Category: 6. Sports

Amid one of the more surprising lineups for a Firestone Fast Six qualifying session this season, there was little shock over who won the NTT P1 Award on Saturday for The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship leader Alex Palou claimed his series-leading third pole of the season and ninth career pole with a best lap of 1 minute, 5.0215 seconds in the No. 10 Open AI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou also leads the series this season with six victories and brings a 93-point advantage over second-place Kyle Kirkwood into the race at 1 p.m. ET Sunday (FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

SEE: Qualifying Results

“Ever since I started with CGR, we’ve had great cars,” Palou said. “But we’ve always struggled with qualifying up front. So, this year it has been phenomenal. The speed we have in the cars at every single racetrack we show up at is amazing.

“It’s all the work that everybody at Chip Ganassi Racing is doing, all our partners. Super happy. Tomorrow is going to be a great day, for sure.”

Christian Lundgaard will join Palou in the front row after qualifying second at 1:05.2126 in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, tying his season best set in March at The Thermal Club.

Palou’s teammate Kyffin Simpson also was a star of the show, qualifying a career-best third at 1:05.7555 during his first Firestone Fast Six appearance in the No. 8 Journie Rewards Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Simpson managed to produce that stellar performance despite using a used set of Firestone Firehawk alternate tires, shrewdly saving an extra set of new alternate tires for the 90-lap race Sunday.

Nolan Siegel, in only his second career appearance in the Firestone Fast Six, also qualified a career-best fourth at 1:05.9262 in the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet as CGR and Arrow McLaren locked out the first two rows on the starting grid.

Colton Herta qualified fifth at 1:06.1218 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian, while Road America pole winner Louis Foster earned his third trip into the Firestone Fast Six during his rookie season and qualified sixth at 1:06.2398 in the No. 45 Droplight Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

While Simpson’s gamble to use only a set of scuffed alternate tires paid off in the Firestone Fast Six, Palou’s desire to ensure good track position on the 13-turn, 2.258 roller coaster of a road course induced him and his team to opt for a new set of Firestone Firehawk alternates in the last qualifying group.

“We could have saved the last set of new soft tires here in the Fast Six to try and have an advantage tomorrow, but we were like, ‘Man, we really think that starting up front, top three, is always going to benefit us more. We know there are some cars that are going to save those tires, so they’re going to be a big threat tomorrow. But happy with our car and our starting position.”

Among the Firestone Fast Six, Palou, Lundgaard and Herta used a new set of Firestone alternates. Simpson, Siegel and Foster stayed on used alternate tires.

Kirkwood, quickest in Friday practice, was slowed by traffic during the second round of qualifying and will start seventh in the No. 27 Andretti Global Honda featuring a special Honda tribute livery this weekend.

That was disappointing for Kirkwood, the only race winner besides Palou this season. But starting seventh was nowhere near the same trouble suffered by Team Penske, which continues to endure a winless season despite being the most successful team in INDYCAR SERIES history.

Josef Newgarden was the team’s top qualifier, 18th in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Scott McLaughlin was next, 21st in the No. 3 Odyssey Batteries Team Penske Chevrolet, followed by Will Power in 22nd in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.

A 25-minute warmup session precedes the race at 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Kishane Thompson showed he remains in great shape as he took the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic on Saturday (5 July).

Fresh from becoming the sixth fastest man in history at the Jamaican nationals, Paris 2024 silver medallist Thompson powered clear of his rivals after making a fast start.

The 23-year-old lost his form in the closing metres, but he had plenty in hand as he crossed the line in 9.85 seconds. Zharnel Hughes finished strongly to take second in a season’s best 9.91 ahead of Trayvon Bromell (9.94).

Brandon Hicklin (9.98) also ducked under 10 seconds for fourth place from Ackeem Blake. South African youngster Bayanda Walaza faded late on into sixth place in the Eugene Diamond League athletics meet,

More to follow…

Although the match allowed unlimited substitutions and does not carry first-class status, it served as a significant audition for the Rugby World Cup.

Who stood out individually? Bold proclamations about first impressions can spark healthy debate, suggesting that selectors have plenty of positive decisions to make. Notable performers from the Black Ferns XV included energetic winger Ruby Tui and hardworking locks Laura Bayfield and Sam Taylor. For the reigning world champions, Sylvia Brunt was exceptional, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe thrived in her hometown, and No. 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u played with formidable force.

The opening quarter was ambitious but scoreless, filled with errors. For the Black Ferns, No. 8 Mikaele-Tu’u had the ball knocked from her hands by Sam Taylor just as she was diving over the line. Meanwhile, a powerful run from Hollyrae Mete-Renata of the Black Ferns XV went unconverted after a last-ditch defensive effort.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 23rd minute when fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee scored on the left wing. Woodman-Wickliffe made a damaging run down the right before a swift switch allowed Brazier to free Sorensen-McGee.

The Black Ferns seized the momentum, and a charge-down by Brunt led to a straightforward try in the 28th minute.

Following that, the Black Ferns XV enjoyed their strongest period of the match, with Hannah King creating a try for Tui through a crosskick, an achievement that Renne Holmes would replicate in the second half.

A thrilling moment in the 37th minute helped clarify the outcome. A loose pass was picked up by Sylvia Brunt while the Black Ferns XV were attacking. Brunt sprinted 50 metres but was caught by Jaymie Kolose, who pulled her back by the bottom of her jersey. Another loose ball was collected by Stacey Waaka, and although Brunt trailed behind, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe was on hand to capitalise.

The Black Ferns played a tighter game in the second spell but were willing to chance their arm when space was apparent. Katelyn Vahaakolo and Amy du Plessis hit holes with typical speed and flair. Jorja Miller signposted a stellar sequence that involved multiple forwards and backs. 

The Black Ferns host Australia in Wellington in a Laurie O’Reilly Cup Test next Saturday.

Black Ferns: 45 (Braxton Sorensen-McGee 2, Sylvia Brunt, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Amy du Plessis, Jorja Miller tries; Kelly Brazier 3 cons, Renee Holmes 2 cons) Black Ferns XV: 12 (Ruby Tui 2 tries; Keira Su’a-Smith con) HT: 21-5

The Māori All Blacks had won their two earlier clashes, in 1998 in Edinburgh and in 2000 in New Plymouth, but coach Gregor Townsend’s understaffed side, with only one starter from their last Six Nations game, showed encouraging depth in the manner of their win.

But the Māori All Blacks didn’t give up without a stunning fight back to push the game to its limit.

Surviving three lineouts five metres from their line in five minutes of injury time, the Scots drove through when the Māori failed to secure the ball at the third, to claim a win.

The home team stormed through a massive 28 phases looking for breakthroughs before a penalty was conceded in injury time. But the Scots survived six minutes and 18 seconds before they secured the ball to claim what was a deserved win.

Clever use of kicks behind the Māori All Blacks backline opened up opportunities, and Scotland made the most of them as they fought back from a lightning start made by the home team.

Thirty-nine seconds was all it took, time for Scotland to field the kick-off and for their halfback George Horne to kick from the base of the ruck, and for the Māori All Blacks to field the ball, and move it to the left where wing Bailyn Sullivan, ran, chipped ahead and regained the bouncing ball to pass inside to supporting halfback Sam Nock who ran in the try.

Scotland lacked possession until around the ninth minute when consecutive penalties allowed them to kick their way into the Māori 22m area and from a ruck a kick was put through by second five-eighths and captain Stafford McDowell for wing Harry Paterson to run through to ground the ball just inside the dead-ball line.

Sticking with their kicking plan from the base of rucks by Horne brought him reward when the Māori botched covering the kick and it was punched through by centre Rory Hutchinson. The ball bounced erratically near the line, and it was Horne who clasped it to his body to score after 23 minutes.

Undeterred, the Māori All Blacks managed to build attacks in the Scots’ half, and drew penalties as the Scots were put under a yellow card warning. From a 31st-minute lineout in the corner, the Māori worked the ball infield before moving it back wide to flanker TK Howden on the sideline, and while tackled, he got a pass inside to lock Isaia Walker-Leawere, who scored.

An extra advantage came when replacement No. 8 Alexander Masibaka was sin-binned for a high tackle during the play.

But the home team couldn’t maintain the pressure, and Scots fullback Ollie Smith was able to give his side a pre-halftime boost when securing a 50-22 kick. From the resulting lineout, the ball was moved wide, and Hutchinson was able to put another kick through to space where wing Arron Reed profited from the bounce to score for a 24-12 lead at the break.

In direct contrast to their first-half start, the Māori All Blackswere punished for their undisciplined start off a poorly directed pass to the in-goal area by Nock. First five-eighths Rivez Reihana attempted to kick the ball out, but under pressure, it didn’t clear the in-goal, and Howden batted the ball over the dead-ball line, earning a yellow card in the process.

Moments later, with Scotland still in the 22m area, Bailyn Sullivan deliberately knocked the ball down to join Howden in the bin.

Scotland was initially unable to benefit as Hastings knocked the ball on in a promising position. The Māori All Blacks cleared their line and then stole a lineout from Scotland, but Nock’s 52nd-minute kick proved too deep and Scotland spread the ball to the left where Hutchinson, Reed and Horne combined for the latter to score his second try.

Restored to full strength, the Māori All Blacks had a lineout five metres from the line and skipper and hooker Kurt Eklund completed the maul with a try out wide and Reihana landed a sideline conversion.

Scotland looked to open up the home team on the flanks, but the defence held, and then when a kick found wing Daniel Rona just inside his 22m area, he had the time to spear a kick into touch in the Scotland 22m area for a 50-22m turnover.

The Māori All Blacks surged onto the ball and with several pick-and-goes on the line, they moved it wide with a long pass from Zarn Sullivan finding Gideon Wrampling on the flank, and he scored, with replacement Kaleb Trask’s conversion getting the Māori within three points and setting up a fascinating conclusion.

Scorers: Māori All Blacks 26 (Sam Nock, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Kurt Eklund, Gideon Wrampling tries; Rivez Reihana 2 con; Kaleb Trask con) Scotland 29 (Harry Paterson, George Horne 2, Arron Reed tries; Adam Hastings 3 con, pen). HT: 24-12