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gh just six games. "We set high standards for ourselves and we want to continue that because we unde
Topic Started: Oct 9 2014, 03:41 AM (57 Views)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Considering where Jeff Gordon was after Richmond, left out of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship in part due to some late-race shenanigans, he couldnt have been happier on Sunday. Not only is Gordon in the Chase, hes making a charge. Gordon finished third at Kansas Speedway behind winner Kevin Harvick and runner-up Kurt Busch, his third top-10 finish in four races in NASCARs playoffs. Thats allowed him to climb to fourth in points, 32 behind leader Matt Kenseth with six races left in the season. "Earlier this year, I was probably as frustrated as Ive ever been in a racecar. We were just missing something," Gordon said. "Right now, my team has been bringing great cars to the track, not just in the Chase, but I think three, four races prior to that we started to make gains." Still, those gains wouldnt have been enough for Gordon to squeeze into the Chase when at least three organizations appeared to manipulate the ending to the race at Richmond. NASCAR chairman Brian France used his power the following weekend to make an unprecedented expansion to the field after two separate investigations revealed that Gordon did not have a fair chance to race his way into the 12-driver Chase because of the late-race controversy. Now, the four-time champion is making a move toward the top of the table. He finished sixth in the Chase opener at Chicago, struggled to a 15th-place finish at New Hampshire, and then bounced back with a fourth-place run at Dover. His performance on a slippery surface at Kansas Speedway on Sunday sends him to Charlotte brimming with confidence. "Its a team effort," Gordon said. "Im just proud of how weve fought through everything weve fought through this year, and were making the most of it." Gordon isnt the only one making a Chase charge. Harvicks third victory of the season shot him to third in points behind Kenseth and five-time champion Jimmie Johnson. He was 39 points back heading into the weekend and trimmed off 14 points from his deficit, putting him within striking distance of his first championship. "Everybody wrote us off at the beginning of the year," said Harvick, who recalled that nobody wanted to talk to him at the series annual media day. "Were just going to keep going our thing, and hopefully keep doing it quietly and have fun at it." Even though hes won 22 times in the Sprint Cup series, and has long been considered one of its best drivers, Harvick hasnt been able to break through for a championship. He had back-to-back third-place finishes in 2010 and 11, and was fourth in the Chase last year. It would also tie a nice bow on his lengthy career with Richard Childress Racing. Harvick is heading to Stewart-Haas next year after more than a dozen years with the same team. "Were committed to try to win the championship," Childress said. "We owe it to our sponsors and our fans to give them 100 per cent, and thats what we agreed to do, and thats what were going to do until Homestead. No matter what happens between now and then, thats our goal is to go after the championship. What a great way to go out." Harvick also indicated that it would be the proper way to go out. "Its business, but its also you have a sense of pride," he said. "You want to go out with a sense of success and everything has gone well." Harvick and Gordon both have plenty of work to do if they want to catch Kenseth and Johnson, two drivers who are certainly familiar with the pressure of winning a championship. Kenseth, who won Saturdays Nationwide race, struggled to tame repaved Kansas Speedway on Sunday. He made a late charge just to finish 11th, allowing him to maintain a three-point lead over Johnson, who finished sixth for his 10th straight top-10 finish at the track. "It was just a struggle all day, even when we were in front. It was as struggle," Kenseth said. "It was so incredibly treacherous." Johnson also called the racing treacherous. There were 15 cautions, a record for a Sprint Cup race at the track, and one of the wrecks claimed Chase contender Kyle Busch. Johnson managed to navigate through the carnage to another solid finish, one that he hopes will put him in position to win his sixth Sprint Cup championship. "We had so many things happen to us and still salvaged a very strong finish," he said. "We got a little points on the No. 20 and put a bunch on the No. 18, so in the big scheme of things, it was a very good day for the team." Chris Johnson Jersey . The NFL club and Rogers Communications announced Wednesday theyve put the beleaguered Bills Toronto Series -- which features Buffalo playing exhibition and regular-season games at Rogers Centre -- on hold for at least a year. New York Jets Jersey . The Texas Rangers quickly got even, and the right-hander felt like he was starting over when he got back on the mound. http://www.shopjetsus.com/women-geno-smith-jets-jersey-sale/ .S. -- Kelsey Rocque remains the only unbeaten womens skip at the Canadian junior curling championships. Bilal Powell Jersey . That will be 35 more holes than the first time they played together. Walker was a senior at Baylor when he used his parents credit card -- against their wishes because it was during finals -- to go through Monday qualifying for the Byron Nelson Championship. Stephen Hill Jersey . A CFL source told TSNs Matthew Scianitti that Smith will re-sign with the Toronto Argonauts.VANCOUVER - B.C. Lions head coach Mike Benevides didnt give his team much time to celebrate last weeks dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Calgary Stampeders. Benevides had the Lions in a meeting less than nine hours after their plane touched down after that 25-24 triumph to emphasize that while beating the CFLs last undefeated club was big, it wouldnt mean much if they produce a dud this Friday at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Catch the game on TSN starting at 10pm et/7pm pt. "The guys had to have a quick turnaround. They were a little bit surprised by that," said Benevides. "The first message was that I commended them for their performance, but the message that I really wanted to relay was we have really got to prepare to meet a huge challenge from the Tiger-Cats." The coach had good reason to get their attention early. The last time the Lions (3-3) stepped on the field at B.C. Place Stadium they were coming off two big wins and feeling pretty good about themselves, only to get embarrassed 23-6 by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. "Weve got to stay consistent, weve got to find a way to get it done at home. The message has been clear," said Benevides. "The veterans and captains and leaders have echoed that. I think were well prepared based on what Ive seen this week." Lions running back Andrew Harris picked up his third weekly top Canadian award of the season for his performance in Calgary, and said its important the Lions keep pace in a very competitive West Division. "Weve had a tendency to have big games and then come back a little flat," said Harris, who leads the CFL with 722 all-purpose yards. "We have to keep this fire burning and weve got to stay at a high energy and high pace with that same attitude we had against Calgary in the second half. "Its a struggle, but if we want to be a good team in this league and consistent and climb the ladder in the West, we need to be able to do that." B.C. quarterback Kevin Glenn said the Lions will have to be wary of a wounded Tiger-Cats team that is coming off a heartbreaking 27-26 last-second loss against Winnipeg that dropped them to 1-4. "Every week youve got to make sure you come to play," said Glenn. "Weve got a team thats coming in (and) their record could easily be reversed to where they have three, four wins and only one or two losses. "We just want to make sure we come out and we match their intensity. Theyre a team thats going to come in here ready to play given their situation." Glenn will get the start again versus Hamilton, but the Lions will have a familiar face in uniform for the first time since last sseason.dddddddddddd. Travis Lulay is slated to suit up as either the No. 2 or No. 3 quarterback on Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery on his throwing shoulder in the November. It has been a long road back for the Lions incumbent, who had hoped to be ready for the start of the season. "Its exciting. Its not the end of the road, but this is a huge step for me," said Lulay. "Just on a personal level its exciting to know its to the point now where were talking about where on the depth chart as opposed to whether or not youre putting a helmet on." While the Lions offence has struggled at times under Glenns stewardship, the defence is ranked No. 2 in the league and has been lights out all season, led in large part by linebackers Solomon Elimimian and Adam Bighill. The Lions surrendered just three points in the second half against Calgary, allowing time for a B.C. comeback that included two fourth-quarter touchdowns. "Thats the standard that weve set," said Elimimian, who had 10 tackles last week and leads the league with 49 through just six games. "We set high standards for ourselves and we want to continue that because we understand that for this team to get to where we want to get to, the defence is a big part of that." Added Bighill: "It comes down to everyone just doing their job to the best of their ability. Weve got guys making plays. Weve just got to be consistent, because thats what great teams do." After last weeks loss to the Blue Bombers, Tiger-Cats head coach Kent Austin said he would "rather lose 47-0 than lose like that." Despite that frustrating outcome, Hamilton finds itself just one game out of first place in the East Division as all four teams continue to struggle for victories. If the Tiger-Cats are going to walk out of B.C. Place with a win, a good candidate to have a big game would be C.J. Gable. The explosive running back has a team-high 353 yards from scrimmage and is a player the Lions expect to key on. "Defensively we feel like weve been solid. We havent given up a lot in terms of points and yardage," said Bighill. "Theyre going to try to find ways to get (Gable) the ball, whether its throwing him the ball (or) running the ball out of the backfield. Were going to have eyes on him at all times." Notes: The Lions will dress defensive lineman Jabar Westerman after benching him last week in Calgary. The 25-year-old was in court this week on charges he allegedly threw a punch during a nightclub altercation in June. ... The Lions beat the Tiger-Cats 29-26 in their only meeting in Vancouver last season. ... B.C. visits Hamilton on Oct. 4. ' ' '
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