First Pocono win for Harvick

Kevin Harvick had won races at all but three current NASCAR Cup Series tracks as of Saturday morning. That number was cut to two on Saturday afternoon.

Harvick took the lead with 17 laps to go when the final greenflag pit-stop sequence cycled through then held off a pesky Denny Hamlin in the closing laps to the win the Pocono Organics 325 — the first of two scheduled races on backto-back days at the 2.5-mile triangular Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.

The victory was the first in 39 starts at Pocono for the Stewart-Haas Racing driver and comes after finishing second at the “Tricky Triangle” four times.

NWSL SEASON BEGINS

Lynn Williams scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time to lead the North Carolina Courage to a 2-1 win over the Portland Thorns in the first game of the National Women’s Soccer League Challenge Cup on Saturday in Herriman, Utah.

The game marked the first professional or collegiate team competition in the United States since the coronavirus pandemic forced sports to go on hiatus in March.

OVECHKIN ON CAPS’ ICE

Star winger Alex Ovechkin was back on the ice at the Washington Capitals’ complex in Arlington, Va., on Saturday for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic led to the pausing of the NHL season.

The team posted a highlight video on Twitter of Ovechkin practicing, along with the caption, “He’s back.”

Ovechkin had been working out in Florida during the pause.

NATS-YANKS IN OPENER

The defending World

Series champion Washington Nationals will host the New

York Yankees on Opening

Day, several outlets reported Saturday.

Major League Baseball has not released the official schedule for the upcoming 60game regular season.

The New York Post and

ESPN both reported that the Nationals and Yankees will open the season at Nationals Park. The Post said the opener would be played in prime time on Thursday, July 23.