Ryan Preece’s short-lived, but ambitious 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule began three weeks ago at his home track, New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It ended Saturday in victory lane at the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway, his first career XFINITY series triumph. Preece, held off a hard-charging Kyle Benjamin in a green-white checkered finish that came after the third restart in the race’s final 17 laps. Preece ran full-time in 2016, but chose to funnel his 2017 XFINITY Series resources into this two-race stint with Joe Gibbs Racing. That gamble clearly paid off.
Kyle Busch won Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Overton’s 400 at Pocono Raceway to end a 36-race winless streak. Busch scored his first win since taking the Brickyard 400 last season by getting past Kevin Harvick with 16 laps to go. It was the 39th win of his MENCS career and first at Pocono Raceway. Pocono is the 22nd track where Busch has won. Busch also scored the 100th Cup Series victory for Toyota. He led five times for 74 laps, including the final 17. Busch is the 14th different winner of the season. Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five.
The Binghamton Rumble Ponies nearly swept their series with New Hampshire at NYSEG Stadium. The Rumble ponies won Thursday’s game 6-4, Friday’s game 1-0, and Saturday’s game 7-2. In took eleven innings for New Hampshire to come through with a 3-2 win on Sunday. Binghamton will remain at home for a three game series against the Trenton Thunder, the New York Yankees’ Double A affiliate.
Right handed pitcher, Drew Smith, acquired by the New York Mets from the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday for Lucas Duda (Doo-Da) has been assigned to the Rumble Ponies. He has a 1.60 ERA with seven saves this season.
Jon Jones has reclaimed his UFC light heavyweight title, defeating Daniel Cormier by knockout on Saturday night in Anaheim. The Union-Endicott graduate recently completed a one year suspension.
