AthlonSports.com - Season Previews, Predictions and Pre-Game Analysis

A Tradition Restored: Racing Returns to The Rock

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:15:16 -0500

After a four-year hiatus, competitive stock car racing has returned to Rockingham Speedway. Saturday's Carolina 500 at the former North Carolina Speedway marked a return to glory for a track steeped in auto racing tradition.

Horsepower Rankings: Richmond

Thu, 08 May 2008 09:09:36 -0500

It was a checkers or wreckers Saturday night brawl in Richmond, and even though Kyle Busch didn't earn either, he continues to sit atop Athlon's Horsepower Rankings.

THE PLAYERS Championship

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:32:19 -0500

THE PLAYERS Championship is not technically one of golf’s four major championships but it is treated with nearly as much respect as any of the big four, leading some to refer to the event as the PGA Tour's “fifth major.”

Short Hops: Winning ways

Wed, 07 May 2008 06:30:00 -0500

Four Angels' starters have begun a season 6-0 or better. Three of them are on the current staff.

Bryant playing for the team, not himself

Tue, 06 May 2008 06:00:00 -0500

Kobe Bryant has always sparked a debate as to whether he's truly a championship force or merely an extremely talented player more interested in his own numbers. There might still be no end to the argument, but Bryant’s play over the past six months has made those in the anti-Kobe camp think much more about his value to the Lakers.

Around the AL: Wang keeping Yankees afloat

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:30:00 -0500

The New York Yankees’ rotation might be a train wreck if Chien-Ming Wang didn’t keep chugging along. Wang is unstoppable, having become the fifth Yankees’ starter since 1990 to win his first six decisions.

Musings: Kim, 22, dominates the Wachovia

Mon, 05 May 2008 06:00:00 -0500

Have we seen the future of the PGA Tour? Anthony Kim destroyed a major-quality field on a major-quality course in winning the Wachovia Championship by five shots, serving notice that all this talk about the scarcity of young talent on Tour was just that — talk.

Hamlin dominates, Earnhardt wrecks, Bowyer steals win at RIR

Sun, 04 May 2008 12:00:16 -0500

Hometown favorite Denny Hamlin looked to have a Richmond win in the bag after leading 381 laps in Saturday night's Crown Royal 400. A flat tire on his No. 11 Toyota with 20 laps to go changed all that and set the stage for a wild ending between Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. that only a short-track Saturday night could provide.

Kentucky Derby 134

Fri, 02 May 2008 20:00:28 -0500

Get ready for “the most exciting two minutes in sports” — where ice-cold mint juleps, pretty girls in exotic hats and gambling on longshot trifectas dominate the pre-race party.

Edwards Adds Three Years to Contract, Re-Ups with Roush

Fri, 02 May 2008 19:12:28 -0500

Carl Edwards is looking forward to the start of the Crown Royal 400 at the Richmond International Raceway, because if the race follows suit with his weekend so far, it will be a good one. On Friday Edwards announced that he had renewed his contract with Roush Fenway Racing, keeping him behind the wheel of the No. 99 Ford for an additional three years.

Cars, Paint Schemes Represent the Best of Eras

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:44:43 -0500

Part of the attraction of stockcar racing has always been the design and appearance of the vehicles themselves. A clean looking racecar with an appropriately fitting paint scheme seldom disappoints, and it got me to thinking of days gone by and some of the more attractive examples of what a stock-bodied (or appearing to be stock-bodied, at least) racecar should look like.

NFL Stars: How recruiting translates to the Draft

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0500

Every February, there's a big fuss about the recruiting rankings surrounding college signing day. But have you ever wondered how those rankings translate to the NFL? We did too. Recruiting coordinator Braden Gall looks at how players taken in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft were rated as recruits out of high school.

Wachovia Championship

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:56 -0500

The Wachovia Championship is missing defending champion Tiger Woods, who is nursing a knee injury. But the absence of the world’s No. 1 golfer gives past champion Vijay Singh reason to smile as he chases another blue blazer in Charlotte.

Short Hops: Birthday basher

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:00 -0500

Most of us would be happy with a stupid t-shirt. Among Chipper Jones’ recent birthday presents were an autographed guitar from Rascal Flatts and a Dale Earnhardt video box set. His best gifts always seem to be to himself, however.

Horsepower Rankings: Talladega

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:00:00 -0500

It could have been any of Joe Gibbs' cars that ended up in Victory Lane at Talladega, it just so happens that Kyle Busch was in the right place at the right time to snag victory No. 2 of the 2008 season. With the win, he again ascends to the top of Athlon's Horsepower Rankings.