While the world’s attention is naturally on the Olympics right now, the NCAA men’s hockey season is getting into the stretch run. Oh, and there is one current college player in Milano, as Minnesota-Duluth’s Adam Gajan, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect, is on Team Slovakia. Gajan hasn’t seen any action in the Olympics yet and there’s a very good chance he won’t get between the pipes at all, but just the fact he’s around this atmosphere and practicing with NHLers such as Juraj Slafkovsky and Simon Nemec is great experience for the youngster.

In the meantime, Boston College won the Beanpot earlier this week, defeating their archrivals from Boston University to claim the famed city-wide trophy. With Team USA’s Olympic squad featuring Eagles alum such as Matt Boldy and Noah Hanifin and former Terriers such as Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk and Charlie McAvoy, I’m going to assume it came up once or twice in the dressing room this week. Now let’s get to the rankings.

1. Michigan Wolverines (24-5-1)

Taking on a rested Penn State squad, the Wolverines came away with two more wins, though the first contest did go to a shootout. Nonetheless, Michigan continues to dominate the NCAA rankings. Free agent T.J. Hughes is still the top scorer on the team, while goalie Jack Ivankovic (NSH) is finding his range again after returning from injury.

2. Michigan State Spartans (22-6-0)

The Spartans had the weekend off, but remain in second spot based on their overall season. Michigan State’s final games of the regular season are against the three weakest teams in the Big Ten (Ohio State, Notre Dame and Minnesota), so they could run the table. Trey Augustine (DET) remains hot in net with a 1.96 goals-against average.

3. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (23-7-0)

A sweep of Miami means the Hawks continue to roll in a deep, difficult conference. Defenseman Abram Wiebe (CGY) had a beauty overtime winner against the Redhawks, while even defensive blueliner E.J. Emery (NYR) found the scoreboard. Needless to say, NoDak is a team that can beat you from all angles.

4. Western Michigan Broncos (22-8-0)

The Broncos blasted Arizona State over the weekend by a combined score of 13-4. That means they’ve still only lost two games since the calendar flipped over to 2026 and after an uneven start to the campaign, the defending national champions seem to be rounding into form at the right time. Junior Grant Slukynsky leads the offense with 33 points in 30 games.

5. Quinnipiac Bobcats (24-5-3)

While the Bobcats are still paced by scoring machine Ethan Wyttenbach (CGY), they’re not a one-man team by any means. Freshmen Antonin Verreault and Marcus Vidicek, both of whom came from the major junior ranks, have also been solid contributors to a team that is really looking dangerous this season.

6. Denver Pioneers (19-11-3)

Sweeping Omaha has the Pioneers continuing on the ascent and now Denver has just one regular-season series left, against Arizona State. Rieger Lorenz (MIN) has been red-hot with seven points in his past five games, while defenseman Eric Pohlkamp (SJ) still leads the team in overall scoring with 31 points in 33 games.

7. Providence College Friars (19-8-2)

Like Western Michigan, the Friars have lost only two games in 2026 – though one of them was this past weekend against a Northeastern team that has been dangerous. Providence has a decent lead atop Hockey East and with other programs exhibiting a lot of inconsistency, the Friars are in a good spot as the post-season nears.

8. Penn State Nittany Lions (18-9-1)

True, Penn State was swept by Michigan on the weekend – but at least they pushed one of the contests into the shootout. Gavin McKenna (2026 draft) was an obvious target for trolling by the Wolverines’ fans, but he did manage an assist. Reese Laubach (SJ) actually had a great weekend with four points against Michigan.

9. Boston College Eagles (17-10-1)

It feels like the Eagles are on the cusp of something, they just haven’t quite gotten over the hump so far this season. After winning the Beanpot (a big deal), they split with Merrimack this weekend, which is not ideal. On the positive side, freshman Oscar Hemming (2026) got his first NCAA goal and now has eight points in 12 games since joining the team midway through the year.

10. Connecticut Huskies (17-7-4)

The key to UConn’s success lately has been defense. The Huskies have given up just three goals total in their past three games – and they all came in a shootout win over Maine. Netminder Tyler Muszelik (FLA) can take a lot of the credit for that too, as he was the goalie of record in all of those matches.

MILAN — For most of the 21st century, U.S. pairs figure skating has been an afterthought. 

While the men, women and ice dance sent three representatives in their respective disciplines, it became the norm to just send two pairs. Even then, they weren’t really medal favorites. It was never something Team USA boasted. 

But things appear to be changing in the right direction.

While not quiet podium contenders, the teams of Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea with Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe showed the American pairs division is on the rise, starting the short program on a strong note to set up what could be a milestone finish.

Team USA’s night on Sunday, Feb. 15 began with a team that technically got in thanks to some lucky breaks. National champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, as well as third-place finishers Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman, couldn’t qualify for the Olympics due to citizenship issues, opening the door for the fourth-place finishers in Chan and Howe.

It was at the U.S. figure skating championships where the two had a rough short program, riddled with mistakes that almost took them out of Olympic contention immediately. Clearly, a month of preparation helped. 

There was a night-and-day difference in their performance, highlighted by a dazzling triple toe loop. Even better, no mess-ups.

“It was a bit of a sigh of relief and just excitement,” Chan said of her reaction when the program was finished. “We really went out there and we were together, and we experienced that whole entire program together. I just felt on the top of the mountain.”

Chan and Howe earned a score of 70.06, more than 10 points of what they got in the same program one month ago. It earned praise from 2006 ice dance medalist Ben Agosto, telling the crowd inside Milano Ice Skating Arena it was the “best I’ve seen them in a long time.”

“A big goal has always just been getting out there and feeling good, because if you can feel good, then you have your best chances of delivering what you need to do,” Howe said. “I just felt really laser focused out there.”

That set it up for the team event’s unsung heroes. After playing a critical role in the U.S. winning gold, Kam and O’Shea rode the wave from a week ago. However, the short program in the team event was tough since Kam fell on the throw triple loop. 

Since winning gold, they spent time away from the Olympic Village to pull the emotions together, but keep the good vibes going.

This time around, there was no hitting the ice. Kam was able to keep her balance on the throw, proof their plan worked.

“It feels like we were able to keep all the good momentum and the good things that we wanted to take from the team event and leave all the rest that we didn’t need behind,” she said.

Despite some minor self-inflicted mistakes from O’Shea, the pair didn’t just get a better score than the team event. They got a season-best 71.87.

“We definitely had a little more jitters,” O’Shea recalled of their first outing. “Since then, we’ve been able to settle in and really reframe and refocus on having the time of our lives. 

“The performance itself is something we’re really proud of,” he added. “We stayed on our feet, got rid of those bigger mistakes and got a season’s best.”

Improvement in US figure skating pairs

Heading into the free skate, Kam and O’Shea are in seventh place with Chan and Howe in ninth. It may not seem impressive, but it marks quite the accomplishment. With the 2022 Games, the U.S. has now had two pairs in the top 10 of the standings after the short program in back-to-back Olympics for the first time in the 21st century.

O’Shea credited Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, whose sixth place finish in 2022 was Team USA’s best since 2002, for opening the door for improvement in the category, and frankly, the reason he and Kam are now partners.

“We’re only getting better,” she said.

Now, the U.S. can complete it in the free dance by having two top 10 finishers in back-to-back Olympics for the first time this century. It’s nothing to brag about, but it shows there’s an upward trend for a discipline that’s been desperately looking for one for decades.

Will either team snap the skid and be the first American pair to win an Olympic medal since 1988? Not likely, but given how unpredictable figure skating has gone in Milano Cortina, including in the pairs, nothing can be entirely ruled out.

Medal or not, the two teams are proving there’s a resurgence in pairs, and it may be a few Olympics away from finally standing on that podium once again.

“I’m so proud of what the pairs in the US have been doing,” O’Shea said. “We really hope to keep that tradition going.”

Anthony Edwards furthered his case to be the face of the NBA after securing the All-Star Game MVP at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The Minnesota Timberwolves star joined a list of ASG MVP winners that includes Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James. Each of those players spent time as the face of the league.

Edwards produced 32 points during the three mini games he played in for Team Stars (USA) on Sunday.

The league introduced a new format for the All-Star Game this year with three teams, two consisting of American players and a World team that featured players with international ties, playing each other in a small tournament to determine which two teams would meet in the championship game.

Edwards has acknowledged the potential of being the face of the league, but it isn’t something he’s necessarily chasing.

‘It isn’t something I’m out here shooting for, if it happens, it happens,” Edwards told NBA TV after the game. “I’m not somebody like ‘oh I’m trying to be the face of the league,’ but if it happens, it happens.’

Edwards did not shy away when pointing out that some of the NBA’s best players saw minimal action on Sunday.

‘No shade towards Luka (Doncic) and (Nikola) Jokić, but like they are two of the best players in the league, they’re not trying to play in the All-Star Game,’ Edwards said during an interview on NBA TV.

Nikola Jokić saw limited action, playing just over five minutes during the first game, collecting two defensive rebounds and shooting 0-for-1 from the field. He had not been listed on the Denver Nuggets’ injury report but was diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee injury in December that caused him to miss 16 games.

Luka Doncic also played just over five minutes for Team World, shooting 1-of-3 from the field (0-for-2 from the 3-point line) with two assists. Doncic suffered a left hamstring strain on Feb. 5 and missed four consecutive games for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) did not play for Team World due to injuries.

Anthony Edwards career stats

Anthony Edwards has averaged 24.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in 427 NBA games played.

Jerome Tang is out as Kansas State basketball coach.

The school announced the firing Sunday night, Feb. 15.

“This was a decision that was made in the best interest of our university and men’s basketball program,’ K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said. “Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. We wish Coach Tang and his family all the best moving forward.”

At a Sunday night news conference, Taylor said Tang ‘has been terminated for cause.’

The Wildcats are 10-15 this season with a 1-11 record in Big 12 play, which comes a season after final records of 16-17 in 2024-25 and 19-15 in 2023-24.

The decision comes days after Tang’s scorched-earth news conference following Kansas State’s 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati on Feb. 11, where Wildcats fans were wearing paper bags over their heads. Tang said his players didn’t deserve to wear the school’s uniforms after the performance.

Kansas State is coming off a 78-64 loss to Houston on Feb. 14, in which its players had their names removed from their jerseys for the game.

What did Jerome Tang say to get fired?

‘This was embarrassing,’ Tang said after the Cincinnati loss. ‘These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform, and there will be very few of them in it next year. I’m embarrassed for the university, I’m embarrassed for our fans, and our student section. It’s just ridiculous.

‘We have practice at 6 a.m. tomorrow. I have no answers or no words. Y’all got two questions, so whoever wants to ask two questions, I’ll answer ’em to the best of my ability right now. But right now, I’m pissed.

‘These dudes have to have some pride, man. It means something to wear a K-State uniform. It means something to put on this purple, man. Our university’s all about that, and it’s why I love this place, man. They don’t love this place, so they don’t deserve to be here.’

What Kansas State AD Gene Taylor said about firing Jerome Tang

At Sunday’s news conference announcing the firing, Taylor said, ‘What he said about the student-athletes really concerned me.’

‘There’s language in his contract that addresses certain things that could potentially bring embarrassment,’ Taylor added. ‘Basically, his comments about the student-athletes and the negative reaction to those comments from a lot of sources, both nationally and locally is where I kind of thought we needed to make the decision.’

As of Sunday night, the school still has Tang’s postgame news conference from the Cincinnati game live on its YouTube page.

Jerome Tang buyout, contract

Tang’s buyout is set at $18.675 million, according to the USA TODAY Sports head coaches salaries database.

K-State’s athletic director said Tang was fired ‘for cause’, which would affect the conditions of the buyout.

Tang had five years remaining on his contract.

What did Jerome Tang say about being fired by Kansas State?

In a statement to ESPN, the former Kansas State coach said:

“I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination. I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach.

‘I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the opportunity to serve as Head Coach at Kansas State. It has been one of the great honors of my life.

‘I am grateful to the players, staff, and fans who make this program so special. I remain proud of what we built together and confident that I have always acted in the best interests of the university and our student-athletes.’

How can Kansas State fire Jerome Tang for cause?

Kansas State can fire Tang for cause for the following reasons:

***Material breach of his agreement, intentional negligence, or other failure or refusal to perform his duties and responsibilities as head coach.
Insubordination; objectionable behavior
Failure to report any and all violations of NCAA rules
Fraud or dishonesty related to submitting documents to the NCAA
Serious or multiple rules violations involving himself, an assistant or staff member
Failure to reasonably respond accurately and fully within a reasonable time relating to the coach’s duties to the athletic director
Instruct a coach, student or other person to respond inaccurately, inappropriately or incompetently or destroy or conceal evidence concerning a matter to a student or athletic program
Fail to obtain required approval for outside activities

*** — Among the notable duties listed in Tang’s contract is to conduct himself in a manner consistent with being the head coach. It says that Tang is not to engage in any behavior, actions, or activities that subject himself, Kansas State athletics, or the university to public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule, or scandal, with such conduct reflecting unfavorably on K-State athletics.

What’s next at Kansas State?

Tang, a former longtime Baylor assistant, led Kansas State to the Elite Eight in his first year with the program in 2022-23 before eventually falling to national runner-up Florida Atlantic. The fall from grace was fast after reaching impressive heights as a first-year head coach.

Kansas State has three Elite Eight appearances since 2010 under three different coaches — Tang (2023) Bruce Weber (2018) and Frank Martin (2010). The school has produced numerous high-level coaches throughout the years, including Lon Kruger, Dana Altman and Bob Huggins, to name a few.

Associate head coach Matthew Driscoll will serve as interim head coach, Taylor said, as K-State begins its search for Tang’s replacement.

Regardless of who crossed the line first Sunday afternoon, the 2026 Daytona 500 was a historic edition of the race.

The race on Sunday, Feb. 15, saw more leaders than any installment of NASCAR’s marquee race of the year. It was only befitting that a driver who did not lead a lap until the checkered flag waved finished first: 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick.

The big wreck of the race came just past the halfway point, when leader Justin Allgaier moved to block Denny Hamlin’s run on the outside but shut the door too late and hit the wall. He spun back down and collected more cars as 20 of the 41 drivers were affected by the wreck.

Thanks to a late caution, Michael McDowell looked poised for a chance to take his second Daytona 500 win. He had saved enough fuel to maintain position in the final 10 laps as others made quick pit stops.

But McDowell didn’t hold off the hard-charging likes of Chase Elliott, Reddick and others. Elliott led briefly led before Reddick made a hard charge on the final lap to overtake him for the win.

Reddick celebrated with team owner Michael Jordan in victory lane.

Jordan credited the team and Reddick for staying in position for the win all race.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Joey Logano, Elliott and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five at the checkered flag.

The race started early to avoid inclement weather that did not arrive during the 200-lap race. Here’s a look at how the race unfolded:

Daytona 500 results, final leaderboard

Here’s the order at the end of Stage 3.

Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing
Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing
Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing
Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing
Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske
Corey Heim, No. 67 23XI Racing
Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
Casey Mears, No. 66 Garage 66
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing
Justin Allgaier, No. 40 JR Motorsports
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports
BJ McLeod, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports

Who won the Daytona 500?

Tyler Reddick avoided contact on a chaotic final lap and made a run on the outside to take the lead over Chase Elliott and Zane Smith and earn the win. Reddick did not lead a singe lap of the race but crossed the line in front for his first Daytona 500 victory.

Has Kyle Larson won the Daytona 500?

No, the reigning Cup Series champion has never won the Daytona 500. He started from pole position in 2022 but has only managed seventh at best in this race.

Has Kyle Busch won the Daytona 500?

Busch has never won the Daytona 500 in his long Cup Series career. His best result was second in 2019 and third in 2016.

Who won Daytona 500 Stage 2?

Bubba Wallace managed to escape the chaos from the biggest wreck of the race so far and cross the line first at the end of 130 laps. Ryan Blaney, John Hunter Nemechek, Kyle Busch and Riley Herbst round out the top five.

Daytona 500 update: The Big One comes in Stage 2

It took until the closing laps of Stage 2 but the big wreck of the race involved nearly half of the grid.

On Lap 124, leader Justin Allgaier floated to the top lane and lost speed as he tried to block Denny Hamlin from going around his outside. Allgaier hit the wall and pinched Hamlin which sent both back down the track and into the trailing cars. Nearly half of the 41-car field was caught up in the biggest wreck of the race.

Bubba Wallace made it through unscathed on the bottom lane and leads the field under caution to start Stage 3.

Daytona weather updates

Conditions at Daytona International Speedway were mostly cloudy with temperatures in the mid-70s to start the race. As the laps tick off, the threat of rain continues to hang over the field with thunderstorms expected at 5 p.m. ET.

Here’s the latest AccuWeather forecast: Overcast; a heavy thunderstorm around this evening followed by a couple of showers late; thunderstorms can bring localized damaging wind gusts. High temperature of 77 degrees and a low of 62. Chance of precipitation: 55%.

Daytona 500 updates: Stage 2 wreck involves nine cars

Contact near the front of the field involving Austin Dillon, Conor Zilisch, Chase Briscoe, Cody Ware and more drivers brought out the caution flags on Lap 85 of 200.

Who won Daytona 500 Stage 1?

Zane Smith won the first stage of the Daytona 500 in the Front Row Motorsports Ford. Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar and Daniel Suarrez rounded out the top five runners after the first 65 laps.

How many laps are the 2026 Daytona 500?

The race is 200 laps around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway for a total of 500 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 65 laps; Stage 2: 65 laps; Stage 3: 70 laps.

2026 Daytona 500 stages

Every NASCAR race is broken up into three stages. Each stage awards championship points to each driver finishing in the top 10. Drivers earning the most points at the checkered flag – the end of Stage 3.

William Byron battling back after Daytona 500 crash

The Hendrick Motorsports driver suffered some damage following contact with the wall and McLeod on Lap 5. After multiple trips to pit road for adjustments, Byron’s back up to 28th on Lap 22.

Daytona 500 update: William Byron, others affected by B.J. McLeod crash

The first retirement of the race comes early as McLeod lost his right rear tire and hit the wall before spinning down to the infield. Noah Gragson, William Byron, Justin Allgaier, Tyler Reddick and Casey Mears were affected by McLeod’s wreck.

John Hunter Nemechek leads ahead of polesitter Kyle Busch and Shane van Gisbergen.

Daytona 500 grand marshal

Comedian Nate Bargatze gave the drivers the order to start their engines from Daytona International Speedway, stating it was the ‘most American thing I’ve ever done in my life.’

Daytona 500 start time update

The 2026 Daytona 500 is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The time was moved up one hour from the original 2:30 p.m. start due to weather concerns.

What channel is Daytona 500 on today?

Coverage for the 2026 Daytona 500 has already started on FOX. The race will begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, moved up from its original time due to weather concerns.

How to stream Daytona 500?

The 2026 Daytona 500 can be streamed on FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app. For those looking to cut the cord, the race can also be streamed on Fubo, which is offering a free trial.

Watch the 2026 Daytona 500 on Fubo

Who won 2025 Daytona 500?

William Byron won the 2025 Daytona 500, claiming victory in NASCAR’s most famous race for the second year in a row.

Byron took the checkered flag at Daytona International Speedway after a crash broke out on the final lap. But NASCAR kept the green flag out, and Bryon was able to vault from ninth place to the front as other cars crashed around him.

Tyler Reddick finished second, and seven-time NASCAR Cups Series champion Jimmie Johnson third. Pole winner Chase Briscoe came home fourth followed by John Hunter Nemechek.

Daytona 500 odds 2026

Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron and Denny Hamlin are currently the favorites to win the Daytona 500, according to BetMGM.

Odds as of Sunday, Feb. 15.

Ryan Blaney: +1200
Joey Logano: +1200
William Byron: +1400
Denny Hamlin: +1400
Austin Cindric: +1600
Chase Elliott: +1600
Kyle Busch: +1600
Brad Keselowski: +1800
Kyle Larson: +1800
Alex Bowman: +2000
Bubba Wallace +2200
Christopher Bell +2200
Chase Briscoe +2500

Daytona 500 starting lineup

Here’s how the starting lineup for Sunday’s Daytona 500 shakes out:

Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing
Chase Briscoe, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske
Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports
Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske
Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports
Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing
Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports
Brad Keselowski, No. 6 RFK Racing
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports
John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Legacy Motor Club
Christopher Bell, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing
Josh Berry, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing
Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports
Casey Mears, No. 66 Garage 66
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports
Ryan Preece, No. 60 RFK Racing
Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing
Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports
Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team
Erik Jones, No. 43 Legacy Motor Club
Noah Gragson, No. 4 Front Row Motorsports
Tyler Reddick, No. 45 23XI Racing
Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing
Riley Herbst, No. 35 23XI Racing
Corey Heim, No. 67 23XI Racing
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports
Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 Legacy Motor Club
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing
Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing
Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing
AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing
Austin Cindric, No. 2 Team Penske
Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing
*BJ McLeod, No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports
William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports
Justin Allgaier, No. 40 JR Motorsports
Chris Buescher, No. 17 RFK Racing

* The No. 62 Beard Motorsports Chevrolet of Anthony Alfredo originally qualified for the Daytona 500 in Duel 2, but his position in the race was disallowed due to a failure in post-Duel inspection.

How did Greg Biffle die?

Greg Biffle — winner of 19 Cup races and a champion in the Craftsman Trucks and Busch series — was one of seven people killed in a plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina on Dec. 18.

According to a report from investigators, Biffle was not operating his jet when it crashed in December. The preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that while an experienced pilot was at the controls, the person sitting in the right seat wasn’t qualified to be the copilot.

When the flight crashed while trying to return to the Statesville Regional Airport, it killed Biffle, his wife Cristina, and Biffle’s children Ryder, 5, and Emma, 14. Others killed in the accident were Dennis Dutton, his son Jack, and Craig Wadsworth.

How did Brad Keselowski break his leg?

Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, suffered a broken leg in December when he slipped on ice during a ski trip with his family. Keselowski was cleared to race at Daytona, but David Ragan will be his backup. Keselowski will start from the No. 9 spot.

Daytona 500 pole position

Kyle Busch will be on the pole for the Daytona 500 this weekend. Busch claimed the top spot with a time of 49.006 in the final round of qualifying on Wednesday. Chase Briscoe will start in the second position.

Dale Earnhardt 25 years later

Nearly 25 years ago this weekend — on Feb. 18, 2001 — Dale Earnhardt, the seven-time Winston Cup champion, died after crashing on the final lap of the Daytona 500.

Fans today are still mourning the loss of the man they called the Intimidator. Go to any NASCAR track and you’ll still see countless shirts, jackets, flags and hats sporting his iconic No. 3.

In the same way Michael Jordan is to the NBA, Earnhardt was synonymous with NASCAR. Some fans adored him, some hated him — but everyone knew the mustached man wearing aviators from Kannapolis, North Carolina was one of the best drivers to get behind the wheel.

Buy your copy of our commemorative Dale Earnhardt book!

How did Dale Earnhardt die?

When the 2001 Daytona 500 was nearing its finish, Earnhardt, his son, Dale Jr., and his friend Michael Waltrip, were running in the top three at the top of the pack. Waltrip was in first, Junior in second, and Senior in third. It seemed obvious that Earnhardt was trying to ensure a victory for one of his DEI drivers and went into defense mode, attempting to block others drivers from catching up to Waltrip and Junior.

On turn four of the final lap, as Junior pushed Waltrip toward the finish line, Earnhardt received some contact, lost control of his No. 3 car and slammed head first into the concrete wall.

Folks watching from home could feel the mood change from the broadcast booth, where former champion Darrell Waltrip quickly went from celebrating his brother in one moment to worrying about Earnhardt in the very next: ‘I just hope Dale’s okay. I guess he’s alright, isn’t he?’

“You got the sense that something wasn’t right,” Helton told ESPN.

Less than three hours after the race ended, Helton returned to the press room at Daytona International Speedway to deliver the somber and shocking news: ‘We’ve lost Dale Earnhardt.’

NHL team owners’ greatest fear about the Olympics is having someone get injured while playing for their country.

That happened in the preliminary round at the 2026 Winter Olympics when Switzerland’s Kevin Fiala left the ice on a stretcher during a Group A game against Canada on Friday, Feb. 13.

The Los Angeles Kings, Fiala’s NHL team, gave an update on the severity of that injury on Sunday.

The team said he had surgery to repair fractures in his left lower leg.

‘Kevin is resting comfortably and will begin the recovery and rehabilitation program,’ the Kings said in a statement. ‘Fiala will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 NHL regular season and will be re-evaluated at the conclusion of the regular season.’

Kevin Fiala injury update

Fiala’s injury comes at a tough time because the Kings sit three points out of a playoff spot. They had just acquired star Artemi Panarin in a trade, and the former New York Rangers star was supposed to help boost the team’s scoring and make a push for the postseason.

But Fiala ranks third on the Kings with 18 goals and 40 points, and his injury deprives the team of some valuable offensive numbers down the stretch. Panarin has 19 goals and 57 points, and Adrian Kempe has 20 goals and 46 points.

How was Kevin Fiala hurt?

He got tangled up with Canada’s Tom Wilson along the boards and landed awkwardly on his leg. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher and taken to the hospital.

Kevin Fiala statistics

Fiala has 18 goals, 22 assists and 40 points in 56 games. He has a team-best 17 points on the power play.

INGLEWOOD, CA — LeBron James, holding court before his record 22nd NBA All-Star appearance, took some time to reflect on his future — but not too much.

At 41 years old, James remains an impact player and is reimagining what can be expected of a player his age. And though there has been plenty of speculation about James’ future beyond this season, he said he has not made up his mind on potential retirement.

“I want to live,” James told reporters Sunday, Feb. 15. “When I know, you guys will know. I have no idea. I just want to live, that’s all.”

James was speaking at a press conference at the Intuit Dome, hours before he plays for Team Stars in the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which will employ a USA vs. World format.

James recently became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double and is averaging 22.0 points, 7.1 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game across 36 appearances.

But he’s essentially on an expiring contract, and will be able to test the open market this offseason, a rarity for a player of his stature.

The Los Angeles Lakers went into the All-Star break 33-21, in fifth place in the Western Conference, which is crowded at the top. Just three games separate the No. 6 team, the Timberwolves, and the No. 2 team, the Spurs.

James has maintained that he wants to compete for championships in his final seasons, but Los Angeles will face stiff competition for the conference title.

This has been magnified by injury issues the Lakers have faced.

“Most important for our ball club right now is health,” James said. “I can’t state it any more clearly. I’m not quite sure how many games we’ve had where we’ve had a full roster. We’re over the half-way point and it has not been many games. …

“Our success is going to come down to our health. Our coaching staff is going to put us in the right position, they’re going to give us the game plan every night, but when it comes to what we have to work with, we actually have to see it.”

When James was asked if the uncertainty surrounding his personal future in Los Angeles was weighing on him in any way, he rejected that notion.

“Nah, we’re gearing up toward the postseason,” he said. “It has nothing to do with that. Same motivation, same mind factor. We got past the marathon and now the sprint is about to start. I think everybody understands that.”

Still, James was asked about his post-playing plans, and if he had any ambitions about ownership of an NBA team. He said he would explore that and any other potential ventures that might interest him down the road, though he stressed that his focus is on the remainder of the season.

“What I want to do at 45, 50 and 55 will be creating great vibes and fun with my family and my friends. That’s one of my passions: creating memories that will last forever. That’s for sure the most important thing for me, creating things that we will never forget.”