Reddick gives Big Machine Racing first Xfinity victory
FORT WORTH, TEXAS » Cup regular Tyler Reddick led the final 31 laps of the NASCAR Xfinity race at Texas after a two-car pass Saturday, giving secondyear team Big Machine Racing its first victory and ending a three-race streak in which three different JR Motorsports drivers took the checkered flag.
Reddick finished 1.8 seconds ahead of William Byron, who was driving for JR Motorsports in his first Xfinity race since he was the series champion for that team at 19 years old in 2017.
Big Machine Racing is owned by music mogul and seasoned racer Scott Borchetta, who has driven in the sports car Trans-Am Series. He found the musical Big Machine Label Group in 2005, and his second-year racing team got to Victory Lane in its 45th start.
“It’s a huge deal for me. I know how hard everyone at Big Machine Racing has worked to get to where they’re at today, from where they started,” said Reddick,
who was in his second race trying to help the team make its cars better.
Leclerc takes pole
MONTMELÓ, SPAIN » Formula One championship leader Charles Leclerc recovered from a spin in qualifying to put his Ferrari on the pole for the Spanish Grand Prix in a last-gasp run that bumped reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
Leclerc shouted “that was good!” after his run in the closing moments of the third round of Saturday qualifying. His spin earlier in the round had sent him scurrying to the pits for a change of tires. He then tore off for his final run.
Leclerc went 1 minute, 18.750 seconds around Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He dropped Verstappen in a Red Bull to second by a margin of 0.323 second.
Carapaz takes Giro lead
Race favorite Richard Carapaz claimed the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia in an action-packed 14th stage which was won by Simon Yates.
Carapaz, the Ecuadorian rider who won the Giro in 2019 then the Olympic gold last year, attacked on the steep climb to Superga with nearly 19 miles to go then had to hang on when Jai Hindley, Vincenzo Nibali and Yates caught him on the penultimate ascent to Colle Della Maddalena.