Hamlin wins race, Keselowski fails to advance in playoffs
Denny Hamlin won a chaotic NASCAR Cup Series elimination race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, holding off Chase Elliott on the second overtime restart that knocked Brad Keselowski out of the playoffs.
Elliott managed to finish second and advanced to the round of eight on points when Keselowski, whom he’d been dueling with all afternoon, got boxed in on the restart and lost too many spots.
In a bit of irony, it was Keselowski who helped bring out the caution on the first try for the green-whitecheckered finish when he got into Daniel Suarez. The field was nearing the startfinish line but the caution light came on before the leader took the white flag, forcing a second overtime.
If Hamlin had crossed a split-second quicker, the race would have been over and Keselowski safe.
Kyle Busch ultimately finished third, followed by Kurt Busch and William Byron. But the key was Keselowski, who dropped from 13th to 19th on the final restart and out of the next round of the playoffs. He ended up three points — equal to three positions on the track — below the cutoff line.
Byron was the next driver eliminated despite a strong run at Kansas, where he would have needed a win to advance. Alex Bowman and home-state hero Clint Bowyer also were eliminated. HOME SWEET HOME IN NHRA
Billy Torrence won the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at his home track for his second Top Fuel victory of the playoffs.
Torrence had a 3.775-second run at 319.67 mph to beat first-time finalist Jordan Vandergriff at Texas Motorplex. Torrence has four victories this year and five overall.
His son, Steve Torrence, is the points leader and defending season champion.
Tennis
MURRAY BACK TO WINNING WAYS >> Andy Murray won his first ATP tour final since having hip surgery in January for an injury that left him contemplating retirement at one point.
Murray rallied to beat fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the European Open final in Antwerp, Belgium.
“This is one of the biggest wins that I’ve had after everything so I’m very proud,” Murray said.
It was the 32-year-old Murray’s first ATP tour final since March 2017.
After undergoing hip resurfacing surgery, the British player returned to the court in June.
BENCIC’S CUP RUNNETH OVER >> Belinda Bencic recovered from a set down to beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the Kremlin Cup final in Moscow.
Golf
THOMAS CLAIMS SECOND CJ CUP >> Justin Thomas pulled away from Danny Lee in the final hour and closed with a 5-under 67 to win the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges for the second time in two years at Jeju Island, South Korea.
Thomas won for the 11th time on the PGA Tour and the second time in his last four starts.
He was one shot ahead when Lee, the South Koreaborn player who plays under the New Zealand flag, bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes to fall three shots behind.
They were the only two players who had a serious chance of winning. Lee closed with a 69 for his best finish in nearly a year.
Thomas finished at 20-under 268 and moves to No. 4 in the world ranking. KANG REPEATS IN SHANGHAI >> Danielle Kang played bogey-free and closed with a 2-under 70 to win the Buick LPGA Shanghai for the second consecutive year. She had a tournament record 16-under 272. CHAMPIONS EVENT SUSPENDED BY RAIN >> The final round of the Dominion Energy Charity Classic was postponed until today because of more than 2 inches of rain overnight and a forecast for more.
Tommy Tolles and Scott Parel shared the lead. Colin Montgomerie was one shot behind.
College football
TIDE QB OUT FOR ARKANSAS GAME >> Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has had a procedure for a high ankle sprain and will miss Saturday’s game against Arkansas.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Tagovailoa had what’s known as a “tightrope” procedure on his right ankle Sunday. He said it’s the same injury the 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up suffered in the Southeastern Conference championship game last season, just to the other ankle.
Saban predicted “a full and speedy recovery” for Tagovailoa. He was hurt in the second quarter of Alabama’s 35-13 win over Tennessee.
Tagovailoa promised teammates he’d be back for the Nov. 9 game against LSU.
Soccer
GALAXY SPOIL MINNESOTA’S MLS PLAYOFF DEBUT >> Sebastian Lletget and Jonathan dos Santos scored four minutes apart midway through the second half, leading the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 2-1 victory over Minnesota in the first round of the MLS playoffs to spoil United’s postseason debut.
Jan Gregus gave the Loons life with a goal in the 87th minute, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Galaxy hung on to advance to face top seed Los Angeles FC on Thursday in the Western Conference semifinals and set up another “El Trafico” derby between the Southern California rivals.