Chase Elliott wins the NASCAR Cup Series race, News+Notes,
NASCAR will crown a new champion this year following Kyle Busch’s elimination in the second round of the playoffs.
Chase Elliott won Sunday on the hybrid road course- oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where four drivers, including Busch, were trimmed from title contention. Busch likely needed to win the race to advance into the round of eight, but instead became the first reigning champion knocked out of contention after two rounds since the format began in 2014.
A victory was a tall ask in this winless season for Busch but he went down swinging. A flat tire at the end of the second stage should have ended his chances and he thought he was done, keying his mic for a resigned “Good job this year, guys,” to his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing crew.
He hung in and worked his way into the top three and was able to take the lead when Busch opted not to pit under caution. On older tires, Busch could only stave off traffic for one lap after the restart and he faded to a 30th-place finish
here are only four races remaining for him to extend his streak to 16 consecutive seasons with at least one victory, and Busch failed to advance to the final four championship finale for the first time since 2015.
Austin Dillon in a Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing, and Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola in Fords also were eliminated. Bowyer this week said he’s retiring at the end of the season and will move to the television booth. HAMILTON WINS HIS 91ST F1 RACE TO MATCH SCHUMACHER’S RECORD >> Even Lewis Hamilton once saw Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 wins as unbeatable. Now he’s matched it.
Schumacher’s son Mick presented Hamilton with one of his father’s old helmets after the British driver took a record-equaling 91st win at the Eifel Grand Prix.
Schumacher has required constant care since he sustained severe head injuries in an accident while skiing in 2013.
Hamilton took a big step closer to matching Schumacher’s record of seven titles too after his teammate Valtteri Bottas failed to finish. with an engine problem. Hamilton now leads championship by 69 points with six races to go.
College football
AP TOP 25: LSU DROPS OUT OF POLL FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2017 >> LSU is out of The Associated Press college football poll for the first time since 2017 and is the first defending national champion to drop from the rankings in nine years.
No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia held steady at the top of the rankings Sunday, setting up a top-three matchup when the Crimson Tide hosts the Bulldogs.
Clemson received 59 first-place votes. Alabama got two and Georgia one. Notre Dame moved up to No. 4 and North Carolina is No. 5.
LSU dropped out from No. 17 after falling to 1-2 with a 45- 41 loss at previously winless Missouri. The Tigers had been ranked in 43 straight polls, dating to Nov. 5, 2017. That was the seventh-longest active streak in the nation.
Golf
LPGA >> Sei Young Kim lined up for the putt on the 18th hole that would seal her first LPGA major championship and somehow missed by inches. One member of the gallery — in this instance, roughly 75 officials, photographers and course stragglers — even said “she made it.”
Not quite.
The 27-year- old South Korean laughed off the rare misstep, tapped in the winner and shed the unwelcome label of winningest golfer on the tour without a major. Kim raised her arms “Rocky” style, hugged her caddie and, at last, was a major champion.
Kim chewed up Aronimink Golf Club in record style, shooting a 7-under 63 to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.