PSP » the lead. Tiznow R J was third followed by Ano

(SportsNetwork.com) - The gloves are off for those drivers and teams that remain in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. That was quite obvious in Sundays race at Texas Motor Speedway, where Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski were involved in one of the most memorable brawls in NASCARs history. Texas was the second race in the Eliminator Round of the Chase. Eight drivers are currently in the playoff field, but after next Sundays event at Phoenix International Raceway, the field will be trimmed to just four drivers who will battle for the Sprint Cup Series championship on Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This year, NASCAR radically changed its format for the Chase, which included an expanded field of 16 drivers and a series of elimination rounds. In the next chapter of NASCARs Boys, Have At It, mayhem broke out on pit road after the race had concluded at Texas. While Jimmie Johnson was heading to victory lane, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Gordon, parked his car right next to Keselowski on pit road and then approached him to express his displeasure for an incident that occurred in the closing laps. Gordon, who is attempting to win his fifth series title this year, held the lead for the restart in the first of two green-white-checkered finishes, but Keselowski bumped into him while battling for position following the restart. Gordon suffered a flat tire from the contact and then spun out in turn 3. He ended up finishing one lap down in 29th, while Keselowski placed third. At first, Gordon had heated words with Keselowski while crew members from both of their teams were engaged in a shoving match. Then second-place finisher Kevin Harvick approached Keselowski from behind and pushed him. That sparked the big brawl with plenty of punches being thrown. Kevin likes everybody to fight for some reason, Keselowski said. I came here to race, not to fight. I raced as hard as I could, and these guys just didnt like it. Harvick also was irritated with Keselowski for his actions on the track. If youre going to race like that, youre going to have to man up at some point, Harvick said of Keselowski. Hes done it several times. Cant just turn around and let everybody fight all the time without you in there. Have to stand up for your actions at some point yourself. Both Gordon and Keselowski suffered cuts and bruises to their faces and lips during the altercation. There wasnt a conversation, Gordon said. You cant have a conversation with (Keselowski). He gets himself in this position, and he has to pay the consequences. Im going to race him the same way he races me. That kind of stuff is just uncalled for, and Im not going to stand for it. NASCAR is reviewing the incident, and penalties could be forthcoming. NASCAR senior vice president of competition and racing development Robin Pemberton said the sanctioning body will look at the film of the fight and determine what, if any, actions will be taken. We knew the new (Chase) format was going to put a lot of pressure on people to perform and make aggressive moves and decisions out there on the racetrack, Pemberton said. You could see the result of that after the race. Were going to take our time, and weve got a lot of film to review and things like that. The important thing is to make the right decision at the end of the day. Pemberton did note that NASCAR had no issue with Keselowski making contact with Gordon after the restart. To them (NASCAR), Im sure its a racing incident, but to me, its just a bunch of crap, Gordon said. The kid (Keselowski) is just doing stuff way over his head. Thats just uncalled for. Youre racing for a win and a championship. You dont go slam someone and cut their left-rear tire. If thats what it takes, then no problem. We can do the same thing to him. This is the second time in this 10-race Chase that Keselowski has been in a physical altercation with another competitor. After the Oct. 12 night race at Charlotte had ended, Denny Hamlin had to be restrained from going after Keselowski in the garage area and then Matt Kenseth started a fight with Keselowski between a pair of team haulers. Keselowski intentionally bumped Hamlin from behind and attempted to spin him out during the cool-down lap after the two tangled multiple times following the last restart with two laps to go. Then on pit road, Keselowski purposely ran into the back of Kenseth before he bumped Tony Stewart from behind. NASCAR fined Keselowski $50,000 and placed him on probation for four races for his actions at Charlotte. The following week, he won the elimination race for the Contender Round at Talladega Superspeedway, which automatically advanced him into the Eliminator Round. Well go through these battles, Keselowski said. Ive gone through them before and come out stronger. Ill go through them again and come out stronger, a better racecar driver. But what Im not going to do is back down. Im not going to get in the spot where I was in 2013 where I tried to be exactly what they all wanted me to be, because what they want me to be is a loser, and Im not here to lose. Im here to win. That means Im going to have to drive my car, harder, stronger, faster than everybody out there. Thats what I feel like I did (Sunday at Texas). There were no punches thrown at Charlotte, as Kenseth managed to put Keselowski in a headlock before Kenseths team members were able to pull him away. Kenseth was not penalized. With the brawl at Texas being more physical than the skirmish at Charlotte, NASCAR might hand down stiffer penalties. You shouldnt punch somebody, Pemberton said. Everybody gets together, and when youre holding on to each other and grabbing and this, that and the other, its one thing. When punches are landed, thats a different scenario. Two years ago in the Chase race at Phoenix, Gordon and Clint Bowyers teams were involved in a post-race fight after Gordon intentionally wrecked Bowyer in the closing laps. Gordon was not suspended for the season finale at Homestead, which he won, but he received a $100,000 fine and a loss of 25 points for his actions. The series is now heading to Phoenix, but who knows what will happen there this weekend. Everything is just so intense right now, Harvick said. Everybody is just kind of throwing caution to the wind to do all they can for their team. Everybody is racing as hard as they can. Just glad to be in the mix. Just 18 points separate the eight drivers who are still in the Chase. With none of them winning at either Martinsville or Texas, all four positions for the championship race at Homestead have yet to be determined. Cheap Jerseys China . The Cavaliers first-year forward will miss at least three weeks with a strained left knee, the latest setback for the No. Wholesale MLB Jerseys . -- Josh Smith made a 3-pointer as time expired and finished with 20 points to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 99-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in both teams exhibition finale. http://www.baseballjerseyscheap.com/ . - Mike Magee converted two penalty kicks in a 10-minute span of the first half and the Chicago Fire beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Sunday. Cheap NFL Jerseys . - A retired Indiana school principal who was NASCAR star Jeff Gordons drivers education teacher was killed with his wife in a Tennessee crash while returning from watching Gordon race. Jerseys NFL Cheap Authentic . -- During Kansas shootaround on Wednesday before the Jayhawks faced Oklahoma, coach Bill Self told Wayne Selden Jr.New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - International Star used his season debut to explode onto the Kentucky Derby trail with a victory in Saturdays 71st running of the $200,000 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds. The Lecomte is the first of the major 3-year-old stakes at Fair Grounds leading to the $750,000 Louisiana Derby on Mar. 28. Coming up on Feb. 21 is the Risen Star Stakes. International Star, ridden by Miguel Mena from the rail post, was 9-1 in the 11-horse field going a mile, 70 yards. Trained by Mike Maker, the colt settled along the inside until moving outside entering the stretch. Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, International Star moved to the lead inside the furlong pole and drove through the stretch for a 2 1/2-length victory over War Story. The plan was to save ground on both turns and then he came out at the three- sixteenths pole and came rolling, Mena said. He was running hard, but he kind of pulled himself up a little at the end when he found himself alone on the lead. Tiznow R J was third followed by Another Lemon Drrop, Savoy Stomp, Hero of Humor, 3-1 favorite Eagle, Dekabrist, Runhappy, Killingit and Four Leaf Chief.dddddddddddd The time for the Lecomte was 1:43.62 on a fast track. International Star, a son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, claimed $120,000 with the win. The colt has won three of seven starts for $320,979. The Ramseys and Maker combined to win last years Lecomte with Vicars in Trouble. Hes been training very well, Maker said. We expected a big race - maybe not that big - but he was coming into the race great. Well bring him back to Florida and take a hard look at the Risen Star. The 3-year-old won the Grey Stakes at Woodbine last October and earlier recorded seconds in Belmonts Rockville Center Stakes and Saratogas With Anticipation on the turf. International Star was ninth, just 3 1/4 lengths off the winner, in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 31. International Star returned $20.40, $8.80 and $5.20. War Story paid $7.20 and $4.60, and Tiznow R J paid $4.20 to show. ' ' '