ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021 SPORTS 14

Series points leader Cindric fi nishes 2nd, Allmendinger in 3rd place Burton wins fi rst Xfi nity Series race at Talladega TALLADEGA, Alabama, April 25, fi nding rides and sponsors - much less my dad and mom,” Burton said. “They Dash 4 Cash prize after fi nishing sixth. (AP): The rain came at a good time for wins. told me to dry it up and stop crying and Jones, Josh Berry and Daniel Hemric Jeb Burton, helping him end a years- Burton passed cousin Harrison Bur- enjoy it. They were crying too. We just also had been in contention. long personal winless stretch that had ton on the inside on Lap 82 and stayed wanted this for so long.” It was Gragson’s second straight left him at times doubting his future in up front before a seven-car wreck It was the third straight win at Tal- Dash 4 Cash prize, and he said his share racing. forced a caution and the downpour sent ladega for Kaulig Racing, with team- would go to members of the crew. Burton got his fi rst NASCAR Xfi nity the cars to pit road. mate Justin Haley sweeping the two “It’s not me winning the $100,000 Series victory when heavy rain halted Burton, the son of former NASCAR 2020 races. Series points leader Austin two weeks in a row,” Gragson said. the action with 23 laps left, securing his driver Ward Burton, had opened the Cindric was second after starting in the “It’s the 9 team and those guys. It takes fi rst high level win since a truck race pole position, followed by Burton’s the whole group.” in 2013. teammate, AJ Allmendinger. Haley won the opening stage after “The rain didn’t hurt my feelings CAR RACING “Ward and Jeb and that whole Bur- taking the lead with an inside move for at all,” Burton said. “Everything I’ve ton family have fought hard to stay in the fi nal two laps, ahead of Jeb Burton. been through in my career, to get one, the sport and be a part of it,” Allmend- Gragson surged past Cindric on the we didn’t really care how we did it. But season with three straight top-fi ve fi n- inger said. “I just told Jeb when he got fi nal lap to win Stage 2. we ran up front all day. It defi nitely ishes. here - it’s not like shut up and do the But Burton was up front in the end, wasn’t a fl uke. Burton, who has made 30 Cup Series work - but it’s like, ‘Man just put your for the fi rst time in some eight years. “We led a lot of laps and it was a starts, fi nally got to celebrate another head down and let’s do this together He was already thinking about trying to blast to drive.” win since that Truck Series race and we’re all going to benefi t.” get the next win. He said he was “a little bit in dis- in 2013. He did manage some rain- The biggest wreck of the day hap- “Ever since then it’s just been really belief” when told that he had been de- soaked burnouts. pened Joe Graf Jr., who appeared to tough to stay in a place and get in a clared the winner, showing little initial Burton was emotional after the win have a fl at tire, drifted up the track into rhythm it’s been an up and down roller reaction. The disappointment at not and so were his parents when he spoke Brandon Jones. That, it turned out, was coaster of a career for sure just on the Jeb Burton smiles after winning the rain-shortened NASCAR Xfi nity Series getting to fi nish it passed when he re- to them on the phone. the end of the racing. sponsorship side and fi nding the right auto race at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24, in Talladega, Alabama. membered his own career struggles at “I defi nitely broke down talking to Noah Gragson won the $100,000 home,” he said. “But now I have that.” (AP) Chiefs post 5th-straight win Usman tops Masvidal, UFC 261 Crusaders seal fi nal place in Super Rugby Aotearoa returns sports world to normal CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, tackles to score. April 25, (AP): The Christchurch- Winger Sevu Reece scored in the based Crusaders will host a Super 27th minute, taking a long pass on the Rugby final for the fourth consecutive right wing from Havili who was prob- Namajunas stuns Weili to take strawweight belt year after beating the Auckland-based ably the most influential player on the Blues 29-6 Sunday in their last regular field Sunday. JACKSONVILLE, Flor- season match in Super Rugby The Crusaders led 12-0 at halftime Aotearoa. and the Blues just managed to hang in ida, April 25, (AP): A The Crusaders hauled themselves the match with early penalties in the packed house. A raucous out of a late-season form slump - they second half. But a try from a lineout crowd. Celebrity sightings. had won only one of their last three drive by hooker Codie Taylor - his games - to claim a win which put them seventh in eight matches - gave the Stunning upsets. Spectacu- eight points ahead Crusaders a commanding 22-6 lead lar fi nishes. Broken bones. of the Hamilton- after 59 minutes. Blood, sweat and tears. based Chiefs on Jordan sealed the win in the 72nd UFC 261 returned a sense of the five-team normalcy to the sports world with table. The Chiefs RUGBY one of its craziest events in years. posted their fifth- Billed as the fi rst full-fl edged sport- straight win on ing event since the coronavirus Friday when they minute when he won the race to pandemic altered the world more beat the Havili’s kick behind the Blues’ line. than a year ago, it delivered more Wellington-based The match was typical of many in Hurricanes 26-24 Super Rugby Aotearoa this season - it than even its staunchest promoter Jordan imagined. are in second meandered for long periods with nei- “I don’t think it gets any better than to- place, five points ther side taking control. The Blues night,” UFC President said. clear of the Blues who they will meet were strong at the scrum and had a “You couldn’t have a better night. … It in the final round of the season next breakdown edge through captain was amazing. The crowd was amazing. weekend. Dalton Papalii. The fi ghts were amazing. ... There’s just Fullback Will Jordan scored the first But the Blues couldn’t create any- a different energy you get when people and last of the Crusaders four tries on thing and seldom brought their danger- are here. It was insane.” Sunday, likely clinching a starting ous outside backs into play, lacking a ended the event by place on the wing in the All Blacks decisive player at flyhalf. winning his 18th straight bout and re- team which will play Italy and Fiji in The Crusaders were sharper in taining his belt. Usman July. attack, moving the ball wide and tak- knocked out with a right Kamaru Usman knocks out Jorge Masvidal during a UFC 261 bout early Sunday, April 25, in In the fifth minute Jordan took a ing advantage of angles in the Blues’ Jacksonville, . (AP) short pass from center David Havili as dog-leg backline. But they missed the ball was moving right along the their injured All Blacks prop Joe MIXED MARTIAL ARTS short-notice fi ght in July. The 33-year- and the bout was stopped at the 1:18 more than a year of dealing with COV- Crusaders backline and cut back to the Moody at scrums and were outplayed old Usman beat Masvidal at Fight Is- mark of the opening round. ID-19 changes to their routines. left, stepping through four ineffectual in the loose. punch to the jaw early in the second land, winning a at Namajunas broke down in tears in the “I’ve pictured this moment a million round, silencing a pro-Masvidal crowd. UFC 251. Masvidal stepped in on six octagon as she became the fi rst woman times over, so it was everything I expect- Usman’s victory was his days’ notice, fl ying halfway around the in UFC history to recapture a champi- ed it to be,” said Jeff Molina, who beat third in his last four fi ghts, further show- world to fi ll in for No. 1 title contender onship belt. Three previous champions Qileng Aori in an undercard bout. “Hav- Rajasthan sends Kolkata to casing his impressive versatility and an after Burns tested positive failed to reclaim belts they had lost, in- ing fans back is awesome. ... I stepped in ability to adjust tactics during bouts. The for COVID-19. cluding Ronda Rousey. there, I turned and looked at the crowd, former NCAA Division II wrestler had Masvidal held his own and went fi ve Zhang erupted in anger, clearly upset raised my hand and defi nitely caught IPL cellar after 6-wicket win only one knockout victory in his fi rst rounds against the champ, whose strat- with the referee’s decision to stop the some good energy, good vibes from the , India, April 25, (AP): Samson kept his team on track with 10 UFC fi ghts before he stopped Colby egy including stomping on Masvidal’s fi ght. Replays showed how vicious the crowd.” pushed Kolkata able support from David Miller, 24 not Covington, Gilbert Burns and Masvidal feet every time they were locked up. kick was, but Zhang insisted she never Seven-time champion Some thought Masvidal would have a lost consciousness. was sitting cage-side along Knight Riders to the bottom of the out, and , 22. with punches in the past 18 months. table after a ’s struggle at the top con- “Jacksonville, Florida, you said you better chance with a full training session. Flyweight champion Valentina with Tampa Bay teammates Mike Ev- Not really. Shevchenko (21-3) totally dominated ans, and Josh Wells. six-wicket victory. tinued when he was trapped leg before wanted violence. You’re welcome,” wicket for 5 by legspinner Varun Usman said. Usman’s 18 consecutive Still, Masvidal had the crowd be- Jessica Andrade (21-9) to retain her belt, Florida legend and Jacksonville na- Rajasthan’s multimillion dollar MMA victories include 14 straight wins hind him. They cheered wildly for the slamming Andrade to the canvas three tive Tim Tebow was on hand with his signing, , grabbed 4-23 to Chakarvarthy off his second ball. since joining the UFC in 2015. Only 36-year-old native, breaking into times in two rounds. She eventually wife. And quarter- restrict Kolkata to 133-9. Yashasvi Jaiswal hit five boundaries Anderson Silva’s streak of 16 straight “Ole, Ole, Ole” and “Let’s go Jorge” won a TKO after a series of bludgeon- back Gardner Minshew and linebacker in his 17-ball knock of 22, before he UFC wins is longer in the promotion’s chants, and booed Usman whenever pos- ing blows to Andrade’s head and ear. Myles Jack were in the fi rst few rows. holed out in the deep as Rajasthan lost history. sible. Shevchenko danced in the octagon after Former Bucs receiver both openers within the first five “He’s one of the best ever. He’s an “He’s got my number, man,” Mas- the victory and exclaimed, “I dipped into a large bucket of popcorn as he overs. absolute stud,” White said. “You’re an vidal said. can do everything.” sat next to YouTube sensation and celeb- But Samson added 45 runs with idiot if you think this guy is boring.” It was the last of three title bouts, but The sold-out event drew a star-stud- rity boxer Jake Paul, who got into a nose- Captain then Dube, and Miller twice survived lbw Usman (19-1) thanked Masvidal (35- hardly the most surprising. ded crowd. There was no social distanc- to-nose argument with former UFC fi ghter anchored Rajasthan to 134-4 with appeals against Shivam Mavi. 15) for scaring him and pushing him, Rose “Thug” Namajunas (11-4) ing inside the 15,000-plus-seat arena and and current commentator Daniel Cormier seven balls to spare by compiling a Earlier, Rajasthan’s left-arm fast saying it’s been a long time since he felt stunned (21-2) to take the few masks in any direction. before the main card. The packed house nearly run-a-ball unbeaten 42. bowlers (1-22) nervous before a bout. strawweight belt. Namajunas sent Zhang It was a clear sign that at least some taunted Paul several times during breaks Although Rajasthan’s problems in and (1-25) bowled This one was a rematch from their to the canvas with a left foot to the face, fans are ready to return to normal after and at least twice during fi ghts. the batting powerplay continued, impressively up front.