Kyle Larson’s Michigan win jumbles NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup outlook

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There is now one less playoff spot open to drivers who haven’t won a race this season.

Tony Stewart didn"t have a particularly good performance during Sunday"s Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway, falling a lap behind near the midway portion and finishing a nondescript 21st.

Nonetheless, the result was still good enough to secure Stewart a spot in NASCAR"s playoffs, the Chase for the Sprint Cup, with two regular season races remaining. As long as the three-time series champion attempts the next two events -- Sept. 4 at Darlington Raceway and Sept. 10 at Richmond International Raceway -- he"ll be one of 16 drivers who qualify.

Stewart, who won at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway in June, wasn"t alone in solidifying his position on Sunday, as Pure Michigan 400 winner Kyle Larson did the same. In his 99th career start, the third-year driver for Chip Ganassi Racing earned his first victory, and as such went from being outside the cutoff to securely in.

But while Stewart and Larson can relax, the playoff fortunes of several others become even more unsettled. Larson"s win bumped the winless Ryan Newman out of the Chase, as he now trails Jamie McMurray by 15 points.

Huge day for us. We"re in the Chase!! So much hard work has been put into this by everyone at the shop. So proud of everyone involved!!!

— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) August 29, 2016

Drivers earn Chase berths by winning during the 26-race regular season and finishing ranked 30th or better in the standings. If there are less than 16 winners, the remaining playoff spots are awarded to those who rank highest in points.

Larson is the 13th different winner this season, leaving three slots open to drivers to get into the Chase via points, though this number could still decrease depending on the outcomes at Darlington and Richmond. Provisionally the drivers currently in are: Chase Elliott (+27 points ahead of Newman), Austin Dillon (+21) and McMurray (+15).

Of the 13 different winners only Chris Buescher has yet to lock himself into the Chase. The rookie is just seven points ahead of 31st ranked David Ragan, and over the next two races could conceivably fall below the top 30 threshold NASCAR requires.

If Buescher, who pulled off a shocking victory in the rain-shortened Aug. 1 Pocono Raceway, were to falter, it would open another spot for a non-winner. On Sunday, Buescher lost six points to Ragan due to a sickly engine that relegated him to a 35th-place finish.

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Liverpool Join Chelsea And Arsenal In Chase For £50 Million Man

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Since taking over as Real Madrid manager in January, Zinedine Zidane has wasted no time putting his mark on the club.

The Frenchman has promoted the likes of Lucas Vasquez and Marco Asensio to the first team, and is picking them ahead of some of the more established galacticos.

One of those that have fallen out of favour at the Bernabeu is James Rodriguez, and Liverpool are the latest team being linked with the Colombian, according to Mundo Deportivo.

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Since arriving in a whopping £63 million move from Monaco in 2014, James has struggled to make himself a first team regular in Madrid, and Zidane will allow him to leave this summer, if a suitable bid is tabled.

Madrid are holding out for a fee around £51 million, which could potentially put off a lot of suitors.

Jurgen Klopp is still looking for improvements, and has inquired about the possibility of signing James, but when you consider how many attacking midfielders Liverpool already have, it’s hard to see why such a fee would be spent on another.

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Maybe the Reds are worried about losing Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in future? Who knows, but it’s clear Klopp is monitoring the 25-year-old’s situation.

Arsenal and Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in him, but as we know, it’s hardly likely that the Gunners will pay out that kind of sum, and Chelsea seem more keen on the idea of bringing in another striker.

There’s less than a week to go until the transfer window slams shut, so anyone willing to shell out on James will have to do it quickly, or stick with what they’ve got.

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Chelsea Target Serie A Striker As Lukaku Chase Ends

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As you may know, Chelsea’s pursuit of Romelu Lukaku has ended in defeat.

The Belgian striker won’t be heading back to Stamford Bridge for a second crack at things, after withdrawing his transfer request earlier this week.

That means Antonio Conte is looking at other strikers to provide competition for the likes of Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi, and he’s set to raid his former club for one.

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Croatian Mario Mandzukic is Conte’s latest target, and would cost around £25 million, according to the Mirror.

That sum is a third of the fee Everton wanted for Lukaku, so would represent Chelsea taking the cheaper option – something they don’t normally do.

Although when you consider that Mandzukic is 30 and unproven in the Premier League, maybe it doesn’t seem so cheap.

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The Croatian arrived at Juventus in a surprise move last summer after a year at Atletico Madrid, and scored 10 league goals for the Old Lady last season.

However, he’s behind big money new signing Gonzalo Higuain, wonderkid Paulo Dybala and Euro 2016 penalty flop Simone Zaza in the Juventus forward department, and could be open to working with his old boss again.

Conte feels like he must add another striker to his squad as he bids to win the Premier League at the first time of asking, as only Costa and Batshuayi are available currently.

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And when you consider the rate at which Costa has been picking up yellow cards so far this season, there will be plenty of games where the Spaniard isn’t available.

Looks like the Blues are in for a busy final week in the transfer window.

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Arsenal Handed Final Blow In Chase For Attacker?

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In case you weren’t aware, Arsenal aren’t having the best of transfer windows this summer.

Their chase for a striker isn’t going well, with only unknown Japanese forward Takuma Asano adding to Arsene Wenger’s attack.

Wenger is chasing Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez, and has recently been linked with a move for Julian Draxler.

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The Germany star has told Wolfsburg that he wants to leave the Bundesliga this season, after just one year at the club.

The 22-year-old joined The Wolves from Schalke 04 last summer, and despite the player willing to try and force a move away from the cub, Wolfsburg themselves have issued a statement saying the player will be going ‘nowhere’.

Draxler has been on the scene since he was 17, and was once denied the chance to play in a Champions League game for Schalke because the game would have finished after 10pm, as it’s illegal in Germany for anyone under 18 to work past 10pm.

Speaking to Bild, the midfielder said:

I want to leave Wolfsburg.

The coach knows for more than three weeks.

Two days after the semi-final at the European Championships I told him how I see the whole situation and what I want – which is to leave the club.

Draxler started four of Germany’s six games at Euro 2016, scoring in their 3-0 win over Slovakia, and has 24 caps for his country.

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As football fans know only too well, no matter how much a player might want to leave a club, if he’s under contract and the club don’t want them to leave, you’re fighting a losing battle.

That is unless a huge bid is tabled, but we all know Wenger and his money are never easily parted!

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Confident Kyrie Irving says ‘nothing’ could hinder Team USA gold chase

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Kyrie Irving is feeling quite good about Team USA’s chances at the Rio Olympics.

Irving told reporters that he doesn’t really see any reason why the Americans should be tripped up in their chase for a gold medal.

“I don’t know…nothing,” Irving said Thursday when asked what could stop Team USA, via Michael Lee of the Vertical. “Honestly, that should be our attitude. If things get hard, we should be able to withstand it. And we’ll be ready for anything.”

Is Irving right? Well, yes. Rationally, nobody should really be able to challenge Team USA. That doesn’t mean, however, it’s a foregone conclusion. There are a few teams that could, conceivably, throw the Americans off on their quest. They’re right to be confident, but avoiding overconfidence and complacency will be vital.

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Klopp Powerless To Keep Star As European Giants Step Up Chase

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Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool midfield is becoming rather crowded.

The German has already added Marko Grujic, Sadio Mane and Gini Wijnaldum to his ranks this summer, and along with his existing options, there isn’t room for everyone.

One of those who may be forced to leave is Lucas Leiva, with the Brazilian attracting interest from a number of clubs this summer.

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Last month, the defensive midfielder was rumoured to be part of the deal to take Wijnaldum from Newcastle United to Anfield, but a reunion with Rafa Benitez never materialised.

And that’s left Galatasaray in pole position to sign the 29-year-old, who joined Liverpool way back in 2007.

The Turkish giants can offer Lucas a regular starting place, something which Klopp will struggle to do, despite rating the midfielder highly.

Last season, Klopp used Lucas as an emergency centre back, and the former Gremio man didn’t let his side down in the makeshift role.

But now, with Joel Matip and Ragnar Klavan coming in to solve the defensive crisis, Lucas may not get the pitch time he craves – making a move to Turkey more appealing.

Gala boss Jan Olde Riekerink has confirmed his interest in Lucas, and wants to take him across Europe before the new season kicks off in two weeks time.

Klopp has a decision to make, as one of his most senior players is clearly chasing first team football that he won’t get on Merseyside next season.

It’s safe to say we’ll all miss Lucas if he does leave, mainly because of his brilliant shooting that entertains us all…

Hopefully there’s many more moments like this to come!

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