on-ice results. He’s long been a dynamo among his age group, with an innate ability to predict movement and put himself in position to make a play. Hagens is strong on the puck — with an ability to use finesse moves and bulky shoulders to force his way into the dangerous areas of the ice. More than that, he showed clear signs of improvement as the year went on — developing his physical presence and ability to make a difference even when he wasn’t the first man in on a play. Those signs of growth give Boston a prospect to be excited over. Hagens was lauded as the clear first overall talent in the 2025 draft class, prior to the beginning of the 2024-25 season. Much of that claim came from his command of the U.S. NTDP over the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, where he served as the team’s top-line center and snappy playmaker next to electric goal-scorer Cole Eiserman. With Eiserman’s help, Hagens was able to become the fifth-highest scoring player in NTDP history, with 187 points in 118 games. He also set the scoring record at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in 2023, with 21 points in seven games, and the World U18 Championship in 2024, with 22 points in seven games. Hagens will be returning to a fresh-faced Boston College lineup next season. Both Leonard and Perreault signed their NHL entry-level contracts at the end of last season, leaving the Eagles with vacancies on both wings on their top-line. One of those spots will be occupied by Stiga, who has shown years of chemistry playing next to Hagens. The other spot will be closely contested, but could land in the hands of transfer forward Ryan Conmy or fellow Bruins draft pick William Moore. Hagens and Moore will be two of six Bruins prospects on next year’s Eagles squad, providing local fans with plenty of reasons to walk to Conte Forum when the puck drops.
Jets QB Justin Fields had 'alarming' practice against Giants
New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields found out he has a long way to go following his performance at Tuesday's joint practice with the New York Giants. Per Connor Hughes of SNY TV, Fields started hot at the practice before struggling during the move-the-ball period. "Very interesting practice for #Jets QB Justin Fields," Hughes posted on X. "He finished 7 of 12 with a TD. 5 of 5 to start practice. Then 0 for 4. Finished 2 of 3 with the really impressive TD to Jeremy Ruckert in red zone (starter 18 yard line). "The offensive performance was a bit alarming in move-the-ball period of practice. Fields Co. had three attempts to get down field. They didn’t gain a first down. Only gained yards twice (two short Breece Hall runs). Three sacks. That needs to be fixed. #Giants defense toyed with NYJ during that period." Some Jets fans online thought Hughes was using hyperbole to characterize the practice, but he doubled down on his judgment of the offense. Fields looked strong on his first and only drive in the Jets' 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. He went 3-of-4 passing for 42 yards and rushed two times for 14 yards and a touchdown. However, the Giants defense at the joint practice is a much better unit than the short-handed one the Packers trotted out for the first preseason game. Fields' issues seen with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, with holding the ball too long and not being able to pass consistently downfield, were a factor against the Giants. Following Saturday's game, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Fields was getting better but had a lot to improve on. Tuesday's practice was a humbling reminder that Fields needs to become a consistent passer if the Jets are going to move the ball on good defenses in the regular season.
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