FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series invades Fayetteville Motor Speedway on May 10-11 for the richest dirt late model event in North Carolina, the $25,000-to-win First in Flight 100.

Fayetteville promoter Jim Long created the event with World of Outlaws officials last season, when Jimmy Owens captured the big money in a green-white-checkered thriller over 2017 series champion Brandon Sheppard.

Races that manifest themselves into headliners like these on a national tour always have very telling backstories.

For the town of Fayetteville, there’s no one better to illustrate that story than someone who’s been covering auto racing in the area and at the track since the late 1970s – multi-time motorsports journalism award winner and current Fayetteville Observer Sports Editor Thomas Pope.

“From the day Jim Long took over as promoter, he’s constantly been thinking of ways to raise Fayetteville Motor Speedway’s profile on the national scene, and I think he certainly reached the bar with the First in Flight 100 last year,” Pope said. “He and his staff have spent countless hours in recent years doing whatever they could to improve the facility, including track prep, creating more outside pit parking, giving racers of all types a place to compete and giving the fans a steady diet of Super Late Model racing.”

As a whole, the new “crown jewel” event means a lot to the racing community in eastern North Carolina.

“The fans in this part of the Carolinas are treated to a schedule that’s hard to match anywhere, and the quality of the racing has steadily improved,” noted Pope. “That’s always a crapshoot with a dirt track because of weather, but you can go back and watch videos of previous events here and find some top-shelf stuff. Sheppard vs. Clanton in the first heat of the Outlaws race here in 2017 was as good as it gets.”

A stacked field of cars battled for the $25,000 top prize in 2018, and it’s expected to be even bigger this year. While many of the veteran racers from the southeast have turned many laps around Fayetteville’s half-mile dirt oval, top rookie contender Ricky Weiss from Manitoba is going to be seeing the track for the first time.

“I actually like the bigger speedways,” Weiss said. “I like the speed and the finesse that it brings out of the driver – it just seems to fit my driving style. That, and the dryer [the track] gets, the smoother it gets, the longer [the race] gets and the better we are.”

As always, a host of national, regional and local super late model talent is expected to join the Outlaws at the track, including Jimmy Owens, Devin Moran, Don O’Neal, Ross Bailes, Chris Ferguson, Dustin Mitchell, Willie Milliken, Ben Watkins, and Dennis “Rambo” Franklin.

Four-time series champion Josh Richards tops the win list at Fayetteville as the only driver to win more than once. He took the Outlaws’ inaugural visit in 2008 and won again in 2010.

Since then, Darrell Lanigan, Chris Ferguson, Brian Shirley, Brandon Sheppard and Owens have all visited Victory Lane.

DOVER, Del. – Raphael Lessard and Johnny Sauter led the way during a pair of NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series practice sessions at Dover Int’l Speedway on Thursday.

Sauter posted the fastest speed of the day, turning a lap of 22.936 seconds (156.958 mph) with his No. 13 Tenda Heal Ford F-150 around the one-mile, high-banked concrete oval.

The 2016 Truck Series champion topped the charts during final practice.

In fact, the top five speeds overall were all turned during the second practice round, with defending Truck Series titlist Brett Moffitt following Sauter on the speed charts at 23.002 seconds (156.508 mph) with the No. 24 ISM Connect Chevrolet Silverado.

Canadian Stewart Friesen was third-quick (23.044/156.223), followed by Harrison Burton’s Toyota Tundra and part-timer Jesse Little’s Ford F-150.

Seventeen-year-old Raphael Lessard, making his second of three Truck Series appearances this season in the No. 46 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, was sixth-fastest overall and topped the speed charts in first practice. He was also sixth in final practice.

Lessard’s best lap of the day was 23.226 seconds (154.999 mph) with the No. 46 Spectra Premium Toyota Tundra.

Sauter has won the last two Truck Series races at the Monster Mile, leading 170 of 410 laps during that span. This will be his first race with ThorSport Racing at Dover since 2015.

Of note, Kyle Busch has been victorious in the last four Truck Series races held this season, but Busch is not entered for Friday evening’s event. NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Brandon Jones will pilot the No. 51 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Qualifying for the JEGS 200 is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET on Friday.

ANDERSON, Ind. – Fourteen-year-old Brenden Torok will step onto the biggest stage of his young racing career during this weekend’s Must See Racing Sprint Car Series season opener at Anderson Speedway.

After a year’s worth of serving as a crew member for veteran owner John Reiser and working on Charlie Schultz’s machine, Torok will take the steering wheel in his own right for his series debut with the 410ci winged asphalt sprint car series during Saturday’s Must See Racing 50.

Torok will pilot the No. 99 for Koyan Racing, under the guidance of car owner Dave Koyan as well as Reiser as he embarks on his maiden voyage at the quarter-mile, high-banked bullring.

“I’m really excited for this weekend and I know it’s going to be a really cool experience,” Torok said in advance of the race weekend. “I know we have a 605 crate (engine) compared to the typical 410s, but what definitely helps us is that this is a small track where the power doesn’t matter quite as much on the straightaways as it does on some of the bigger tracks.

“This weekend is exciting because a lot of the sprint cars from my home track (Lorain County Speedway) are coming up as well to compete, so there will be a lot of familiar faces,” he added. “Hopefully we’ll be able to put on a show racing one another, as well as all the Must See veterans I’ve gotten to know over the past year of being at the race track on a regular basis.”

Though the prospect of his first Must See Racing event is admittedly, a little intimidating, that factor hasn’t stopped Torok from preparing as much as he can to be as ready as possible on Saturday.

However, that preparation came with a bit of a funny snag along the way.

“I’ve watched a lot of video to help prepare myself for this weekend,” explained Torok. “It’s actually a funny story. I was on YouTube … and apparently there’s two tracks named Anderson – there’s also one in South Carolina – and for a while I was watching the wrong track! I finally texted Charlie (Schultz) a photo of the video I was watching, and he told me I didn’t have the right one.

“I felt a little dumb after that, but we had a good laugh about it.”

Though Torok knows he’s a bit down on power compared to the top stars of the Must See Racing ranks, he knows that his primary goal is to go to school every time he hits the race track.

“I think at the beginning we’ll have a good race going on, but for sure if the race goes into long runs, the 410s will start to gap us some,” Torok admitted. “This weekend, for me, is all about getting experience and gaining respect from the veterans as much as I can. It’s exciting to have this opportunity, especially at just 14 years old. I would have never thought I’d be here back in my quarter midget days.

“I want to get my name out there, and this weekend will be a big start to that process.”

To that end, Torok doesn’t have a specific finishing position in mind that he’d like to achieve. Completing laps and not damaging his race car are the main objectives come race time.

“I just want to have some decent luck and not crash the car,” said Torok of his weekend mission. “I want to roll the thing back in the trailer in one piece and just have fun in the process. I know it’s going to be a new experience, so I just hope to learn as much as I can and soak it all in along the way.”

While Torok won’t make a full run for rookie-of-the-year honors, he did say that he and Koyan Racing plan to make additional selected starts this season, beyond just Saturday’s season opener at Anderson.

As he transitions from crew member to driver in the Must See Racing pit area, Torok was quick to note and look back on what it means to have come as far as he has in so short of a time period.

“The whole weekend is going to be awesome. To be racing with Charlie and Adam (Biltz) and all the people I’ve been helping all this time is pretty special to me,” noted Torok. “I can’t wait to get started.”

CONCORD, N.C. – After slimming down to just two full-time entries in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this season, Rev Racing will expand back to three cars for this weekend’s Twin 100s at South Boston Speedway with the addition of 17-year-old Nick Sanchez.

Sanchez, who has competed primarily with Rev Racing’s late model program this season in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series, will make the step up at the four-tenths-mile Virginia oval this weekend for his first time in competition with the regional touring series.

The Miami, Fla. teenager is a third-year member of the NASCAR Drive 4 Diversity program. He’ll drive the No. 2 Max Siegel Inc. Toyota Camry on Saturday.

Though the deal was announced a bit late in the game, Sanchez is eager to continue his progression up the ladder and test his skills against the top drivers in the K&N East ranks.

“I’ve only known for sure this was going to happen for a couple of weeks, but this deal is something that has been talked about for a little while,” Sanchez told SPEED SPORT. “The team has a ladder system in place that has worked very successfully, so their end goal from the time that I joined them in Legend cars was to move me from Legends into late models, and then eventually into K&N.

“I’m super excited that we’ve finally gotten to this particular step on that ladder and I can’t wait to hit the race track on Saturday.”

Sanchez started his tenure with Rev Racing as part of the team’s Youth Development Program in 2017 and 2018, piloting a Legend car during the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

He then moved up into late models this year, and has not finished outside the top five in six starts so far, along with winning one pole as well.

While all of that doesn’t necessarily mean fast success in the K&N Pro Series this weekend, Sanchez is hoping for a smooth transition, despite the learning curve he’ll face.

“The difference in power between the late models and the larger K&N cars will definitely be the biggest difference that I’ll be looking to adjust to this weekend,” Sanchez noted. “I know the K&N cars are heavier and may drive a little bit differently, but the hope is that I can adapt quickly and find some speed as the day goes on from practice through the race.”

Sanchez also isn’t setting a specific bar for his K&N efforts this season, particularly considering that the South Boston twins are the only East races on his schedule at this point.

“My goal is simple: learn and take in as much as I can as the weekend goes on,” Sanchez said. “I don’t even have a specific finishing position in mind because I don’t know what to expect until I get out there and get going on Saturday.

“We’ll just see how it goes and hopefully have something to write home about when it’s all over,” he added. “I really think it’s gonna be a fun two races out there.”

Beyond Saturday, Sanchez will continue to compete full time in late model action for Rev Racing this season.

STUART, Iowa – Bobby Pierce was not going to be denied during Thursday night’s Midwest Latemodel Racing Ass’n stop at Stuart Int’l Speedway.

Pierce charged forward from 13th on the grid to win the 40-lap main event at the high-banked, quarter-mile clay oval, beating Chris Simpson to the checkered flag.

In the process, Pierce picked up Casey’s General Store Hard Charger honors on the night.

Simpson chased the familiar red No. 32 valiantly but was forced to settle for second in the end, followed by Tyler Bruening, Will Vaught and Jordan Yaggy.

National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Billy Moyer finished sixth in the 23-car field.

The finish:

Bobby Pierce, Chris Simpson, Tyler Bruening, Will Vaught, Jordan Yaggy, Billy Moyer, Chad Simpson, Mitch McGrath, Richie Gustin, Logan Martin, Jake Neal, Jeremy Grady, J.C. Wyman, Allen Murray, Brian Kosiski, Dave Eckrich, Jay Johnson, Chad Holladay, Jesse Stovall, Andrew Kosiski, Terry Phillips, Payton Looney, Joseph Gorby.

NEW YORK -- The Rangers have agreed to terms with defenseman Adam Fox on an entry-level contract.

New York acquired Fox on Tuesday in a trade with Carolina for its second-round pick this year and a conditional third-round choice next year.

Fox played in 33 games for Harvard this past season, collecting nine goals and 39 assists. He ranked second in points among NCAA defensemen, trailing Hobey Baker Award winner Cale Makar (49). The 21-year-old from Jericho, New York, helped the United States win a bronze medal at the 2018 world junior championship.

Fox was originally selected by Calgary in the third round of the 2016 draft. He was acquired by Carolina in a trade with the Flames in June 2018.

TORONTO -- Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews underwent a procedure Thursday to remove hardware from a 2014 surgery.

The team said the procedure won't affect Matthews' offseason training.

The Maple Leafs did not give further details on why Matthews required surgery in 2014, but he had a broken femur in 2013 while playing with USA Hockey's under-17 team.

Matthews had 37 goals and 73 points in 68 games this season, his third in the NHL. He added five goals and an assist in seven playoff games.

As the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs roll on, the business of hockey continues with the teams that finished out of the money. Some of them have found new head coaches. Some of them are still looking. One needs a general manager. Two just kicked their GMs upstairs to add to (or maintain) their brain trust.

Here's a look the vacancies and the recently filled jobs in the NHL, and what we're hearing about them.

Filled coaching jobs

Florida Panthers

Former coach: Bob Boughner
New coach: Joel Quenneville

Analysis: What a coup for the Cats. The second-winningest coach in NHL history behind Scotty Bowman, and the winner of three Stanley Cups, Quenneville was captivated by living in South Florida -- golf, horse racing and Dale Tallon, the guy who hired him in Chicago and is the current Panthers GM. The multiyear deal pays him around $6 million annually, and it's hard not to think it's a solid investment: Quenneville has missed the playoffs only three times in coaching 1,636 career games.

His presence makes the Panthers a potential player destination (hello, Artemi Panarin) and gives the franchise a legitimacy it has lacked for decades. Greg Cote of the Miami Herald called him, "the most accomplished man and proven winner in his profession to join a local team since the Heat got Pat Riley in 1995."

News story: Panthers move fast, hire Quenneville as coach

Los Angeles Kings

Former coach: Willie Desjardins
New coach: Todd McLellan

Analysis: GM Rob Blake convinced his former coach in San Jose to take over the Kings with an "extensive" plan to get back on a path to success ... which will probably have more to do with Blake flipping the aged roster into something younger than it does McLellan's coaching, but we digress. The interesting phrase that McLellan used in his introductory news conference was owing the fans "entertainment value," which one assumes means the Kings might get a more offensive style for the first time in nearly a decade.

News story: McLellan agrees to multiyear deal to coach Kings

Philadelphia Flyers

Former coach: Scott Gordon
New coach: Alain Vigneault

Analysis: A "win now" move for both the franchise and the former New York Rangers coach, who signed on because he thinks the Flyers are close. "On my bucket list, I need one more thing: I need to win a Stanley Cup. I've come close twice," Vigneault said when he was hired. "When I look at and analyze the parts we have here in Philly, when I look at and analyze the options that we have in improving this team, it gets a check mark from me."

If nothing else, Vigneault takes over a team with a star in his prime (Claude Giroux), several good young players (including goalie Carter Hart), around $30 million in cap space next summer and, of course, Gritty.

News story: Flyers announce Vigneault as team's new coach

Open coaching jobs

Anaheim Ducks

Former coach: Bob Murray

Rumor 'n' innuendo: True to form, Murray is playing it close to the vest for his next head coach. (Please recall Murray took over behind the Ducks' bench after firing Randy Carlyle this season but has no interest in returning as head coach.) We know he's looking for a coach who can connect with younger players. Dallas Eakins has been impressive as head coach of San Diego Gulls in the AHL, as they advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs. There are a lot of dots that connect with Eakins, but we've been told he's not a slam dunk.

One wonders if AHL coaches Pascal Vincent (Manitoba) or Mike Vellucci (Charlotte) could get a look. If it's a former NHL bench boss, Mike Yeo has interviewed with Murray before. The wild card: Rikard Gronborg, the Swedish national team coach. He has coached Hampus Lindholm, Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell before, and he's itching to come to the NHL.

Buffalo Sabres

Former coach: Phil Housley

Rumor 'n' innuendo: It's no secret GM Jason Botterill is seeking a bench boss with head NHL coaching experience after previously hiring a former assistant in Housley. Alas, some of the bigger names already hopped off the coaching carousel, but two familiar names have interviewed with the Sabres: Dave Tippett, the former Arizona Coyotes coach who apparently still has the itch (or was informed what his role, or lack thereof, in Seattle was to be); and Jacques Martin, the former Senators and Panthers head coach whom Botterill has a connection with through their days in Pittsburgh together.

Lightning assistant Todd Richards, another Pittsburgh connection, was the former head coach of the Wild and Blue Jackets. Chris Taylor, head coach at AHL Rochester, could be in the mix. Gronborg and Botterill are expected to connect during the upcoming IIHF world championship.

Edmonton Oilers

Former/current coach: Ken Hitchcock

Rumor 'n' innuendo: There's still a chance the next general manager of the Oilers asks Hitch to hang around as head coach, and that Hitch accepts the offer. But most likely, it'll be a new face with some history with the new GM. It would be the eighth coach in 11 years for the Oilers, which we guess is consistency, in a weird way.

Ottawa Senators

Former/current coach: Marc Crawford

Rumor 'n' innuendo: Crawford went 7-10-1 as interim head coach for Ottawa, which was good enough to put in consideration for the gig. Jacques Martin, who coached there for nine seasons, is in the mix as is Belleville Senators coach Troy Mann (although speculation is he could be elevated as an assistant coach). According to Sportsnet, Ottawa has asked Toronto for permission to speak to assistant coach D.J. Smith. From the college hockey ranks, Providence coach Nate Leaman is under consideration.

But the rising star might be Brad Shaw, an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has a great reputation as coach of defensemen and instructed the Jackets' league-best penalty kill. He was also interviewed by Sens GM Pierre Dorion in 2016 before they hired Guy Boucher. Oh, and he was the alternate captain of the 1992 expansion Senators, too.

Filled GM jobs

Detroit Red Wings

Former GM: Ken Holland
New GM: Steve Yzerman

Analysis: From the moment he stepped away from the Tampa Bay Lightning, the speculation was that Yzerman would ride in and replace Holland, so this was no surprise. Holland remains the senior vice president of hockey operations -- for now -- while Yzerman takes over as general manager. To no one's surprise, Yzerman preached patience as the Red Wings go young and build through the draft. To the surprise of many, he not only said he'd honor coach Jeff Blashill's two-year contract extension but offered vocal support for the coach.

News story: Stevie GM: Wings tab Yzerman to replace Holland

Vegas Golden Knights

Former GM: George McPhee
New GM: Kelly McCrimmon

Analysis: What, you didn't realize the Golden Knights needed a new general manager? McPhee did, apparently. He started formulating a plan to "keep the band together" in Vegas, fully knowing that opportunities would present themselves to highly regarded assistant general manager Kelly McCrimmon this offseason. His solution? To remain atop the Golden Knights' player personnel chain of command as president of hockey operations, with McCrimmon moving up to general manager.

The two will continue their "co-managing" setup that has been in place since McCrimmon was hired. Most importantly, it keeps an instantly successful brain trust together for a franchise that's just a piece or two away from another trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

"I don't know if I would have done this for anyone else. But it's easy to do when it's the right thing. This was the right thing for the Golden Knights. I'm proud to do this. Kelly's going to be terrific at it. And we just keep rolling along here," McPhee said.

News story: Golden Knights elevate McCrimmon to GM role

Open GM jobs

Edmonton Oilers

Former/current GM: Keith Gretzky

Rumor 'n' innuendo: You didn't need an electron microscope to read between the lines at the Golden Knights' news conference. The Oilers were asking about McCrimmon, and the opportunity was such that George McPhee bumped himself upstairs to keep the Vegas brain trust together. So where does that leave the Oilers, as their search narrows?

According to TSN's Ryan Rishaug, interim GM Keith Gretzky and former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant GM Mark Hunter are down to the wire for the opening, with former Team Canada GM Sean Burke also in the mix. There's still a chance Holland could be convinced to take over the Oilers, but that's a long shot at this point. Gretzky has cultivated a lot of support from the local punditry in Edmonton. Also, his name is Keith Gretzky.

Three of the four series in the second round are now deadlocked, as the Boston Bruins tied things up with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Colorado Avalanche did likewise with their win against the San Jose Sharks.

Here's what happened in the NHL last night (check out replays of every playoff game on ESPN+) and what to watch for, in today's edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily:

Jump ahead: Last night's games | Three stars
Play of the night | Today's games | Social post of the day

About last night ...

Game 4: Boston Bruins 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1 (series tied 2-2). The Bruins needed their big names to step up and even this series. So Patrice Bergeron scored two goals on seven shots. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist. And Tuukka Rask bettered Sergei Bobrovsky with a brilliant 39-save effort. The Bruins also kept the Jackets off the board on the power play, going 4-for-4 on the kill, which was also the formula they had in Game 1. A physical, nasty game that the Bruins conquered, and we're 2-2 headed back to Boston. The Bruins' 46 shots tonight were their most in a non-OT playoff game since they had 56 vs. Chicago on April 11, 1975.

Game 4: Colorado Avalanche 3, San Jose Sharks 0 (series tied 2-2). Nathan MacKinnon had the game-winner in the second period, Mikko Rantanen had two assists for the Avs and Philipp Grubauer did the rest with a 32-save shutout to even their series against the Sharks.

Three Stars

1. Philipp Grubauer, G, Colorado Avalanche

Ah, there's the Philipp Grubauer we remember from the first round. The Avalanche goalie made 32 saves, turning back every prime Sharks chance in posting his first career playoff shutout.

2. Tuukka Rask, G, Boston Bruins

Tough night for the hypercritical Boston fans who blame a career .921 goalie for any of the team's foibles. His 39 saves were his most in the playoffs since 2017. His save percentage has steadily increased as the series has gone on as well. He also stopped a penalty shot in Game 4.

3. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado star was all over the ice in Game 4 and scored what turned out to be the game-winner in the second period. MacKinnon has at least a point in eight straight games. It's the longest streak by an Avalanche player in the postseason since Peter Forsberg had a point in eight straight in 2002.

Play of the Night

.@tuukkarask>#StanleyCup>pic.twitter.com/36pG7b5daR - NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) May 2, 2019

This was a key moment in Game 4 between the Bruins and Blue Jackets. Boone Jenner had a chance to tie Game 1 just 3:19 after the Bruins took the lead, and Rask made the stop. That was the fourth penalty shot of this postseason and the second save. Tuukka Rask has faced two penalty shots this postseason, stopping Jenner here after allowing a goal to Mitch Marner in Game 1 of the first round vs. the Maple Leafs.

Dud of the Night

Here it is: Conclusive evidence that the puck hit the netting before CBJ's goal. pic.twitter.com/OSwd2zE4Oc - Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) May 3, 2019

Playoff officiating strikes again. Another night, another titanic goof by the on-ice officials in a playoff game that dramatically altered the game. Down 2-0 to the Bruins, Artemi Panarin scored his fifth of the playoffs at 8:46 of the first period. One problem: The on-ice officials all missed the puck going off the netting above the Bruins goal. Then, when Oliver Bjorkstrand played the puck before Panarin scored, it nullified any video review due to an archaic rule. Ugly all around. Well, except for the Jackets.

On the schedule

New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, Game 4, 7 p.m. ET (Hurricanes lead series 3-0). Officially, PNC Arena has prohibited fans from bringing brooms to Game 4, but we imagine we'll see a few in the stands as the "Bunch of Jerks" go for the sweep. It should be Curtis McElhinney again in goal for Carolina, with Petr Mrazek doubtful for Game 4.

Dallas Stars at St. Louis Blues, Game 5, 9:30 p.m. ET (series tied 2-2). This series found its nasty edge in Game 4 with a second period fracas that saw Blues goalie Jordan Binnington slash both Jamie Benn and Ben Bishop. "Just a bunch of grown men being donkeys out there," said Benn. All eyes will be on Binnington, who has only lost two straight decisions one other time this season -- in the first round against the Jets.

Social post of the day

Our new kitten discovered hockey tonight. @nhl>@NHLonNBCSports>@Avalanche>@SanJoseSharks>pic.twitter.com/RkyUE9ykeC - x - Fabbri's Hair (@FabbrisHair) May 3, 2019

Nothing like a kitten discovering the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time.

Quotable

"We prided ourselves on being disciplined. That's the most disappointing part. That's the hard part about the game tonight." -- John Tortorella, Blue Jackets coach, on his team's six minor penalties in Game 4