Sports
Tyler Reddick wins 2026 Daytona 500
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The 2026 Daytona 500 proved once again that it’s the last lap that counts.
Tyler Reddick, who drives for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, was in first place when he crossed the line at Daytona International Speedway and won the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career. He didn’t lead a single lap until the very end.
Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Chumba Casino Toyota, and Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Spectrum Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 15, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Chumba Casino Toyota, lifts the Harley J. Earl Trophy in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 15, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Reddick was behind Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar when the final lap started. Hocevar was trying to hold off the pack, but Erik Jones got into the back of him going into Turn 1. McDowell was caught up in the wreck and the drivers fell off the pace.
But no caution flag was flying. Reddick had to avoid the carnage in front of him even as William Byron bounced off him. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had the lead for a split second, but Chase Elliott took over down the backstretch.
Elliott was vying with Zane Smith as they entered the final turns. Reddick was behind them and Riley Herbst was in fourth place. Reddick went high and got around Smith. He then knifed his way to the bottom to get around Elliott.
As the group got to the finish line, Herbst ran into Brad Keselowski causing both of them to crash. Elliott and Joey Logano were both caught up in the wreck and it was Reddick who came away unscathed.
Riley Herbst, (35), Justin Allgaier, (40), Todd Gilliland, (34), John Hunter Nemechek, (42) and Ryan Blaney, (12) collide during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
DAYTONA 500 WINNER REFLECTS ON NASCAR’S TIGHT-KNIT FAMILY AMID RECENT TRAGEDIES IN SPORT
It’s a great way to start the season for Reddick. He finished ninth in the Cup Series standings last season and making the Championship Four in 2024.
The crash-filled final lap was far from the only action.
A caution came out on Lap 192 when Denny Hamlin got poked in the back, hit Christopher Bell and then slammed into the wall. Bell suffered right front tire damage and it cost him the rest of his race.
A massive wreck late in Stage 2 took out a handful of drivers. Hamlin and Justin Allgaier made contact on the frontstretch leading to more than a dozen cars spinning and sliding out of control. Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and William Byron were among those involved.
It was the second major wreck of the stage.
Earlier, Chase Briscoe and NASCAR Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch were involved in a big wreck on Lap 85. Zilisch got loose in Turn 4 and caused a chain reaction. Cody Ware, Ty Gibbs and Austin Dillon were caught up in the accident.
Bubba Wallace was in first place at the end of Stage 2 and Zane Smith was the leader at the end of Stage 1.
Austin Dillon, (3) and Chase Briscoe, (19) collide during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Reddick, Stenhouse, Logano, Elliott and Keselowski rounded out the top five. Smith, Chris Buescher, Herbst, Josh Berry and Wallace finished in the top 10. Larson, the reigning champion, was 16th.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Sports
Will Ospreay firmly believes he can carry AEW if he’s able to win world championship at All In
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
NEW YORK – Will Ospreay was able to live out his “dream match” on Sunday night at All Elite Wrestling (AEW)’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view in New York.
Ospreay squared off against Samoa Joe in the first round of the Owen Hart Men’s Tournament. The winner of the tournament will earn an AEW World Championship shot at All In – AEW’s premiere event of the year – at Wembley Stadium in England.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Will Ospreay defeated Samoa Joe in a wrestling match at AEW Double or Nothing in Queens, N.Y., on May 24, 2026. (Lee South/AEW)
He started the match with an OsCutter, catching Joe off guard. The two battled their way through the match but it was Ospreay who hit Joe with multiple Hidden Blades to get the win. The “Aerial Assassin” was asked about his ability to carry AEW on his shoulders and become the face of the company should he win the Owen and take the title later this year.
“It’s because I have that confidence and that belief I can carry those three letters,” he said at the post-show scrum. “The middle letter, ‘E,’ that’s the standard, mate – elite. When everybody talks about elite pro wrestling, there is no one better on this planet. I believe that with my heart. I believe that with my soul.
Samoa Joe and Will Ospreay compete in a wrestling match at AEW Double or Nothing in Queens, N.Y., on May 24, 2026. (Lee South/AEW)
“I know what I’m capable of. I know what I can do. This place, the motto, and it gets said over and over again, ‘this is where the best wrestle.’ No, mate. This is where the ‘Billy Goat’ wrestles. And I’m ready more than ever to take that top spot and to take AEW to new heights.”
Ospreay said he has dreamed about performing at Wembley Stadium as a pro wrestler while his schoolmates were dreaming of becoming soccer players.
He had battled back through a neck injury and worked out with the Death Riders to turn into the weapon he once was. The entire situation miffed Joe, which culminated in a match at Double or Nothing.
Ospreay will either face Mark Davis or Jack Perry in the semifinals. On the other side of the men’s bracket, Swerve Strickland defeated Bandido at Double or Nothing. He will either face Claudio Castagnoli or Brody King in the semis.
Will Ospreay competes in the ring during AEW Dynamite at the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Oct. 2, 2024. (Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The finals of the Owen Cup will be held at Forbidden Door on June 28.
Sports
Prep talk: Mattias Di Maggio of Dos Pueblos enjoys one of the best freshman years ever
Good as advertised.
That’s all you can say about Dos Pueblos freshman outfielder Mattias Di Maggio, whose first year of high school baseball came to an end with a 13-6 playoff loss to Mira Costa. But what a season he had.
He struck out once in 84 at-bats (it came against a Santa Barbara left-handed pitcher). He set a school record with 11 home runs. He batted .508 with 36 hits and nine doubles.
Said Mira Costa coach Andy Diver: “Very special player. Most polished freshman I have ever seen.”
College and pro scouts are well aware of his talents, so it will be interesting to see what he can accomplish over the next three seasons of high school baseball. At least Goleta is going to be quite popular to visit just to see him play.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sports
Victor Wembanyama scores 33 as Spurs dominate Thunder in Game 4 to even Western Conference Finals
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The San Antonio Spurs have evened up the Western Conference Finals in dominant fashion, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 103-82, on Sunday night.
With both teams winning two games now, it will be a pivotal matchup in Game 5 back at Paycor Center in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night to see who will have the upper hand heading into a decisive Game 6.
One of the biggest stories in this game revolved around the Thunder’s 3-point shooting percentage. It was such an advantage in Game 3’s victory, as they shot 44.7% and 48.1% from the field overall.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs scores a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter in Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on May 24, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
But the Spurs adjusted their defense, and it showed in Game 4 as the Thunder shot just 6 of 33 from beyond the arc (18%), resulting in only 33% shots made from the field.
San Antonio wasn’t much better, making only 27% of their 3s (9 of 33) and shooting just 39% from the field. However, they were playing aggressively and getting chances at the charity stripe, shooting 32 free throws compared to Oklahoma City’s 18.
2026 WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS ODDS, BEST BETS, SERIES SPREAD: SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
The aggression was clear from both teams, but it was San Antonio making the best of those moments, and it began in the first quarter.
The Spurs got out to a hot start, owning a nine-point lead after the first quarter and moving it to double digits by halftime to the home crowd’s delight. Then, in the third quarter, the Thunder were struggling to hit shots, as they started to turn the ball over, which the Spurs have capitalized on all season long.
San Antonio scored 25 of its points off the Thunder’s 20 turnovers, and they were finding success in fast-break moments, too.
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle gestures against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals NBA playoffs in San Antonio on May 24, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP)
At one point, the Spurs had a 25-point lead, and it’s always sweet for a team to rest its starters in the fourth quarter with a victory in hand.
Victor Wembanyama was back to his efficient ways from the floor, leading the Spurs with 33 points (11 of 22), while nailing three 3-pointers, collecting eight rebounds and dishing five assists. He also had three blocks on the other end.
But Stephon Castle (13 points, three rebounds, six assists), Devin Vassell (13 points, six rebounds, three assists) and De’Aaron Fox (12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists) all contributed well in the starting five in the winning effort. The Spurs also had six bench players score, including Dylan Harper, who finished with seven points and five rebounds.
For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a poor shooting night, hitting just six of his 15 shots, though he made all seven of his free throws. He had four rebounds, seven assists and four turnovers for Oklahoma City.
San Antonio Spurs players Stephon Castle, Victor Wembanyama, and Devin Vassell react after a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals in San Antonio on May 24, 2026. (Eric Gay/AP)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
As always, the Thunder had solid contributions from its bench, but it wasn’t to their standards. Players like Aaron Wiggins and Jared McCain, pivotal pieces in Game 3’s win, shot a combined 3 of 21 from the field for eight total points.
These two top seeds in the West will battle Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
-
Tennessee2 minutes agoTennessee mayor wants pause on data centers, industry says focus should be on regulation
-
Texas8 minutes agoNo injuries reported after vessel catches fire near Texas City Dike, Coast Guard officials say
-
Utah14 minutes agoTick sightings near Orem park raise health concerns over holiday weekend
-
Vermont20 minutes agoVermont Federal Credit Union leaders receive ESGR Patriot Award
-
Virginia26 minutes agoEverything From Virginia Tech’s Ethan Gibson, Henry Cooke After Monday’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show
-
Washington32 minutes agoReport: Skydiver killed in midair collision in Washington
-
Wisconsin38 minutes agoStatewide alert sent for 69-year-old woman missing from Stoughton
-
West Virginia44 minutes agoMemorial Day service for America 250 in Charleston