Titans DE Casey glad to be back
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans eagerly welcomed four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey to training camp Saturday, even though he didn’t stick around too long after individual drills. No need for the franchise leader in sacks among active players, with 46, to push too hard right away. “Oh, it felt great, just like I haven’t been out there in over a year,” Casey said. “I know it’s not been that long, but it definitely feels like it. But to get it back out there and just get back moving around, get a little bit more confidence moving around, it definitely was a good first day.” Saturday’s practice was the Titans’ 11th of camp, and beforehand they announced a handful of roster moves, with the biggest that Casey passed his physical after starting the preseason on the physically unable to perform list. Casey was placed on injured reserve after hurting a knee Dec. 22 in the fourth quarter of a 25-16 win against the Washington Redskins. He led the Titans with seven sacks and a career-high 50 quarterback pressures last season. The Titans also placed rookie linebacker D’Andre Walker, a fifth-round draft pick out of Georgia, on injured reserve; waived inebacker Riley Bullough, offensive tackle Cody Conway and wide receiver Jalen Tolliver; and agreed to terms with defensive end Eric Cotton, linebacker Ukeme Eligwe, running back Akeem Hunt and wide receiver DeAngelo Yancey.
MOTORSPORTS
› LEXINGTON, Ohio — Austin Cindric raced to his second straight NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, holding off Christopher Bell at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday. The 20-year-old Team Penske driver won last weekend on the road course at Watkins Glen International. Cindric’s Ford finished 3.780 seconds ahead of Bell, who was in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. A.J. Allmendinger,
driving a Chevrolet for northeastern-Ohio based Kaulig Racing, was third, 10.290 seconds behind. Series leader Tyler Reddick, who is 28 points ahead of second-place Bell in the standings, finished fourth in the race. Cindric, the race’s pole-sitter for the second straight year, took the lead from Chase Briscoe on the 63rd lap in the second turn, or keyhole, with an outside move. Cindric led 47 of the 75 laps on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile course. A native of Columbus, about 60 miles to the south, Cindric led 59 laps at the track last year but was passed by Justin Allgaier with three laps to go and finished second.
› BROOKLYN, Mich. — Austin Hill hopes he’s getting his groove back just in time to make a run at winning the NASCAR Truck Series title. Hill held off Sheldon Creed to win at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, earning his second victory of the year and his first since February’s season opener at Daytona International Speedway. “We wanted to put a good stamp on the end of the regular season, going into the playoffs,” Hill said. “We really wanted to win this one because we’ve been in a slump.” The playoffs begin Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway with Hill joined by Tyler Ankrum, Ross Chastain, Matt Crafton, Grant Enfinger, Stewart Friesen, Brett Moffitt and
Johnny Sauter as the drivers eligible for the championship. Creed and Tyler Dippel followed Hill to the finish line Saturday, leaving them out of the playoffs. Both had a shot to earn a spot with a win, and Creed came close, finishing just 0.125 second behind Hill. Enfinger finished seventh and sealed the regular-season title.