2024 CUP SERIES SCHEDULE
FEB. 3,8 PM, FOX: Busch Light Clash at the (LA) Coliseum (D. Hamlin) FEB. 15,7 PM, FS1: Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at DAYTONA (T- Reddick) FEB. 15,9 PM, FS1: Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at DAYTONA (C. Bell) FEB. 19,4 PM, FOX: DAYTONA 500 (W. Byron) FEB. 25,3 PM FOX: Ambetter Health 400 at ATLANTA (D. Suarez) MARCH 3,3:30 PM, FOX: Pennzoil 400 at LAS VEGAS (K. Larson) MARCH 10,3:30 PM, FOX; Shriners Children’s 500 at PHOENIX (C. Bell) MARCH 17,3:30 PM, FOX: Food City 500 at BRISTOL (D. Hamlin) MARCH 24, 3:30 PM, FOX: EchoPark at CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS (W. Byron) MARCH 31,7 PM, FOX: Toyota Owners 400 at RICHMOND (D. Hamlin) APRIL 7,3 PM, FS1: Cook Out 400 at MARTINSVILLE (W. Byron) APRIL 14, 3:30 PM, FS1: Auto Trader EchoPark 400 at TEXAS (C. Elliott) APRIL 21, 3 PM, FOX: GEICO 500 at TALLADEGA (T. Reddick) APRIL 28, 2 PM, FSli WURTH 400 at DOVER (D. Hamlin) MAY 5,3 PM, FS1: AdventHealth 400 at KANSAS (K. Larson) MAY 12, 3 PM, F51: Goodyear 400 at DARLINGTON (B. Keselowski) MAY 19,8 PM, FS1: NASCAR All-Star Race at N. Wilkesboro, NC ( J. Logano) MAY 26, 6 PM, FOX: Coca-Cola 600 at CHARLOTTE (C.Bell) JUNE 2, 3:30 PM, FS1: Enjoy Illinois 300 at WORLD WIDE TECH (A. Cindric) JUNE 9, 3:30 PM, FOX: Toyota/Save Mart 350 at SONOMA (M. Truex Jr.)
JUNE 16, 7 PM, USA: Iowa Corn 350 at IOWA (Inaugural Cup race)
JUNE 23, 2:30 PM, USA: Cup Race at NEW HAMPSHIRE (M. Truex)
JUNE 30, 3:30 PM, NBC: Ally 400 at NASHVILLE (R. Chastain)
JULY 7,4:30 PM, NBC: Grant Park 165 Chicago Street Race (S. van Gisbergen)
JULY 14,2:30 PM, USA: Highpointxom 400 at POCONO (D. Hamlin)
JULY 21, 2:30 PM, NBC: Brickyard 400 at INDIANAPOLIS (M. McDowell)
AUG. 11,6 PM, USA: Cook Out 400 at RICHMOND (C. Buescher)
AUG. 18, 2:30 PM, USA: FireKeepers Casino 400 at MICHIGAN (C. Buescher)
AUG. 24, 7:30 PM, NBC: Coke Zero Sugar 400 at DAYTONA (C. Buescher)
SEPT. 1,6 PM, USA: Cookout Southern 500 at DARLINGTON (K. Larson)
2023 winners ¡n parenthesis;
2024 winners In
PLAYOFFS ROUND OF 16 SEPT. 8, 3 PM, USA: Quaker State 400 at ATLANTA (W. Byron)
SEPT. 15, 3 PM, USA: Go Bowling at the Glen at WATKINS GLEN (W, Byron)
SEPT. 21,7:30 PM, USA: Bass Pro Shops Night Race at BRISTOL (D. Hamlin)
PLAYOFFS ROUND OF 12 SEPT. 29,3 PM, USA: Hollywood Casino 400 at KANSAS (T. Reddick)
OCT. 6, 2 PM, NBC: YelfaWood 500 at TALLADEGA (R. Blaney)
OCT. 13, 2 PM, NBC: BofA ROVAL 400 at CHARLOTTE (AJ Allmendinger) PLAYOFFS ROUND OF 8 OCT. 20, 2:30 PM, NBC: South Point 400 at LAS VEGAS (K. Larson)
OCT. 27,2:30 PM, NBC: Cup Race at HOMESTEAD-MIAMI (C. Bell)
NOV. 3, 2 PM, NBC: Xfinity 500 at MARTINSVILLE (R. Blaney)
PLAYOFFS CHAMPIONSHIP 4 NOV. 10,3 PM, NBC: Championship at PHO. (R. Blaney title; R. Chastain race) bold as the schedule unfolds; times ET
TRUCKS FINISH LINE
Corey Heim, driver of the No. 11 Safelite Toyota, takes the checkered flag to win Saturday’s Craftsman Truck Series Toyota 200 at WWT Raceway. Logan Riely/Getty Images
ENJOY ILLINOIS WINNER QUOTE
‘This is huge for me. This is huge for this team. I’m so glad I was able to get a win with Brian (Wilson) as my crew chief in the Cup Series. You never know when it’s going to happen again. Just drove my butt off, hope for the best.’
– Austin Cindric, who outfueled Ryan Blaney to win Sunday at WWT Raceway
Austin Cindric in Victory Lane Sunday at WWT Raceway.
DAVID JENSEN / GETTY IMAGES
XFINITY RECAP
• Saturday’s PACIFIC OFFICE AUTOMATION 147, Portland International
WINNER: SHANE VAN GISBERGEN
NewZealander Shane van Gisbergen claimed his first Xfinity Series victory in Saturday’s Pacific Office Automation 147 at Portland International Raceway. The popular Kiwi celebrated the hardearned win with a burnout all the way around the 1.967 mile road course and then climbing out of his Chevy and topping it off by kicking a soccer ball into the thrilled crowd.
It was a popular win all-around for the 35-year-old three-time Australian Supercar champion, but he had to work for it. The series rookie – who won the inaugural Chicago Street Race in his first NASCAR Cup Series start last summer – led laps early in the No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet but struggled with race re-starts for much of the day. He lost positions on the early restarts and even had to overcome a couple miscues – dropping his tires off track into the dirt – before steadily and masterfully working his way forward in the closing laps to challenge for the win.
He passed the day”s most dominant driver, JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier on the final restart with four laps to go and pulled away to a .941- second victory over the series veteran, who led a race best 46 of the race’s 75 laps.
JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer, van Gisbergen’s Kaulig teammate A.J. Allmendinger – who started last in the field – and Sam Hunt Racing’s Ed Jones – an IMS A sportscar and Indy Car veteran – rounded out the Top-5.
• Saturday’s TOYOTA 200, World Wide Technology Raceway (IL)
WINNER: COREY HEIM
The early bird got the victory on Saturday afternoon at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
In a long green-flag run to start tile final stage of the Toyota 200, Corey Heim brought his No. 11 TRICON Garage Tundra to pit road before any of the other top trucks made greenflag stops, and the move paid off with optimum track position.
Heim held the top spot for a restart on Lap 138 of 160 and led the rest of the way, beating runner-up Christian Eckes to the finish line by 1.854 seconds, earning a $50,000 bonus as the winner of the second Triple Truck Challenge.
The victory was a welcome turnaround after Heim’s truck was disqualified from second place May 24 at Charlotte for three lug nuts not secure. Heim won for the fourth time this season—all within the last eight races—the second time at Gateway and the ninth time in 53 career starts.
Note: The start of the race was delayed for two-and-a-half hours by rain… The final Triple Truck Challenge race is scheduled for June 28 at Nashville Superspeedway. Heim and Sanchez, last week’s Charlotte winner, could collect an additional $100,000 as the winners of two of three events in “The Trip.” A $50,000 bonus is available to all other drivers.
Cindric outduels (outfuels) Blaney
Austin Cindric’s win at WWT Raceway Sunday was his first since he won the 2022 DAYTONA 500 as a rookie, a dry spell that lasted 85 races.
MThen it was Blaney’s turn to suffer game-changing misfortune.
“Never thought in my mind we were short,” Blaney said. “One of those things. Gosh, proud of the 12 boys. We were fast. Had my work cut out for me holding off Christopher. That was a fun battle. I don’t know what happened to him.
“Yeah, one lap short, which just stinks. Congrats to the 2 team. They did a good job all day. Props to them, Austin. Proud for Team Penske and Ford.
“Really happy with our showing today. I don’t know what I’ve got to do to get some luck on our side. Gosh, wrecked the last two points races. Thought we had a great shot to win today. Ended up bad.”
Bell was fresh from victory in the rainshortened May 26 Coca-Cola 600 and had a car that was dominant from the outset. He passed pole winner Michael McDowell on Lap 41 to win Stage 1 and stayed on the track under caution for Josh Berry’s collision with the Turn 3 wall to win Stage 2.
In the closing laps, it seemed inevitable that Bell would overtake Blaney, until Bell’s engine turned sour.
“I have no idea what happened,” said Bell, who rolled to a seventh-place finish. “Some sort of motor issue. I’m surprised that I made it to the end. Glad we were able to salvage something out of it.
“You don’t get race cars like that very often. Whenever you do, you need to take advantage of it. Disappointing day.”
Tyler Reddick finished fourth and Logano fifth, followed by Austin Dillon, Bell, Sunoco rookie Carson Hocevar (a career-best eighth), Justin Haley and Larson.
On Lap 140, the final circuit of Stage 2, Kyle Busch and Larson were battling in close quarters for the seventh position when Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet broke loose underneath Busch’s No. 8 Camaro, sending both cars sliding into the outside wall.
Busch’s car was damaged beyond repair and exited the race in the 35th position— the first DNF of the season for the twotime Cup champion. Larson, on the other hand, was able to salvage the lOth-place result.
“We can’t afford days like this,” said Busch, who is winless this year and squarely on the bubble for a Playoff spot. “Yeah, he got loose and wiped us out.”
ADISON, 111. – Surprise and elation were the watchwords for Team Penske driver Austin Cindric, who won Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300 at World Wide Technology Raceway at the expense of teammate Ryan Blaney.
The race was Blaney’s to win—until the reigning Cup Series champ ran out of fuel on the next-to-last lap and handed the lead to his teammate. Cindric charged past Blaney at the finish line and completed the checkered-flag lap as Blaney rolled slowly to 24th-place result.
The victory was Cindric’s first since he won the 2022 DAYTONA 500 as a rookie, a dry spell that lasted 85 races. Nevertheless, Cindric expressed conflicting emotions after he climbed from his No. 2 Ford.
“This weekend was a great weekend for everybody involved,” Cindric said. “But, yeah, to have two cars in the fight, eventual 1-2. Heartbroken for those guys.
“This is huge for me. This is huge for this team. I’m so glad I was able to get a win with Brian (Wilson) as my crew chief in the Cup Series. You never know when it’s going to happen again. Just drove my butt off, hope for the best.”
All three Team Penske drivers—Cindric, Blaney and Joey Logano—made only three pit stops to at least four for all other competitors. They stayed out under caution for the Stage 2 break and restarted 1-2-3 on Lap 149.
After pitting early in the ensuing cycle (Blaney on Lap 176, Cindric on Lap 177 and Logano on Lap 179, Blaney gained a spot on Cindric and began working his way through the field, improving his position as cars ahead of him came to pit road.
On Lap 217, when Kyle Larson pitted, Blaney assumed the lead, but with the race’s fastest car—the No. 20 Toyota of Christopher Bell—in hot pursuit. Bell soon caught Blaney and pulled alongside several times before engine issues caused Bell to slow dramatically.
“I’m blowing up, I’m blowing up,” Bell radioed to his crew.
But Bell, who had won the first two stages, nursed his car to the finish with help from Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. Three laps down and mired in 34th place, Truex repeatedly pushed Bell’s Camry in the closing laps.
High school teams prep to host summer camps
ARTESIA — Summer is here, and that means a chance for future Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs to work on their skills with high school athletes and coaches through summer programs and camps.
BASKETBALL Lady Bulldog Recreational Basketball Also on Monday, June 3, the Lady Bulldog basketball program will begin hosting open recreational basketball, continuing four days a week through the end of the month at Bulldog Pit. Sessions include:
• Grades K-3: 8-8:50 a.m.
• Grades 4-6: 9-9:50 a.m.
• Grades 7-9: 10-10:50 a.m.
Lady Bulldog Kids’ Camp
The Lady ‘Dogs will host their kids’ camp Monday through Wednesday, June 24-26, at the Pit. Cost is $60 per camper and $45 for each additional sibling, with sessions to run as follows:
• Grades K-3: 1-3 p.m.
• Grades 4-9: 1-4 p.m. Registration will run from noon – 1 p.m. Monday, June 24. The camp will include skill development, coaching from varsity staff and players, contests with awards for winners, scrimmages, and free sno cones on the final day. Each camper will also receive a t-shirt and basketball.
For more information, contact head coach Candace Pollard at 575-910-4034.
SOCCER Kids’ Camp
Tuesday through Thursday, June 25-27, the Artesia High School soccer program will host a kids’ camp for boys and girls at the Mack Chase Athletic Complex. Cost is $60 per camper, with a $5 discount for each additional sibling.
Sessions will run as follows: • Ages 4 years through kindergarten: 8-9 a.m.
• Grades 1-2: 9:30-10:30 a.m.
• Grades 3-5: 4-5 p.m. Registration deadline for this camp is Thursday, June 20. In-person registration will be held from 6-7 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday until June 20 at The Mack, or register online using the included QR code. Campers who register by Thursday, June 13, will receive a free soccer gift.
For more information, email artesiasoccerclassic@ gmail.com.
Bulldog Development Camp
On Friday, June 28, the Bulldog soccer team will host a development camp for boys in grades 6-8 only. Cost is $125 per camper, with a $5 discount for each additional sibling. The fee includes lunch, a snack and a t-shirt. The schedule will include:
• 8-9:30 a.m.: Session 1
• 9:45 a.m.: Snack and tactics • 10:1511:45 a.m.: Session 2
• Noon – 1 p.m.: Lunch
• 1-2:30 p.m.: Session 3
• 2-3 p.m.: Break
• 3-4:30 p.m.: Session 4 Registration deadline for this camp is Thursday, June 20. In-person registration will be held from 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays until June 20 at The Mack, or register online using the included QR code.
Under the Lights Tournament
The Bulldog soccer program will host its Under the Lights fundraiser tournament Saturday, July 13, at The Mack.
The tournament will be 5v5 for U8 through U14 and 3v3 for U6. Early registration cost is $350 for 5v5 divisions and $300 for 3v3 divisions through July 3 with a four-game guarantee. The top three teams in each division will earn medals. Games will run from 3-11 p.m.
For more information, contact Natalie Jones at 512-294-0469 or natalie@ 5v5soccer.com.
VOLLEYBALL Kids’ Camp
Monday through Wednesday, July 1-3, the Bulldog volleyball team will host a kids’ camp at Bulldog Pit.
Cost is $75 per camper and will include a t-shirt through Sunday, June 9. Campers may still register after June 9 but will not receive a shirt.
Sessions will run as follows:
• Grades 3-6: 9 a.m. – noon
• Grades 7-8: 1-4 p.m. To register and for more information, call 575-308-6336.
FOOTBALL
The Bulldog football team will hold its summer weights and skills program in July.
The program will run Monday through Friday, July 1-23, at Bulldog Bowl. Sessions will include:
• Grades 7-8: 9-10 a.m.
• Grades 5-6: 10-11 a.m. No sessions will be held on Thursday, July 4. Campers should bring a water bottle and good shoes (cleats optional) each day.
Roswell man sentenced for sexual exploitation of minors
ALBUQUERQUE — A Roswell man who used the messaging app Snapchat to groom and eventually sexually exploit two young girls has been sentenced to 235 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of criminal sexual acts against minors.
There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, between September 2022 and Nov. 18, 2022, Juan Rodriguez, 40, engaged in a sexual act with Jane Doe 1, a 12-year-old minor female, on three occasions. Prior to engaging in sexual activity with the girl, Rodriguez had communicated with her via Snapchat.
During the summer of 2021, Rodriguez engaged in a sexual act with Jane Doe 2, an 11-year-old minor female whom he had also previously communicated with on Snapchat.
In his plea agreement, Rodriguez admitted knowing the girls were minors when he initiated communication with them.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Rodriguez will be required to serve 10 years of supervised probation and must register as a sex offender.
Hobbs Baby Box saves second infant
HOBBS — A second infant was safely surrendered to Hobbs’ Safe Haven Baby Box late last month.
The City of Hobbs reported that, during the week of May 20, a healthy newborn boy was placed in the Baby Box at Hobbs Fire Department’s Station 1. The child marks the second released to Hobbs’ Baby Box since its installation in May 2023. The first infant was surrendered in September 2023.
The newborn was transported to Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital for evaluation before being turned over to the Children, Youth and Families Department.
“This Safe Haven Baby Box is about the safety and future of the child,” the City of Hobbs said in a release. “The responsibility of a parent is waived without judgment or punishment to preserve the child’s health and well-being. The baby box at Fire Station 1 is an environmentally controlled incubator device designed to keep an infant in a secure and safe environment with sufficient oxygen, a comfortable temperature, and equipped with a transparent door and safety alarm to immediately notify the operator(s) that an infant has been placed in the device.”
There are currently seven Safe Haven Baby Boxes in New Mexico, also including Carlsbad, Roswell, Alamogordo, Belen, Espanola and Farmington. In March, the Pregnancy Help Center of Artesia and City of Artesia officials announced that plans were in the works to install a Baby Box at Artesia General Hospital.
The public is reminded that, under the New Mexico Safe Haven for Infants Act, babies up to 90 days old can also be taken to Safe Haven sites — which include hospitals, police departments and fire departments — for surrender without fear of criminal charges. Unlike Baby Boxes, however, infants taken to these sites must be left with a person rather than dropped off. Basic health information may be requested but does not have to be provided.
Parents warned of dangers of leaving children in hot vehicles
ROSWELL — With temperatures already reaching triple-digits in Southeast New Mexico, the Roswell Police Department and Roswell Fire Department are urging parents and caregivers to be aware of the dangers hot vehicles pose to young children.
“Parents and other child caregivers must raise their awareness of the importance of never leaving children inside unattended vehicles,” the RPD wrote in a release. “The temperature inside a parked vehicle can quickly reach lethal levels in hot, or even warm, weather. Babies and other young children, and pets as well, are not able to escape a hot vehicle on their own.”
The departments urge residents to be cognizant of the fact that all it takes is a brief distraction — trying to hurry through a busy day or dealing with stress or other emotions — to cause a parent or other caretaker to exit a vehicle without thinking about a child who was along on the trip.
“Don’t let a moment of forgetfulness turn into a tragedy,” said the release. “Take whatever steps necessary to remember a child is with you, and certainly never knowingly leave a child in the car for even what you think will only be a brief moment.”
Outside temperatures don’t have to be sweltering to become dangerous for children. Even with an outside temp of just 80 degrees, the inside of a closed vehicle can quickly reach 110 or higher. Under the summer sun, it takes only 10 minutes for the temperature in a vehicle to rise nearly 20 degrees. Leaving a window cracked or parking in the shade are not sufficient safeguards.
Trapped inside a vehicle, a child’s body temperature can rise up to five times faster than an adult’s. A child can die from heatstroke when his or her body temperature reaches 107 degrees.
Most parents cannot imagine themselves leaving, even accidentally, their child in a hot vehicle, yet statistics show that more than half the instances of child death under these circumstances occur after the child was accidentally or unknowingly left in the vehicle. Remember, young children, especially babies, often fall asleep in their car seats, becoming silent passengers. Rear-facing seats look the same, whether occupied or not, when viewed by someone from the front seat.
The second most common instance of children dying in hot vehicles is when children get into the vehicle on their own to play. Never leave children alone in or around vehicles, and always lock vehicles when you leave them. Do not leave keys or remote door openers where a child can reach them.
For more information and safety suggestions, visit kidsandcars.org.