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SENATE MAJ. LEADER THUNE: A generational opportunity for strength, prosperity

All eyes will be on the United States Senate this week as we endeavor to pass the shared Republican agenda of American strength, security, and prosperity.

With the Republican reconciliation bill, we have the opportunity to deliver. It is one that doesn’t come around often, and our country stands to benefit greatly by Republicans seizing this moment and getting this bill across the finish line.

In large part, this bill is the culmination of President Trump’s campaign promises and the promises that Republican senators have made to our voters. Chief among them is keeping the American people safe through strong border security and a military strong enough to deter threats and conflicts around the world before they begin. 

President Trump has achieved remarkable success in ending the Biden border crisis and removing the criminal illegal aliens that President Biden let walk into our country – but it hasn’t been cheap, and the administration has told us that resources are running out. This bill will fully fund the border wall and President Trump’s successful policies for the entirety of his presidency, removing any possibility that Democrats will hold those resources hostage to try to increase other government spending.

This same principle also applies to defense funding. Recent conflicts around the world should make clear the need to have a modern and lethal fighting force that can keep the American people safe. This means smart, generational investments like President Trump’s Golden Dome for America to defend against advanced drones, missiles, and hypersonics, as well as prioritizing building new ships and unmanned vehicles.

A nation cannot prosper unless it is secure, and with our borders and defense capabilities bolstered, the next key pillar of this bill is creating prosperity in America.

We do this through permanently extending President Trump’s signature achievement in his first term, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The American people are facing a hefty $4 trillion tax increase at the end of the year, the largest in American history. If we fail to act, the average family of four making the median income in the United States will face a $1,700 tax increase. Not only does this bill prevent that tax increase, it makes the TCJA’s low rates permanent – meaning Democrats can never again try to use a pending expiration as leverage for advancing wasteful government spending. 

The bill locks in the TCJA’s small business provisions for all time, which is crucial for economic growth, and it also delivers on President Trump’s tax promises: No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, relief from Social Security taxes for seniors, and no tax on interest for vehicles made in the United States.

In the wake of the Biden administration and Democrats exploding the growth of government spending on programs like Medicaid, we will make commonsense reforms to return to a fiscally sustainable path. That means kicking illegal immigrants off of health programs and introducing work requirements that even 50% of Democrats agree with – all to ensure that programs like Medicaid are strengthened and able to deliver for the American citizens the programs were designed to benefit.

Senators have worked to develop this bill for well over a year now. Now it is time to act. Border resources are drying up. National security needs have never been more apparent. And with each passing day, we move closer to reaching both our nation’s debt limit and the largest-ever tax increase on the American people. 

 Senators return to Washington today and we will remain here until this bill is passed. We know that Democrats will fearmonger and misrepresent our efforts, and we expect them to drag this debate long into the night with unrelated issues. However, I am confident we will get this bill across the finish line.

 On the Fourth of July, Americans celebrate our freedoms and the work of previous generations to keep this great American experiment going. By placing this historic bill on the president’s desk by the Fourth of July, Republicans will be ensuring that future generations of Americans can live in safety and prosperity.

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SCOOP: House Republicans target ‘vulnerable’ Democrats for voting against tax cuts in ‘big, beautiful bill’

The House Republican campaign committee is taking aim at congressional Democrats whom they charge are ‘pushing the largest tax hike in generations.’

As part of their aggressive messaging following the passage last month of the GOP’s landmark spending and tax cut bill – dubbed by President Donald Trump as his ‘big, beautiful bill’ – the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is launching ads on Monday against 25 House Democrats who likely face challenging re-elections in the 2026 midterms.

‘Democrats jacked up inflation, making life more expensive for all of us. We need help. Now, they’re pushing the largest tax hike in generations,’ charges the narrator in the digital ads, which were shared first with Fox News.

The narrator argues that the Democrats being targeted in the ads are ‘completely out of touch’ and urges viewers of the spots to tell the Democratic lawmakers to keep their ‘hands off your hard-earned money.’

The bill passed the House of Representatives last month by just one vote, along partisan lines. And Trump is pushing for a July 4 deadline for the measure to pass through Congress and land on his desk at the White House.

The GOP-crafted measure is stuffed full of Trump’s campaign trail promises and second-term priorities on tax cuts, immigration, defense, energy and the debt limit. It includes extending his signature 2017 tax cuts, which are set to sunset this year without action by Congress – and eliminating taxes on tips and overtime pay. 

But the measure, if signed into law, would likely even further fuel the nation’s massive budget deficit. The national debt currently sits at $36,215,397,741,847.76 as of June 18, according to FOX Business’ National Debt Tracker. 

The spots, backed by a modest ad buy, are targeting California Democrats Josh Harder (9th District), Adam Gray (13th), George Whitesides (27th), Derek Tran (45th) and Dave Min (47th), and Florida’s Darren Soto (9th) and Jared Moskowitz (23rd).

Also included are Reps. Frank Mrvan (1st) of Indiana, Jared Golden (2nd) of Maine, Kristen McDonald Rivet (8th) of Michigan, Don Davis (1st) of North Carolina, Nellie Pou (9th) of New Jersey, Gabe Vasquez (2nd) of New Mexico, Dina Titus (1st), and Susie Lee (3rd), and Steven Horsford (4th) of Nevada.

The NRCC ads also take aim at Reps. Tom Suozzi (3rd), Laura Gillen (4th) and Josh Riley (19th) of New York, Marcy Kaptur (9th) and Emilia Sykes (13th) of Ohio, Henry Cuellar (28th) and Vicente Gonzalez (34th) of Texas, Eugene Vindman (7th) of Virginia, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (3rd) of Washington state.

Democrats are working to win back control of the House in next year’s midterms, as the GOP defends its razor-thin majority in the chamber.

‘Out of touch House Democrats lit the fire of inflation and tried to slap Americans with the biggest tax hike in decades, all to fund their radical agenda. Voters won’t forget this betrayal – not now, not next November,’ NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella claimed.

A memo last month by the NRCC encouraged House Republicans to make the tax cuts a priority as they defended their votes on the tax and spending bill, and to take aim at Democrats for pushing to raise taxes on average Americans.

The memo highlighted that the bill ‘prevents tax increases to put more money in every American’s pocket.’

As Democrats attack the bill, they’re highlighting the GOP’s proposed restructuring of Medicaid – the nearly 60-year-old federal program that provides health coverage to roughly 71 million low-income Americans.

The changes to Medicaid, as well as cuts to food stamps, another one of the nation’s major safety net programs, were drafted in part as an offset to pay for extending Trump’s 2017 tax cuts. The measure includes a slew of new rules and regulations, including work requirements for many of those seeking Medicaid coverage.

Democrats have relentlessly attacked Republicans over what they say will be ‘huge cuts’ to Medicaid if the bill becomes law.

But the NRCC pushes back, saying in its memo that it is ‘protecting Medicaid by removing illegal immigrants and eliminating fraud.’

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SGA doubles up, wins NBA Finals MVP after capturing regular-season award

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder star, is commonly referred to by initials, SGA. You can also call him MVP – not only of the 2024-25 regular season but now of the 2025 NBA Finals, too.

A fluid, 6-foot-6 guard, Gilgeous-Alexander became the first Canadian to win the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award after leading the Thunder past the Indiana Pacers for the franchise’s first NBA title since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points and added a playoff career-high 12 assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 103-91 win in Game 7 on Sunday, June 22.

Wearing Classic 6 Stitch Braids and a look of utter confidence, Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, was unmistakable and almost unstoppable during the series.

‘So much weight off my shoulders. So much stress relieved,’ Gilgeous-Alexander said. ‘No matter what, you go into every night wanting to win. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. … So proud of this group. Wouldn’t want to do it with any other group in the world. Feels good to be a champion.’

WINNER: Celebrate Thunder’s NBA title with gear, books, exclusive keepsakes

GAME 7 RECAP: Highlights from Thunder’s win over Pacers

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.3 points, 5.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 steals and shot 44.3% from the field in the Finals. That made him the clear pick for Finals MVP honors, and he put his name in elite company.

Gilgeous-Alexander became just the third player in NBA history and the first since 2000 to win league MVP, Finals MVP and the scoring title in the same season, joining legends Michael Jordan, who accomplished the feat four times (1990-91, ’91-92, ’95-96, ’97-98), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970-71) and Shaquille O’Neal (1999-2000).

He became the 11th player in NBA history to win the league MVP and Finals MVP in the same season, joining Willis Reed (1969-70), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970-71), Moses Malone (1982-83), Larry Bird (1983-84, 1985-86), Magic Johnson (1986-87), Michael Jordan (1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98), Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94), Shaquille O’Neal (1999-00), Tim Duncan (2002-03) and LeBron James (2011-12, 2012-13).

Celebrate With Championship Prints

‘it’s hard to believe that I’m part of that group. It’s hard to even fathom that I’m that type of basketball player sometimes,’ Gilgeous-Alexander said. ‘As a kid, you dream. Every kid dreams. But you don’t ever really know if it’s going to come true. I’m just glad and happy that my dreams have been able to come true. That’s a ‘thank you’ to everyone that’s been in my corner that helped me get there. Wouldn’t have been able to get here without them. They know who they are. It’s a win for the family.’

MOST VALUABLE: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins first NBA MVP award

The road to MVP status began in 2018. Gilgeous-Alexander was drafted 11th overall by the Charlotte Hornets and traded that same night to the Los Angeles Clippers. After making the All-Rookie Second Team, he traded to Oklahoma City, and that’s where he blossomed.

This season, his seventh in the league, Gilgeous-Alexander has gone from very good to great. He led the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game and total points (2,484), made his third All-Star Game and was named to the All-NBA First Team for the third time.

He scored at least 30 points in 15 of 23 playoff games, including 40 against Minnesota in the Western Conference finals and four games with 30 or more in the Finals.

‘All the achievements and accolades and things, they don’t even come close to the satisfaction of winning with your brothers and people that you are so close to and want to succeed just as much as you want yourself to succeed,’ Gilgeous-Alexander said. ‘That’s been the most impressive and fun part of it, just to know that I have 15 brothers that I just experienced a once-in-a-lifetime experience with. I’ll never forget them, they’ll never forget me.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.  Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Watch Tyrese Haliburton greet teammates after Pacers’ Game 7 loss

Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers fell short of their quest for an NBA championship after losing Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Haliburton did not return to the bench after the injury but did watch the rest of the game in the locker room. The Pacers’ star was seen on crutches after the conclusion of the game, greeting his teammates as they made their way back to the locker room.

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Trump’s week ahead will include a trip to The Hague to meet with NATO leaders as Iran crisis grows larger

President Donald Trump will be engaging in numerous foreign policy discussions this upcoming week at a NATO summit, where more than just Ukraine will be the focus of conversations between foreign leaders. 

A senior Trump official told the Wall Street Journal Sunday that the president still intends to attend the summit that will be held in The Hague, starting Wednesday. He will depart for the Netherlands on Tuesday and arrive late in the evening the same day. 

It is a slight schedule change from his originally planned departure date of Monday, per previous reports.

Trump was expected to attend a state dinner between foreign leaders on Tuesday evening, but it is unclear whether he will still attend due to the late-Tuesday arrival time. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for additional information about the president’s schedule.

The schedule change comes after the president recently abruptly left the G7 economic summit in Canada to attend to the ongoing situation in the Middle East that tamped up Saturday.

The summit between foreign leaders will likely include conversations about Trump’s recent decision to involve the United States in Israel’s campaign in the Middle East. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to be in attendance as well, with leaders expected to discuss ongoing assistance to Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia. However, Ukraine’s crisis is not expected to be the central issue of concern, with global tensions in Iran likely to take a major chunk of the summit’s attention. 

Leaders are also expected to discuss NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s proposal that each member country contribute at least 5% of their gross domestic product to defense spending. The idea, framed as a Trump win, has been rejected by Spain, while others have taken issue with the speed at which the move to increase NATO-member defense spending has taken.

The summit will end Wednesday and Trump will depart back to Washington thereafter. There will be heavy security and protesters have already taken to the streets in protest of the upcoming summit.

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DOUG SCHOEN: Trump’s Iran strategy could ignite long-awaited regime change. My Serbia experience is a guide

With President Donald Trump’s extraordinary decision to attack three of the key/critical Iranian nuclear sites, two questions emerge: First, how will the Iranian populace react to the decision? Second, will this hurt or help the chances for regime change?

Of course, we will not get answers to these questions immediately. But I think it’s fair to say that history, in the not-so-distant past, offers an instructive guide to what could well happen. 

While it is challenging at this point to answer these questions with a high degree of certainty, there is one historical analogy which I was deeply involved in that may provide insights.

More than 24 years ago, while working in the Bill Clinton administration, I was one of the principal actors advising the State Department on the situation in Serbia. There, I led on-the-ground efforts to demonstrate to the Serbian opposition that President Slobodan Milosevic could be beaten.

At the time, many in both the U.S. and Serbia thought that nearly 80-days of NATO bombings and the 1999 Kosovo war had produced a rally around the flag effect in favor of Milosevic.

And yet, the polls I conducted conclusively demonstrated the opposite. 

The data revealed that, despite efforts by the regime to portray Milosevic as strong and popular, he was extremely weak, with a 70% unfavorable rating.

As was acknowledged in the Washington Post at the time, the strategic guidance I provided based on those polls led to the development of a campaign that soon toppled a regime few thought was quite so vulnerable.

There are striking parallels between Milosevic’s downfall and the situation the Khamenei regime finds itself in today.

In both, there are some who feel that foreign airstrikes would strengthen nationalist sentiment in favor of a regime that prioritizes projecting an aura of popularity despite being incredibly disliked by its citizens. 

Further, in Serbia, we found that there was pervasive anger towards the government, particularly over the poor state of the economy. In Iran, there is similar – if not even more intense – dissatisfaction with the regime’s chronic mishandling of economic and national policy.

To be sure, polling data from inside Iran is limited, although Stasis, a firm which specializes in conducting methodologically-sound surveys in the country, released a poll last October that is telling.

They found that nearly 8-in-10 (78%) Iranians feel that the government’s policies are to blame for the country’s economic struggles.

Additionally, in a country of 90 million, where roughly 60% are under the age of 30, the same poll shows that more than three-quarters (77%) of Iranians believe that ‘Iranian youth do not see prosperity for their future in Iran.’

All of this is to say that like Milosevic’s regime, the Iranian government appears to have strong popular support, but underneath the surface, is extremely weak and vulnerable.

For many, the idea that Israel – and especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – could bring about regime change in Iran is hard to take seriously. 

But, a more detailed examination of the current situation, as well as Iran’s own recent history, supports the notion that Netanyahu could be more accurate than not.

Consider the history: Since 2009, there have been 10 nationwide protest movements, with millions of Iranians taking to the streets against the government.

And while there was a wide range of causes for those protests – from blatant election fraud to the most recent demonstrations set off by the killing of Mahsa Amini – they all underscore widespread opposition to the current regime. 

In that same vein, much like I saw in Serbia, the large number of protests and their various causes reveal a significantly large opposition that, under the right conditions, can effectively mobilize and pressure the regime. 

To that end, whereas we had to actively organize those movements in Serbia, those conditions are already evident in Iran, and on a much greater scale.

Aside from the bleak future facing Iran’s youth, the regime’s oppressive laws towards its nearly 44 million female citizens have turned virtually one-half of the population into second-class citizens with little to lose from rising up, as hundreds of thousands did during the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests. 

Underscoring just how deep the hatred is towards the regime, Iran International has reported receiving letters expressing personal thanks to Netanyahu, and the Jerusalem Post reported than an Iranian source told them, ‘This war has greatly strengthened and revived new optimism’ among Iranians for regime change.

The Post’s source inside Iran continued, saying that ‘conversations around the capital city (Tehran) are focused on the final days of the regime and that they brought it on themselves.’

Outside of Iran, the debate has already begun.

On one side are leaders such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as journalists like former National Security Advisor John Bolton, and Yorktown Institute President Seth Cropsey.

Those men have argued – Bolton and Cropsey in the Wall Street Journal, and Netanyahu speaking to Fox News’ Bret Baier and in other forums – that this is the most opportune moment for regime change in Iran since the revolution in 1979.

Given the deep reservoir of anti-regime sentiment among the Iranian people, the argument goes, the best course of action is that Israel’s destruction of the regime’s military and symbols of power will give Iranians the courage to rise up, united, against the government.

On the other side of the debate are those such as French President Emmanuel Macron. Haunted by failed regime change efforts in Iraq and Libya, Macron cast doubt on the possibility for success in pursuing regime change, saying it would ‘result in chaos.’

Some have also argued that Israel’s actions could create a ‘rally around the flag’ effect and spark nationalism among the Iranian people.

To be clear, while both sides have legitimate arguments, based off my experience in Serbia, I believe that Netanyahu and those on his side have a much stronger case.

The Iranian government is weaker than ever before after Israel destroyed virtually its entire chain of command and remains in total control of Iranian skies.

Likewise, unlike Libya and Iraq, Iran has a well-organized opposition, with a much more established sense of national unity than either Iraq or Libya ever had.

Taken together, there is strong evidence underpinning Israel’s belief that the Iranian regime could fall, especially given Israel’s extreme caution in only targeting symbols of the regime in order to avoid stoking nationalism.

Of course, there are risks in encouraging regime change, and it’s not at all guaranteed that the next regime is the one the West wants. It could very well result in a more extreme government led by remnants of the Revolutionary Guard hard-liners.

However, it is a mistake of similar magnitude to dismiss this chance out of hand. History has shown that when an oppressed people, angry at their government, find their confidence and are supported – even only by air power – the outcome need not be chaos, or the survival of the current government. 

It has, and could again, result in genuine regime change.

In both cases of Iran and Serbia there was widespread bombing of the country and indeed the civilians, with collateral damage on the civilian population. In the Serbian case all of the net results was that it strengthened the resolve of the Serbian people to rid themselves of an authoritarian dictator – Milosevic. And in the Iranian case, if history is any guide, it will weaken an already fragile regime and hopefully provide an outlet for the millions of Iranians who want a greater measure of freedom and peace in their lives.

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Horse racing trainer D. Wayne Lukas in hospice care after hospitalization

Legendary thoroughbred trainer D. Wayne Lukas, 89, is back home for hospice care after being hospitalized in Louisville.

Lukas had a MRSA blood infection that caused significant damage to his heart and digestive system while also worsening some preexisting conditions, according to a statement released by the Lukas family.

The family stated that Lukas declined an aggressive treatment plan, intending to spend his remaining time with his wife and family at home.

The Hall of Famer’s career spanned more than six decades, working with horses that earned victories at notable race tracks.

A succession plan was implemented by Lukas Enterprises Inc., and all horses previously trained by Lukas have been transferred to veteran assistant Sebastian “Bas” Nicholl.

D. Wayne Lukas’ biography

Lukas made a name for himself in Southern California, earning his first documented win as a thoroughbred trainer at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 20, 1977, at age 42.

He would train thoroughbreds full-time in 1978 with seven horses and became known throughout his career for his trademark barns, which featured a white picket fence, beds of flowers, and painted feed tubs used for decoration.

He had a stable based at Churchill Downs in Kentucky since 1989.

‘A special man, he’s been a great friend and very much a father figure to me,’ Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Kenny McPeek told The Courier Journal. ‘He raised the standards for our sport to the highest level. An amazing man.’

D. Wayne Lukas’ accomplishments

Lukas had 4,967 documented thoroughbred victories (637 of the 1,105 stakes wins were graded) during his career. His horses earned more than $301 million from 30,607 starts, according to Churchill Downs.

The trainer has won the Kentucky Derby four times and the Longines Kentucky Oaks five times during his career. A total of 26 horses trained by Lukas went on to win Eclipse Award championships, including three that were tabbed as Horse of the Year.

Lukas’ 15 Triple Crown races are second only to trainer Bob Baffert, who has 17 in his career.

He was enshrined in horse racing’s Hall of Fame in 1999 and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2007, becoming the first person recognized as a member of both.

 He had success with quarter horses as well during the 1970s at tracks such as Los Alamitos.

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Rockets move to win now with Durant in competitive Western Conference

In today’s NBA, championship dreams are never far away. Patience remains a virtue, but sooner or later, teams want to expedite a push for a title and capitalize on an unpredictable league.

The Houston Rockets’ rebuild has been impressive. They were 52-30 in 2024-25, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and owned the fourth-best record in the league. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the seventh-seeded Golden State Warriors.

Surveying the league, and the West specifically, the Rockets knew the status quo for 2025-26 wasn’t the answer.

So, they traded for Kevin Durant and gave the Phoenix Suns a budding young star in Jalen Green, defensive irritant in Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks.

The Rockets will worry about regaining draft capital later. Teams can always hit the reset button, but the championship window is not an endless opportunity.

Their goal is to win a title soon with Durant, All-Star Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams and Tari Eason.

Will that happen? No one knows that answer. The West remains loaded. The Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t going anywhere. The Minnesota Timberwolves want to win with Anthony Edwards. The Los Angeles Lakers get a full season with Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The Denver Nuggets still have three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The Golden State Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler to make another title push with Steph Curry and Draymond Green. The Los Angeles Clippers were a 50-win team last season.

GMs are plotting. No one will be surprised with more deals between now and the draft on Wednesday, June 25. Free agency opens June 30, giving teams another chance to alter roster.

Orlando just acquired Desmond Bane. Indiana knew it needed more and traded for Pascal Siakam halfway through the 2023-24 season, and that has given the Pacers a chance. Cleveland traded for Donovan Mitchell when front-office executive Koby Altman realized his young core required help. Minnesota and the New York Knicks swapped Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle just before the 2024-25 season.

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone determined that Durant gives Houston a better chance to compete for a title. Whether it’s Oklahoma City or Indiana, this season’s champion will be the league’s seventh different champion in as many seasons. Stone knows it can easily be a different team to win it all next season, and why not the Rockets.

Durant, 15-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA selection, turns 37 in September, and he has been limited by injuries, playing in 55 games in 2021-22, 47 in 2022-23, 75 in 2023-25 and 62 in 2024-25.

When he’s on the court, he is still one of the best players in the league. Durant, who was last was an All-NBA selection in 2023-24, averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks and shot 52.7 from the field, 43% on 3-pointers and 83.9% on free throws this season. He gives the Rockets an elite reliable offensive threat, especially in half-court sets and adds championship experience to a mostly young roster.

His arrival in Houston doesn’t guarantee a title or even a Western Conference finals appearance, but it made the Rockets’ quest for a championship more fascinating.

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Briscoe scores first NASCAR Cup win of 2025, holds off Hamlin at Pocono

Chase Briscoe had enough gas to get to the end and hold off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin on Sunday, June 22, to win the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway.

Driving in his first season for JGR, the 30-year-old Briscoe, who led 72 laps in The Great American Getaway 400, held the point most of the final stage but appeared to be short on fuel after leaving his pit box early on Lap 119.

However, the Indiana native held a consistent half-second lead over Hamlin’s No. 11, beating him by 0.682 seconds for his third career win in 161 starts and earning a postseason playoff berth.

‘Anytime you go to a new team you want to show them why they picked you – especially with Christopher (Bell) and Denny (Hamlin) winning three races already this year,’ Briscoe said after the race.

‘I can’t miss the playoffs in this car, but to finally be able to win a race and lock ourselves into the playoffs is definitely a huge relief. Just a great day for us, just super thankful for everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota who took a shot on me.’

FULL RESULTS: Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway

Following Hamlin in the seven-caution race were Ryan Blaney in third, Chris Buescher in fourth and Chase Elliott in fifth.

‘It was just so hard to pass, so we did all we could we were just next best in line,’ Hamlin said.

Returning to his No. 11 Toyota after missing last week’s race in Mexico City due to the birth of his third child, polesitter Hamlin had to wait out inclement weather and took the green flag at 4:30 p.m. ET for the 160-lap competition, the 17th race on the Cup series schedule.

With a week’s rest behind him, Hamlin was tough right away on the 2.5-mile tricky tri-oval. Fellow Row 1 starter Buescher kept within striking distance early in his No. 17 Ford, but Hamlin outdistanced Buescher easily to lead all 30 laps of Stage 1.

With some drivers short-pitting a few laps before the end, Buescher held on to second for valuable stage points. Tyler Reddick finished third, followed by Briscoe and Erik Jones.

On Lap 83, four-time Pocono winner Kyle Busch was squeezed in the tunnel turn and spun to spark the fifth caution just past the Turn 2 area. Last week’s winner Shane van Gisbergen, Ty Dillon and Christopher Bell all spun but received almost no noticeable damage.

However, winless Reddick took his No. 45 Toyota to the garage with brake problems, which also failed teammate Bubba Wallace earlier.

Briscoe’s No. 19 Toyota came alive in the second stage and won the 65-lap segment, his first stage victory since 2022. Josh Berry, Elliott, William Byron and Buescher secured top-five bonus points.

With 36 laps to go, the seventh caution for van Gisbergen spinning off Turn 1 was a bad break for leader Brad Keselowski, who had earlier been penalized for entering a closed pit and had yet to pit in the late cycle of stops.

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Celebrate Thunder’s NBA title with our page prints, books, keepsakes

Thunder Up! For the first time in its remarkable 17-year history, the Oklahoma City Thunder reigns supreme in the NBA. And all the Loud City fans can relive OKC’s championship season through page prints, books and commemorative editions from The Oklahoman, the Thunder’s hometown news organization. The Thunder’s season was one for the ages on the court: A franchise record for victories (68), the biggest point differential in NBA history (12.9 a game), a .696 winning percentage in the playoffs (16-7) and 50-point games from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (4). The Thunder’s season also was packed with epic storylines and engaging personalities: SGA crushing The Joker for the MVP award, J-Dub’s emergence as more than an All-Star sidekick, Chet Holmgren’s courageous return from a fractured pelvis and the visionary chops of Sam Presti and Mark Daigneault. Check out The Oklahoman’s lineup of keepsakes. Don’t miss your chance to own a piece (or two) of Thunder history!

OKC Thunder commemorative page prints

Did you catch The Oklahoman’s commemorative arena edition that was courtside for Game 7 of the NBA Finals? Well, the cover of this four-page collectible is available as a museum-quality print on thick matte or luster photo paper.

The page features CHAMPS! as a big, bold headline and a dynamic photograph of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander celebrating another basket against the defenseless Pacers. Right this minute, The Oklahoman is working on a beautifully designed commemorative page print that will show OKC celebrating its championship after Game 7 and just might have the big headline DAY OF THUNDER. Check back for updates. These page prints start at $30 (plus tax and shipping). Elegant upgrade options through the USA TODAY Store include framed editions. To order, go to usatodaystore.com/thunder.

Buy our commemorative Thunder page prints

OKC Thunder championship books

The award-winning sportswriters and photographers at The Oklahoman have crafted two books about the Thunder’s season: “THUNDERSTRUCK” and “Thunder Up!” Each tells the championship story in different ways and with different formats. Each features scores of color photos and insider observations about your team (from Joel Lorenzi, Jenni Carlson and Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman). 

“THUNDERSTRUCK” will be available at a variety of stores by the weekend of June 27, although it also can be ordered online right now at www.triumphbooks.com/thunder2025. “THUNDERSTRUCK,” a 128-page softcover book, chronicles the unforgettable moments of this championship season. From beating Nikola Jokic in the season opener to winning a franchise record of 15 straight games to hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy on OKC’s home court. “THUNDERSTRUCK” retails for $17.95 (plus tax and shipping if purchased online).

Buy our THUNDERSTRUCK championship book

“Thunder Up!” also covers the thrills and chills of the championship season but highlights the people and personalities forever etched in OKC lore. “Thunder Up!” is a premium hardcover collector’s book with more pictures, more pages and more Thunder. At 160 pages, it features more on SGA’s 54-pointer against Utah. More on the showdowns with the Cavaliers of Donovan Mitchell and the Lakers of Luka Doncic and LeBron James. More on the playoff march that steamrolled Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, Jokic and the Nuggets, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves and, finally, Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers. Order “Thunder Up!” for just $31.95 — a 20% discount off the $39.95 retail price (plus tax and shipping). You also can receive a printable certificate for a graduation gift. Order at ThunderUp.PictorialBook.com. 

Buy our Thunder Up! championship book

Many fans will want ‘THUNDERSTRUCK’ and ‘Thunder Up!’ Some fans never will take the coffee-table book out its shrink-wrapping so that it can be passed down to future generations, all brought up the right way to wear Thunder blue.

OKC Thunder print keepsakes, special editions

Read all about it! The Oklahoman has three exclusive, limited-edition keepsake items hot off the press. And they come in a bundle that costs only $15 (plus tax and shipping). Check ’em out:

You get the CHAMPS! newspaper that you saw on the court at Paycom Center after the Thunder vanquished the Pacers in Game 7. It’s a four-page arena section, it’s a certain collector’s item and it’s not available in stores. You get an eight-page commemorative edition that includes dazzling photography and page prints from the Thunder’s championship run. This edition is printed on heavier stock and is not available in stores. You get the championship celebration edition of The Oklahoman, to be published Tuesday, June 24.  To order the $15 bundle, go to https://onlinestore.usatoday.com/ and search THUNDER.

Buy our championship bundle of print keepsakes

OKC Thunder championship gear

Looking for OKC Thunder championship hats, T-shirts and more? Fanatics is among the options for gear that makes a statement. Thunder Up!

Buy Thunder championship gear from Fanatics

Even more OKC Thunder coverage

The Oklahoman provides the world’s best coverage of the NBA champion OKC Thunder. Follow the Thunder at oklahoman.com. Order print and digital subscriptions at 877-987-2737 or subscribe.oklahoman.com. Thank you for supporting local journalism.

Order digital and print Oklahoman subscriptions Go to The Oklahoman right now

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this does not influence our coverage. Contact Gene Myers at gmyers@gannett.com. Follow him on X@GeneMyers. After nearly a quarter-century as sports editor at the Detroit Free Press, Myers unretired to coordinate book and poster projects across the USA TODAY Network. Check out more books and page prints from the USA TODAY Network, including books by The Oklahoman on the Sooners’ fourth consecutive NCAA softball championship and on 60 years of high school basketball championships at State Fair Arena and page prints of SGA winning his MVP award and Oklahoma’s 2024 softball title.   

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