Jack Norris 
Dale Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR Hall of Famer, responded to a fan who questioned his understanding of the most popular driver award. The exchange occurred after a discussion about whether Carson Hocevar could unseat Chase Elliott. Earnhardt Jr. won the award 15 times.
Toronto FC’s upcoming home match against Inter Miami will serve as a test run for the expanded BMO Field ahead of the World Cup. The stadium will be using all 17,000 temporary seats for the first time. A record crowd of some 45,000 is expected.
Toronto FC, winless in six games, are preparing to host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. TFC coach Robin Fraser acknowledged the difficulty of stopping Messi, suggesting the focus should be on containing him. Defender Walker Zimmerman echoed this sentiment, cautioning against focusing solely on Messi.
Manchester United’s recent run of victories faced a setback as they were held to a goalless draw by Sunderland. Senne Lammens’ fine goalkeeping kept the hosts at bay. The result was a reminder of the task still facing Michael Carrick to make United a major force again.
Ben Shelton is set to compete against Nikoloz Basilashvili at the ATP Rome Masters. Arthur Fils will play Andrea Pellegrino. Frances Tiafoe is also set to make his first appearance in over a month.
Atlético de Madrid and Celta de Vigo are set to face each other in LaLiga EA Sports. Atlético have already secured their place in the Champions League. Celta de Vigo are looking to secure a spot in Europe.
Aryna Sabalenka has suggested that players may boycott grand slam tournaments in an effort to secure a greater revenue share. This follows over a year of polite requests from players to the grand slams, which have been met with little substantial response. Other players, including Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff, have voiced their dissatisfaction.
The Lazio vs Inter Milan match is underway. Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
The Guardians defeated the Royals 8-5, splitting their four-game series. Bo Naylor’s three-run homer in the seventh inning extended the Guardians’ lead. Slade Cecconi delivered 5 ⅓ innings of two-run ball.
Former Southend United striker Henry Sandat is targeting promotion with Hornchurch. The Urchins are set to host Torquay United in the National League South play-off final this weekend. Sandat says promotion would be the ‘icing on the cake’ for Hornchurch this season.