Busch hoping bad run will end on home track
The second round of the NASCAR playoffs begins Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in the city where reigning Cup Series champion Kyle Busch grew up and where he and older brother Kurt Busch are featured on the side of the MGM Grand casino.
It should be the perfect spot for Busch to break his 29-race slump, but he was blunt when asked if the No. 18 team is close to competing with Kyle Harvick and the title frontrunners. “No,” was all Busch said.
Sunday’s race (6 p.m., NBCSN) is the first in a three-race second round that goes from the 1.5-mile standard oval in Las Vegas to high-banked Talladega Superspeedway and then eliminates four drivers from the playoffs at the hybrid “Roval” at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The diversity of tracks in the second round makes it the most challenging of the playoffs’ three knockout rounds, and Las Vegas is critical because a strong finish can ease the pressure the next two weeks. In a city of gamblers, the best strategy Sunday might be to play it safe.
That’s a difficult spot for Busch, whose bid to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson to win consecutive titles is on the verge of collapse. He’s ranked 10th out of 12 playoff drivers, and appears likely to miss the championship finale for the first time since 2014.
Saints’ Thomas sidelined again
New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas has been ruled out for the second straight week with a high ankle sprain and will miss Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Saints didn’t put him on injured reserve after he was hurt in the Week 1 win over Tampa Bay, so he could return as early as next week.
In other news:
• The San Francisco 49ers placed running back
Tevin Coleman on injured reserve and promoted running back JaMycal Hasty, linebacker Joe Walker and offensive lineman Hroniss Grasu from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.
Coleman sprained his knee last week against the New York Jets and is expected to miss four games. With starter Raheem
Mostert also out this week with a knee injury, the Niners added the Hasty as a third running back behind Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson Jr.
• The Atlanta Falcons placed their first-round pick, cornerback A.J. Terrell, on the COVID-19 reserve list.
Positive tests hit two MLS teams
Colorado’s MLS game against Sporting Kansas City was postponed after a Rapids player and three staff members tested positive for the coronavirus.
A player for FC Cincinnati also tested positive and is in isolation, the team announced. The unidentified player was symptomatic, the team said.
Cincinnati’s match at NYCFC on Saturday night wasn’t postponed.
Long in the lead at Puntacana
Adam Long took over the lead with a stretch of three straight birdies on the back nine and finished with key par saves for an 8-under 64 in the third round and a two-shot lead at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic.
Hudson Swafford had to settle for nothing but pars on the back nine for a 69 and was two shots behind.
In other news:
• Looking for his second win on the European Tour,
Aaron Rai shot 3-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead on Maverick Antcliff after the third round of the Irish Open in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
Champ scores quick knockout
Josh Taylor retained his WBA and IBF super lightweight belts after knocking out unbeaten challenger Apinun Khongsong in the first round.
Taylor (17-0, 13 KO) caught the Thai (16-1, 13 KO) with a left-hand body shot to secure victory after 2 minutes, 41 seconds at York Hall in London. Apinun left the arena on a stretcher.
Tsitsipas reaches Hamburg final
Stefanos Tsitsipas continued his impressive tune-up for the French Open by beating clay-court specialist Christian Garin 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in the Hamburg Open semifinals to set up a final against Andrey Rublev. Rublev topped Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-2 in other semifinal.