WATERBURY, Vt. – The American-Canadian Tour its point-counting season at Maine’s Oxford Plains Speedway this Sunday with the Oxford 150.

Just like in 2017 and 2018, many eyes will be on Vermont’s Scott Payea when the field takes the green.

Payea enters the year looking to join a select group in ACT annals. The veteran has won the last two ACT championships with some of the most impressive numbers in ACT history. He has won seven races in that time, including a record-tying four straight in 2017. Payea also has a streak of 26 straight top-10 finishes dating back to the 2016 campaign.

Another championship this year would put Payea in elite company. ACT has awarded nearly 60 touring series championships between the ACT Pro Stock Tour, ACT Late Model Tour and Série ACT. Only four drivers have won three straight titles. Robbie Crouch and Junior Hanley both did so on the ACT Pro Stock Tour, while Brian Hoar (twice) and Jean-Paul Cyr have pulled off the feat with the ACT Late Model Tour. Despite the opportunity to make history, Payea is taking the same measured approach to the season as he always does.

“We’re going to approach this season just like we did the last couple years,” he said. “We’ve spent all winter in the shop working hard, and we’re going to take each race one at a time. We’re going to do our homework in the shop each week and hopefully show up with the best car each race.”

Payea is entering his fourth year driving for Rick Paya and RPM Racing. The Payea-Paya combo already has 10 wins with finishes of second, first, and first in points. If teams get stronger by staying together, the duo may be better than ever this season – especially since Payea says they have unprecedented stability from 2018 to 2019.

“I think this is the first year we’ll have the exact same crew members coming back,” Payea remarked. “I think that’s a big positive for us. It’s tough – the competition is tough every year. You have guys that are building on their programs, so we just need to stay on top of our game and really focus on what we do at the race track. We work hard in the shop all week, but at the race track, we still need to be on top of our game, because (the Tour) is so competitive that anybody can compete for the win.”

The team will have some tough challengers in its quest for another title. Jimmy Hebert and Rich Dubeau return after finishing in the top-five in points last year. Three-time champion Wayne Helliwell Jr. is back with ACT after a two-year absence.

Top rookies from 2018 like Dylan Payea and Christopher Pelkey are back with a season of experience. Ryan Kuhn has joined the Tour after winning the 2018 Seekonk Speedway championship while former Série ACT champion Jonathan Bouvrette leads a large Canadian field. Payea knows these drivers and many others won’t give an inch on the track.

“Any given race, it could be any one of them that’s tough,” Payea said. “It’ll be interesting to see who can put the full season together. Jimmy (Hebert) has shown some tremendous speed week after week, so if he can put the full season together and really challenge, he’s one to look out for. And Rich (Dubeau) and his team – you’ve got to love a team like that who just keeps building on their success. They had a great first outing at Richmond. I’m looking for big things from him this year.”

In addition, Payea will tackle a schedule with several changes. The ACT Late Model Tour returns to Star Speedway and Autodrome Chaudiere for the first time since 2013 and 2015, respectively. Second dates have been added at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park and White Mountain Motorsports Park. The latter is a 250-lap, $10,000-to-win showdown that Payea finished third in last year as an open event.

“I like some new challenges,” Payea said. “I’ve never raced at Star before. That’ll be exciting to go experience a new track on the Tour. Another trip to Thompson will be great as well. We’ve had some okay runs there, but we’ll look to build on those.”

The season begins for Payea and the rest of the ACT Tour at the historic Oxford oval. Payea has a win at the track but was involved in spins at both events last year. Despite those incidents, he finished in the top-10 in each event and will look for a better result this time around.

“We’re just looking for a solid start,” Payea concluded. “Hopefully we have a good car and we can run up front and compete for the win. But just having a clean, solid start will kick off the season right.”

The post Payea Ready To Begin Hunt For Another ACT Title appeared first on SPEED SPORT.

Nottinghamshire 408 and 329 for 5 dec (Clarke 97*, Nash 75, Duckett 61, Mullaney 52) lead Yorkshire 291 (Root 73, Patel 3-31) by 446 runs

Joe Root, struck on the helmet, first ball by Stuart Broad. It did not auger well for Yorkshire. It did not feel all that great for Root. But that was the lowest point of the day for England's Test captain as unbeaten hundreds of considerable resolve by Root and Gary Ballance enabled Yorkshire to secure a draw against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge without further alarm.

Nottinghamshire had declared overnight with a lead of 446 and accounted for Yorkshire's opening pair in the space of 11 overs, but light faded from their challenge as the day progressed and a draw was agreed at five past five with Yorkshire 277 for 2.

Most of the attention will rest with Root, who was making one of his rare Championship appearances for Yorkshire and who initially seemed intent on collecting enough injuries to complete a Box Set. An injured finger while fielding on the third evening was followed by a rattled helmet on the fourth morning as he ducked into a bouncer that failed to get up.

That entailed an eight-minute delay while Root awaited a helmet and was checked for concussion. Time also to reflect on the nature of a moribund but slightly uneven pitch and how to adjust his technique to combat it. He joked that he was unhappy that Broad did not follow up with a volley of abuse.

On one of those two-temperature sunny days in early Spring in which youngsters wear t-shirts and those of greater years still don winter coats and sweaters, Root and Ballance then batted out the rest of the day in a manner that justified the optimism of their coach, Andrew Gale, on the previous evening that a draw was well within their grasp.

The closest they came to being split in a stand of 253 in 67 overs was when Ballance misjudged a single into the off side but Jake Ball failed to follow up a good stop by throwing down the stumps. Root also survived a big appeal for 46 for a catch down the leg side as he hooked at Paul Coughlin.

A burst of three successive boundaries then took Root past 50, Nottinghamshire's slips disappeared with an air of resignation, and runs came with growing ease. Nottinghamshire's deep-set fields by the end even hinted that they half imagined Yorkshire might have a tilt at a ten-an-over run chase. Instead, a draw was agreed upon completion of Ballance's hundred.

On such a placid surface, Nottinghamshire resorted to a regular supply of short balls, something that Root felt was a good lesson for county bowlers so often reliant on seaming pitches. "It's nice now to see bowlers exploiting a different plan, and to go short. I'm sure we will see a lot more of that if the surfaces stay the same and it will be great for the development of the next generation, and the players who are just below the current England team.

"You want to set the example and try and use your experience to your advantage, but I think I did ride my luck on occasions. It's always hard to say it's one of your best knocks when you've not won the game. I took a few painkillers just so it didn't distract me from what was important but the head feels fine and the hand feels fine. The only thing that was hurting when Broady hit me was my ego."

Root carries a nation's hopes for the Ashes; Ballance, by contrast, although only 29, has fallen out of favour and appears to have played the last of his 23 Tests - against South Africa on this ground nearly two years ago. Yet in first-class cricket Root and Ballance reach fifty in a higher percentage of innings than any other current English-qualified batsman, better than one in three. And when it comes to the percentage of hundreds, Ballance is unsurpassed.

Steven Mullaney had declared Nottinghamshire's second innings overnight on 329 for 5, leaving Joe Clarke stranded on 97 not out, three runs short of becoming the youngest player to make two hundreds in a match for the county - and on his debut for the county, too. Team needs above all other considerations had been strictly applied and adherence to such a principle should not be lightly dismissed.

"It was my decision," Mullaney said, "but I spoke to Joe and he was the first one to come up to me last night when he wasn't out and he said whatever is best for the team and if you want to declare. That's the sort of bloke he is and the sort of team that we want to build."

Ball took both wickets to fall, having Harry Brook caught at third slip for 2 and Adam Lyth played on for 21. Root has one more Championship match for Yorkshire, at the Ageas Bowl; Ballance is around all season and ultimately it will be his form, as much as anyone's, which will determine Yorkshire's season.

Northamptonshire 445 (Procter 81*, Wakely 76, Rossington 67, Murtagh 6-80) and 10 for 0 drew with Middlesex 271 (Harris 61*, Buck 5-54) and 317 for 4 dec (Malan 160*, Holden 54)

Dawid Malan's first century since May helped Middlesex secure a battling draw at Northants. At the time he came to the crease, Middlesex were 10 for 2 in their second innings, still 164 behind having been required to follow-on. But, under the watchful eye of national selector, Ed Smith, and Lions coach, Andy Flower, Malan resisted for almost six hours in making his highest score since 2015.

It was a satisfying innings for several reasons. For a start, it saw Malan help his side - this is his second season as captain - recover from an underwhelming opening two or three days of the season while, from a personal perspective, it helped him prove a point in front of Smith.

It was Smith who suggested, at the time of Malan's dropping from the Test team last year, that "his game may be better suited to overseas conditions." So to score runs here, in conditions where the ball seamed throughout the match and against a demanding attack was, as he put it, "extremely pleasing".

"It's nice to do it in front of him," Malan said. "I like proving points. I saw him arrive at lunch and it makes it extremely pleasing to bat like that in front of him. You can do all the talking you want, but it's all about scoring runs, really. There are eight Championship games before the Ashes. If someone can score two, three or even four big hundreds, you never know."

Malan cut a somewhat disconsolate figure last month on England's Caribbean tour. Despite averaging 50.00 with a strike-rate of 150.60 in T20Is, he was consigned to a role as 12th man throughout the series, forfeiting a more lucrative role in the PSL as a consequence. He retains ambitions in all three international formats but will know, aged 31, and with younger men vying for the same positions, time is not really on his side.

"Yes, I want to play for England in all three formats," he said. "I've shown glimpses that I can do it, but last year I looked too far ahead and took my eye off the ball. Right now, I'm just focused on playing well for Middlesex."

Malan impressed with both his elegance and his determination. He scored just 24 in opening session of the day but, as his dominance grew, unveiled some of the flowing drives and pulls for which he is familiar. He remained a bit frustrated with the team's overall performance - "we were nowhere near our best with the ball and there were too many soft dismissals with the bat" - but was encouraged by the fight shown on the final day.

Beautifully though Malan batted, Northants will rue a couple of missed opportunities. He was dropped twice, once in the 50s and once in the 60s, with Jason Holder putting down a tough chance at slip and Rob Keogh another tough one at backward point. Malan might also reflect that, if he is really to push for a spot in England's Test side, he might have to bat in the top three. They're not looking for anyone from No. 4 to No. 8 at present.

Smith and Flower may have been equally interested in the performance of Max Holden. With Malan he added 105 for the fourth-wicket, looking increasingly fluent as he progressed. It took an outrageous moment of fortune to dismiss him: a fierce cut thumped into Rob Newton's knee, taking evasive action at silly point, only to rebound to Adam Rossington behind the stumps.

Northants persisted admirably. But, as the day wore on, their bowlers started to tire; they had spent more than 180 successive overs in the field, after all. They can feel encouraged they enjoyed the best of the first three days of this game, but their coach, David Ripley, admitted the club does not currently have the sort of talent in the system that might one day replicate the deeds of David Willey, Olly Stone or Ben Duckett; all, to a greater or lesser degree, homegrown players.

Equally, uncovering the hidden gems in the club game - the likes of Richard Gleeson and Azharullah - is becoming ever harder. The fact that four of the five mentioned have departed to bigger clubs does not make his task any easier.

"It's a bit frustrating having your players picked off," he said. "Hopefully having a top division of 10 teams will take the pressure off a bit. We're in the bottom three in terms of the wages we pay and we don't have the depth of squad of some of our rivals. But we're a good team and, if we have some luck with injuries, we can push for promotion."

Ripley also confirmed that Cricket West Indies had placed no specific limit on Holder's workload, though there was an understanding that he would not be over bowled.

Middlesex's declaration left Northants facing a hypothetical target of 144 in 21 overs. In truth, Middlesex's aim was simply to repair their slow over rate from the first-innings and, with Northants having agreed not to chase the target, the match ended in somewhat farcical fashion with the likes of Eoin Morgan, Sam Robson and John Simpson (in a cap) having a bowl and Malan keeping wicket without pads. Suffice to say, none of them showed any great untapped ability and the batsmen declined run-scoring opportunities.

So, a slightly unsatisfactory end. But Malan's earlier resistance was real and might well have made an impression on Smith and co.

Worcestershire could be without Ben Twohig for the entire season after he sustained a serious injury. Twohig, the 20-year-old left-arm spinner, is understood to have suffered the anterior cruciate ligament injury while playing five-a-side football.

A former England Under-19 player, Twohig made his List A and first-class debuts last season and did well enough to win a run of games in Worcestershire's Championship side towards the end of the season.

It is entirely possible the injury will renew debate over the wisdom of professional cricketers playing football. Ashley Giles, the director of England's men's teams, had already made it clear he does not favour the idea.

"We've got to keep our best players on the park and I'm not sure playing football is the best way of going about that," he told ESPNcricinfo in January. "If you look at what football does, the benefits from a physiological and fun point of view are outstripped by the dangers."

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The ball rested barely 4 feet from the cup, and everyone surrounding the green, in the grandstands or watching on television fully expected Tiger Woods to hole that putt and move on.

It was the 18th hole of his quarterfinal match with Lucas Bjerregaard at the WGC-Match Play, a do-or-die moment. Woods shockingly missed, the ball hitting the left edge and spinning out.

Woods was as stunned as those watching, his tournament over. He dragged the ball back to the same spot, tried the putt again and missed it worse, later saying he misread the putt.

This is but a single instance, something that could have happened on any hole, during any round at any tournament.

But does it portend anything more?

Both statistically and anecdotally, Woods has had more struggles on the greens than at any time -- save for perhaps one year -- in his legendary career.

In consecutive tournaments earlier this year, Woods three-putted six times, a first in more than 20 years for back-to-back events. Two of the four worst putting weeks of his career occurred in 2018 -- and he twice made equipment changes before going back to his trusty Scotty Cameron putter, which he is using now.

And the number of times he calls in caddie Joe LaCava to help with a read at least appears to be more than usual, as Woods, for most of his career, has done it on his own.

Augusta National, of course, is no place to have putting problems.

Although he looked and felt better on the greens at TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship and at Austin Country Club for the WGC-Match Play Championship, the Masters, which begins Thursday, presents a different test, one that is stressful and exacting.

And one that is imperative he passes if he is to have any chance at winning a fifth green jacket.

"The longer you play, we're all going to have patches where we just don't putt well and patches where we make everything,'' Woods said. "And I've had my share of runs where I've really played well. For me personally, if I can see the line and I feel like I'm releasing this thing and that toe's flying over, I feel good. That's a good feeling for me.

"Other guys don't putt that way, don't feel that way, but I grew up in more of a feeling like Bobby Locke and [Ben] Crenshaw and those guys who let the putter go. If I do that, I feel great.''

WOODS WILL NOT CONCEDE that putting gets more difficult with age. At 43, he is subject to the conjecture that you just won't be as good as you used to be on the greens. For every Jack Nicklaus, who seemed to defy age with the putter, there is an Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson or Ben Hogan who did not.

"I may have been luckier than most going into their 40s,'' said Crenshaw, a Hall of Famer who won two Masters, his last in 1995 at age 43. "It was a notion that a lot of people had, that when you get into your 40s, your putting starts to go. You certainly hear that, and you try not to believe it, try not to think about it. But I think it does slip for some people. It's kind of fascinating to me.

"When you don't see results, you experiment a little bit. You have to change things up, but be patient. Everybody goes through streaks where you feel a little bit helpless.''

Woods has never been one to make big changes when it comes to putting. Posture appears to be the biggest adjustment, and that has evolved at times as he's dealt with his numerous back issues.

When he skipped the Arnold Palmer Invitational last month due to a neck strain, Woods noted that he had difficulty getting in the proper position to practice putting effectively.

Steve Stricker, 52, who defied putting problems in his 40s, has helped Woods at times, mostly notably the week of the 2013 WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral, where Woods went on to win.

"There were a few things there,'' Stricker said. "His alignment was bad, his path was not so good. Everybody kind of works themselves in and out of bad habits. That's the nature of this game. You're always trying to fight those bad habits.

"I watched a lot of the Mexico tournament [where Woods struggled on the greens]. It didn't look bad. And it can be so minute. It can be a misread. It can be speed. It can be the slightest of things. He'll be fine. And that's what I tell him. You just have to trust it.''

Stricker, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain who has 12 PGA Tour victories, won nine of his titles in his 40s but still agrees that putting is more difficult with age.

"I can relate to that,'' he said. "I seem to work a lot harder at it with a little less success. It might be your eyes. Your eyes start to change, you start to see things a little bit differently. It gets into your putting, and then there is the mental side. You don't see it the same, and doubts start creeping in.''

For what it's worth, Woods had vision correction surgery (LASIK) in 1999 and again in 2007, when he realized he needed to have the procedure performed again. It took place soon after the Masters because "my vision started slipping. I was starting to get headaches from squinting all the time.'' He added at the time: "Mine stayed the way it should, for what, eight years now? That's pretty good.''

Woods has not said if he has had any more corrective eye surgery since 2007.

PUTTING IS MEASURED in many ways. Putts per round is a basic metric, and typically anything under 30 is considered good, although so many factors go into that: how many greens did the player hit? Where were his approach shots on the green?

Putts per green in regulation average is another metric, but of course does not take into consideration greens missed.

A more modern measurement is a statistic embraced by the PGA Tour in recent years called "strokes gained.'' It was developed by Columbia University professor Mark Broadie. Is a method of comparing a golfer against the tour average, and the Tour has calculated data back to 2004.

"Strokes gained putting'' shows how a player's putting ranks compared to the tour average. Dominic Bozzelli leads the PGA Tour with a strokes gained putting average of 1.135 per round -- which means he beats the field average by more than 1.135 strokes per round. Woods is ranked 78th at .191. For 2018, he was 48th.

But two of his worst measured strokes gained rounds occurred in 2018 - at the Wells Fargo Championship (-1.46) and at the Memorial Tournament (-1.46). The other two that were in the top four came in 2010, which happened to be the worst putting year of his career.

With strokes gained data, Woods' best putting years were from 2004 to 2009 when he was first once, second three times, fifth and 21st. He was 109th in 2010. His last full season before 2018 was 2015, when Woods ranked 32nd.

Broadie offered up some numbers not provided by the PGA Tour. He made his calculations that also take into account strength of field. Although Woods has played 21 rounds, Broadie is using just 15 rounds -- one of the rounds at the Farmers Insurance Open is not measured via the tour's Shotlink technology; and he did not include the rounds played at the recent World Golf Championship because it is match play and not stroke play.

For strokes gained putting, Broadie has Woods ranked 66th on the PGA Tour compared to 44th last year. (He is sixth in overall strokes gained, compared to fifth in 2018).

There are other ways to dive in to putting. The tour keeps stats from every conceivable distance. For example, Woods is 84th on the PGA Tour making putts from the range of 4 to 8 fee. From exactly 5 feet, he is tied for 50th. Broadie has Woods ranked 148th on putts from 0-6 feet (compared to 97th last year), which would be -0.10 strokes gained at that distance.

"The biggest issue appears to be his short putting,'' Broadie said. "But it's a small sample.''

And then there is three-putt avoidance. Woods has three-putted 14 times out of 288 holes to rank 209th on tour. Jordan Spieth is tied for 162nd. Justin Rose leads the category, having three-putted just three times in 360 holes.

When he three-putted six times at the Genesis Open, Woods said that he "putted as badly as a human being can putt.'' Then a week later in Mexico City, he did it again. During the final round in Mexico City, Woods missed six putts inside 10 feet and three inside 6 feet. "My good putts didn't go in and my bad putts were atrocious'' he said.

"The big key in any major championship is not making double (bogeys) and avoiding three putts,'' said one of Woods' former coaches, Hank Haney. "Penalty shots have killed him in recent years, but avoiding three putts has always been a key to his success at Augusta. You can make up for a three-putt, eagle the 8th or a par-5.''

Sounds easy enough (and Woods did make two eagles at Augusta National last year) but Woods ranks just 83rd on the PGA Tour in par-5 scoring average at 4.61. In 2013, when Woods won five times, he ranked fourth. And for a majority of his career when he was No. 1 in the world, he was always first or second.

NOT EVERYONE BELIEVES that 40 is some sort of demarcation line in putting. Phil Mickelson, 48, who has won tournaments in each of the past two years and won three times in 2013, when he was 43, has put considerable effort into beating back Father Time on the greens.

"I spent time with [short-game expert Dave] Pelz, and we did a lot of math and a lot of study of technique, and we tried to develop ways to maximize the odds,'' Mickelson said. "Whether it was changing stroke, launch angle, loft, hand position, shaft ankle. Whether it's a slice putt, a hook putt. We spent a lot of time analyzing that. And it took a couple of years to where the technique and the set-up matched up.''

Still, Mickelson has had his share of putting problems of late, ranking 116th in strokes gained this year.

Ernie Els, 49, has also gone through the putting gauntlet, going from the game's best to a player who looked lost and experimented with a number of methods. Three years ago, he took a 9 on the first hole of the Masters, having six-putted the green.

And this is a player who won a U.S. Open on the fast-paced greens of Oakmont, four major championships total and more than 60 tournaments worldwide.

"I went through a wobble in my head,'' Els said. "Right now, I'm good. I put more loft on my putter, and I'm putting as good as I did in my prime. I think there's something that just goes on in your head. You play the game that long, you listen to other people, and stuff creeps into your head. There are so many different ways of putting.

"In certain circumstances, yes. Jack Nicklaus said he never went through any of that. Then there's Johnny Miller, and he basically left the game because of it. You get a lot of players who never find it again.''

As for Woods, Els said: "I watch him, and it looks as pure as ever. I think what happens is you start reading the greens a little differently. His reads might not be as good. When I look at him, it looks as good as it did back in the day. He had that [issue] with his chipping [in 2015], and that was because of bad mechanics -- too much lean in the shaft, so he couldn't get his hands to the ball, couldn't find the bottom of the swing. But his putting looks fine.''

Last year, Greg Chalmers, 45, led the PGA Tour in strokes-gained putting -- but is the only player to do so in his 40s in the past 10 years.

FOR WOODS TO CONTEND AT THE MASTERS, he does not have to be the best putter in the field, nor even necessarily in the top five. Augusta's greens are difficult for everyone, and his experience on the course over the years offers him an advantage.

In statistics kept by Augusta National, Woods ranked outside of the top 20 in two of his four victories, and his best was tied for eighth. Only once did he average as many as 30 putts per round.

But here is the most telling statistic about Woods' victories in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005: The first three times he led the field or was tied in greens in regulation; the last year he was second.

He never failed to hit at last 50 out of 72 greens, and during his 2001 "Tiger Slam" victory, he hit 59 out of 72 -- missing just 13 greens for the week. He never had more than four three-putt greens during any of his victories.

The good news for Woods is that it is still a strong part of his game. He ranks third on the tour in greens in regulation, averaging more than 74 percent.

But once on the greens, can he give himself enough realistic looks for birdie and avoid three-putts on the occasions where he is a long way from the hole?

"I did my best when I felt comfortable and relaxed,'' Crenshaw said. "If I could swing my arms and take the wrists out of it. There's still no substitute for hitting the ball solid. To me, it was always speed. If I could hit the ball the right pace, then I'd have a good chance. You have to put those things together, and sometimes that's hard.

"With Tiger, his stroke technically looks very good. There again, it is tough to put speed and line together. And mostly when your speed is off, you putt worse. I don't think guys misread putts as much as they misgauge their speed.''

A year ago, in Woods' first Masters since 2015, he three-putted twice on the final day and took 32 putts after hitting 15 of 18 greens. He missed five putts inside of 6 feet and still shot 69.

Often, you hear Woods say a standard phrase: "That is probably the worst I could have shot.'' And it is often related to how well he struck the ball, only to struggle on the greens.

"You hear Tiger talk about his 'feels' all the time,'' said Brandt Snedeker, 38, who is another nonbeliever when it comes to advancing age being a problem. "He feels like he releases the putter, but if you watch him, he really doesn't do that. But it feels that way to him, and that is what he is trying to achieve. His stroke still looks good to me.''

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- What is required to win a green jacket as the Masters Tournament champion?

Guys have to hit it long and accurately off the tee, bravely fire second shots to avoid Rae's Creek and other pitfalls, and of course, putt exceptionally well on some of the slickest greens in the world.

A winner must do all of that while controlling his emotions in front of huge crowds and knowing that there's a good chance the course will play differently each of the four days.

Who has what it takes to win the Masters this week? Here's a look at each of the 87 players in the field, divided in groups from the legitimate contenders to the past champions to the amateurs:

Tier I: The guys who can win

Here are the legitimate contenders to win the Masters Tournament. They have the games, guts and nerves to handle four pressure-packed rounds on one of the most treacherous tracks in the world.

Rory McIlroy
For the fifth time at Augusta, McIlroy will try to complete the career grand slam by winning a green jacket. He finished tied for fifth in 2018 after posting a 74 on Sunday.

Dustin Johnson
He's arguably the most talented player in the world, but his experience at Augusta is mostly marked by heavy jet skis and tricky stairs. His best finish in eight tries is a tie for fourth.

Justin Rose
Rose is almost a modern-day Lee Trevino. He has 11 top-25 finishes and five top-10s at Augusta, including runners-up in 2015 and '17.

Bubba Watson
His courage, creativity and newly found yardage off the tee make him a contender to win a green jacket for the third time. Will his putting -- he's ranked 162nd in strokes gained in putting -- prevent him from doing it?

Brooks Koepka
The three-time major champion says his dramatic weight loss has cost him distance off the tees. The good news: He won't have a problem finding meat-and-threes in Georgia.

Francesco Molinari
The Italian was playing some of the best golf in the world until he lost in the semifinals of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play last month. His best finish at the Masters is a tie for 19th in 2012.

Jon Rahm
The talented Spaniard had a pair of top-5 finishes in majors last year and seemed more mentally equipped to finish big events until his meltdown on Sunday at the Players. He had a solo fourth at Augusta last year after opening with a 75.

Rickie Fowler
The best player in the world to never win a major would probably like to shed that title. He finished second at the Masters in 2018, 1 shot behind champion Patrick Reed.

Jason Day
Day had a tie for second and a solo third in his first three Masters appearances, but he hasn't been nearly as good since. Hopefully his back holds up for four rounds.

Paul Casey
The Englishman won the Valspar Championship last month after a woeful appearance at the Players. He rallied to finish tied for 15th at the 2018 Masters after posting 74-75 his first two rounds. He had three straight top-10s at Augusta before that.

Bryson DeChambeau
Who can't wait for DeChambeau to ruffle traditionalists' feathers by leaving pins in the holes while putting on the most revered golf course in the world? At least he's deliberate on tee boxes.

Justin Thomas
Augusta National has been the former Alabama star's Clemson so far. He has posted only one score in the 60s in 12 career rounds at the Masters and hasn't finished better than a tie for 17th.

Tommy Fleetwood
The Englishman is still seeking his first PGA Tour victory after a near-miss at the Players. He tied for 17th in his second Masters appearance in 2018.

Tiger Woods
The four-time Masters winner keeps giving us hints of his former dominance, albeit without the results. He finished tied for 32nd in 2018, with three rounds of par or worse.

Phil Mickelson
The three-time Masters champion is trying to become the oldest majors champion, at more than 48 years. After finishing tied for 36th in 2018, Lefty wants to give Jake Owen his money's worth.

Tier II: If everything goes right ...

Here are the dark horse candidates to slip on a green jacket on Sunday. The list features past champions, including the most recent one, whose games have been works in progress so far this season. Will it all come together at Augusta?

Jordan Spieth
The 2015 Masters champion's game still seems to be a work in progress, especially off the tee, but Augusta National seems to bring out his best. He came into the 2018 tournament in a similar slump but finished solo third, two shots behind Reed.

Tony Finau
Finau dislocated his ankle while celebrating a hole-in-one during the Par-3 Contest -- and then popped it back into place -- and somehow finished tied for 10th.

Xander Schauffele
Schauffele has two wins and six other top-25s in 10 PGA events this season. He finished tied for 50th in his first Masters appearance in 2018.

Louis Oosthuizen
The South African was runner-up in 2012 with a memorable albatross and had a hole-in-one -- off J.B. Holmes' ball -- in 2016. He missed the cut four times and hasn't finished higher than a tie for 12th in his nine other appearances.

Adam Scott
The 2013 Masters champion has one top-10 finish at Augusta since he beat Angel Cabrera in a playoff to win the green jacket. He tied for 32nd last year.

Matt Kuchar
The former Georgia Tech star will find friendly galleries at Augusta, where he has four top-10s in his past seven appearances.

Hideki Matsuyama
The Japanese golfer has finished in the top 20 four straight times at Augusta, including 19th in 2018. He posted scores of par or better in 12 of his past 16 rounds at Augusta.

Patrick Reed
The reigning Masters champion hasn't won anything since he held off Fowler, Spieth and Rahm on Sunday last year. He has one top-10 finish in 10 Tour starts this season.

Sergio Garcia
The Spaniard followed his 2017 Masters title by missing the cut with 81-78 last year. It was only the 11th time a defending champion missed the cut the next year. Even worse, Garcia's 36-hole total of 15 over was the worst by a defending champion. Of course, that 13 he recorded at the par-5 15th in the opening round didn't help.

Marc Leishman
The Australian won the CIMB Classic in October and finished in the top 10 in half of his 10 Tour events this season. He had a solo ninth at the Masters in 2018.

Cameron Smith
The 25-year-old Australian provided a glimpse of his enormous potential by firing a 66 on Sunday last year to tie for fifth at the 2018 Masters.

Kevin Kisner
The Aiken, South Carolina, native grew up about 20 miles from the gates of Augusta National and would love nothing more than to win a green jacket. He took down some of the game's best to win the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Brandt Snedeker
Snedeker has found his game again and is back after a one-year absence. He finished tied for 15th or better in four of his 10 Masters appearances.

Henrik Stenson
Stenson finished in a tie for fifth at the Masters last year, with four straight rounds under par. He struggled this season before reaching the round of 16 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

Tier III: Hey, miracles happen

They are the long shots. This tier includes a handful of aging former champions, a hometown favorite making his long-awaited return and some first-timers.

Webb Simpson
Kevin Na
Keegan Bradley
Charles Howell III
J.B. Holmes
Keith Mitchell
Gary Woodland
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Ian Poulter
Emiliano Grillo
Charley Hoffman
Jimmy Walker
Branden Grace
Si Woo Kim
Zach Johnson
Fred Couples
Bernhard Langer
Haotong Li
Tyrrell Hatton
Eddie Pepperell
Satoshi Kodaira
Thorbjorn Olesen
Matt Wallace
Matthew Fitzpatrick
Patrick Cantlay
Billy Horschel

Tier IV: Happy to make the cut

They aren't expected to be among the contenders, unless something magical happens. Some know-it-all probably said the same things about Danny Willett, Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman before they unexpectedly won, too.

Martin Kaymer
Stewart Cink
Andrew Landry
Aaron Wise
Michael Kim
Kevin Tway
Adam Long
Patton Kizzire
Kyle Stanley
Alex Noren
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
Lucas Bjerregaard
Justin Harding
Shane Lowry
Corey Conners
Shugo Imahira

Tier V: Past champions

They're here only because they own green jackets and earned the right to come back and play. Their days of competing are in the rearview mirror, however.

Angel Cabrera
Trevor Immelman
Sandy Lyle
Larry Mize
Jose Maria Olazabal
Charl Schwartzel
Vijay Singh
Mike Weir
Danny Willett
Ian Woosnam

Tier VI: Amateurs

They're the new kids on the block and the most talented (and most fortunate) amateur players in the world. They're trying to do what Ryan Moore (tied for 13th in 2005), Hideki Matsuyama (27th in 2011) and Bryson DeChambeau (21st in 2016) did before turning pro.

Viktor Hovland
Devon Bling
Jovan Rebula
Takumi Kanaya
Alvaro Ortiz
Kevin O'Connell

The French rugby federation has been ordered to pay former coach Guy Noves 1m euros (£862,395) in compensation for wrongful dismissal.

A Toulouse labour tribunal rejected the governing body's case that Noves was guilty of serious misconduct.

The 65-year-old became the first France coach to be sacked when he was dismissed in December 2017.

He was appointed after the 2015 World Cup but France won just seven of their matches under him and lost 14.

Both parties can appeal against the decision - Noves originally asked for 2.9m euros in damages.

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It has been a good 12 months in international rugby for Wales.

They are unbeaten in 14 games, Six Nations Grand Slam champions and are number two in World Rugby's rankings.

But captain Alun Wyn Jones knows history will not judge Wales on that.

It is World Cup year and, according to the 33-year-old: "There is only one thing this year is going to be remembered for.

"Even through the Six Nations you have that in the back of your mind, although that takes away nothing from the achievement."

The skipper hopes a third Grand Slam since Warren Gatland took over in 2008 is just the start of success in 2019.

"We have put foundations in for what will hopefully be a decent year," said Jones.

"You enjoy success but have to move on and it has been almost a month now. We were pleased with the outcomes and character of the performances, but there is potential to improve.

"Our feet did not touch the ground for a couple of days, we had a lot of well-wishes and people are still congratulating us.

"As we move away from the Six Nations and towards the summer, the expectation will be there more than ever and we have earned that."

Grand Slam memories

Not considered overly sentimental, Jones has had some time to reflect because he has not played since the final Six Nations victory over Ireland.

After overcoming an early knee injury in that match, Jones finished the game before being diagnosed with ligament damage that will sideline him for up to six weeks.

"I was lucky because it could have been worse," said Jones, who is hopeful of a return for the Ospreys' final game of the regular season against Cardiff Blues on 27 April.

"My wife will tell you I am going soft. I only felt it once in the first half and the medics did a decent tape job at half-time and I went on.

"Most of the boys were carrying niggles so you crack on and I was fortunate to finish the game."

Playing through the pain and other moments on that special day elevated public affection towards Jones, which had already increased after his iconic post-match celebration against England.

Jones' decision to place his tracksuit around the freezing mascot during the anthem also became a social media hit.

"He was shaking, but it is a fact of society now everyone makes a fuss of something anybody would do," said Jones.

"I am confident any of the boys would have done the same thing."

There was also unseen work in ensuring the whole squad celebrated on the podium and Jonathan Davies telling Jones he "loved" him after the final whistle.

Personal reflections included looking up to the heavens straight into the rain after the final whistle and spending time afterwards sitting in an empty stadium to take in what had been achieved.

As Jones was celebrating on the field with his two daughters, he was also thinking of his father Tim, who passed away in November, 2016.

"He was in my thoughts," said Jones.

"I am always cautious of being a champion of emotion for the wrong reasons. I don't do many interviews like this and try to stay away from being another guy talking about a loved one.

"It is a fine line, but it did bring up memories and a lot of friends and family said, 'your dad would have been proud'."

Peak powers

The Six Nations player of the tournament accolade followed, proving Jones' stock in the world game has never been higher in a stellar career of 125 Wales caps and nine Tests for the British and Irish Lions.

Jones can now start to be talked about in the same bracket as inspirational legendary Lions lock leaders like Willie John McBride, Martin Johnson and Paul O'Connell.

Former fly-half and captain Jonathan Davies labelled Jones Wales' best ever player, while England's World Cup-winning centre Will Greenwood said the lock was the leading northern hemisphere player of the 21st century.

His old Ospreys coach Sean Holley joked he should be the next First Minister of Wales, while Jones has been given the freedom of his home city Swansea.

While accolades have flooded in, all the praise is not something you sense Jones is comfortable with.

"When I was running around as a kid playing for Mumbles and Bonymaen, I was not thinking of things like that," said Jones.

"My initial reaction is it starts all over again. It is a lot easier to get motivated when people are having a dig.

"When people say nice things it puts on a different kind of pressure.

"It is flattering in whatever trade you are doing if somebody says you are doing a good job.

"I appreciate the comments, even if my resting face is not the most likeable at times, which is what people tell me. I can't help it. That is just me and I don't mean anything by it.

"I am clear the day I start enjoying things like that a bit too much is probably when I need to sit back and move on."

Senior statesman

As well as inspirational performances on the field, Jones has been unwittingly drawn into off-the-field matters.

In his role as part of the International Rugby Players Association, Jones has spoken on plans for World Rugby's proposals for the global game, which include a Nations Championship.

"The potential there, if it is done right, is exciting and intriguing, but the fearful thing for players is the welfare issue," said Jones.

"There are a lot of things to take into consideration, but players are keen to seek a solution because everybody wants to grow rugby - not at the expense of players' careers or the game's value because you don't want to lose the prestige of a World Cup.

"The main point is the IRPA and players' federations would like consultation because we are the people who play the game."

Closer to home, Jones helped the Wales squad cope with disruptive talk of regional mergers during the Six Nations, with a troubled build-up to the victory over Scotland.

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Martyn Philips said afterwards he had apologised to the players for the off-field distractions, which ended with proposals for an Ospreys-Scarlets amalgamation shelved for 2019-20 at least.

"I don't think he needed to apologise and we all accepted it," said Jones.

"We have had face-to-face meetings since and been given some answers.

"As players we were able to get the job done. We were never going to use that as an excuse and our job was rugby, not boardroom stuff.

"It was just disappointing the situation ensured there was a delay in contracts being signed."

Future plans

Has this uncertainty affected Jones' decision about his future?

His national dual contract with the WRU and Ospreys finishes after the World Cup and that system has been replaced by new player pay banding proposals.

So is the one-region man considering staying in Wales or prompting for a new challenge?

"There are conversations going on and we will see what happens," said Jones.

"It is a big choice and there are lots of things to take into account. There has always been that curiosity about playing in a different league or country.

"I don't have any regrets in what I have done so far with hopefully a bit more to go. The way I have been looked after in the last year is also something to factor in."

Gatland believes Jones can carry on for a couple of seasons, but Jones is not setting a time frame.

"I have had a season where the joined up WRU and regional relationship is better than ever before," said Jones.

"I have benefited from an extended break at the end of last season and the number of games I have played this season so I am in decent shape.

"The national dual contracts are going, but there will still be benefits to the 38-man Wales squad. I will not talk about funding models or 60-40 pay splits between union and regions. That is for the politicians."

Jones admits he wants to finish on his own terms.

"I enjoy it now as much as when I started," said Jones.

"There are a few more bumps and pages in the physio files, you can't avoid that.

"I still have the hunger and think I can do a job. If I have the tap on the shoulder and I'm told it's my time, hopefully I will be comfortable with that. Hopefully I know before anybody else does."

Record breaker?

There is the prospect of a fourth World Cup, beating Gethin Jenkins' Wales record caps of 129 and overhauling Richie McCaw's world record of 148. Maybe even a fourth Lions tour in South Africa in 2021?

"Those sorts of things are not a target," said Jones.

"When people talk about 50 or 100 caps, I never looked to those targets when I was a kid. I just wanted to play rugby.

"They (milestones) resonate a bit more now because I appreciate what goes into it. I feel fortunate doing what I do for however long I have done it and am not yet finished."

Wales fans everywhere should hope that remains the case for a little longer.

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Former England rugby union international Christian Wade has moved a step closer to playing in the NFL by signing for the Buffalo Bills.

The winger, 27, was released by Wasps in October to allow him to pursue a career in American football.

Seen as a potential running back, Wade was one of four players allocated to an AFC East club as part of the league's International Player Pathway programme.

He will not be eligible to play in the next NFL season.

Wade, who won one cap for England in 2013 and was called up to the British and Irish Lions squad that summer, is third in the all-time Premiership try-scorers list with 82.

The International Player Pathway allows him to train with the Bills during pre-season and attempt to earn a place on their roster for next season, when he would be eligible to train but not play.

Since December, he has been training alongside NFL veterans and draft hopefuls in Florida.

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YORK HAVEN, Pa. — Danny Dietrich has taken strides in the offseason to become a smarter and improved sprint car driver.

His dedication has paid off. Not only has he become a more tactical driver, it’s led to more early-season wins.

That was the case Sunday at BAPS Motor Speedway. Dietrich lost the lead to Brock Zearfoss, stayed focused and retook the top spot to capture his 12th career win at the York Haven speedway.

“I kind of had a new focus since January 1st,” Dietrich said after his third win in eight starts this season. “I’m just focused really, really hard on racing and getting myself in better shape, getting healthier, going to the gym.

“I think that’s propelled the beginning of the season. For me, personally, hopefully I can keep working on that and get back to the gym when things slow down. Racing is keeping us in pretty good shape now.”

Dietrich grabbed the lead at the drop of the green, passing pole-sitter Brett Michalski. Brock Zearfoss also dipped under Michalski and took the second spot, with Ryan Smith taking third before the completion of lap one.

The leaders approached lapped traffic on the eighth circuit. Dietrich dropped down to the bottom of turn two, which allowed Zearfoss to fly around the cushion and take the lead out of the second corner.

“I hate leading a race,” Dietrich said. “I would rather run second. I’ve told people that multiple times, and I don’t like starting in the front row.

“I don’t like setting the pace. I would rather pass someone knowing what my car has in it. You don’t know until you are in second how good you are. We weren’t the best, but we were good and had to make the most of it.”

The frontrunners got into lapped traffic on Lap 9. Dietrich was able to close and stalked Zearfoss for the next four laps.

Dietrich pounced on lap 13. Zearfoss was attempting to get by Trey Hivner and lost momentum. Dietrich closed in a hurry and pulled off a slider through Turns 3 and 4 to regain the top spot.

“I know exactly what my mistake was, and it was the same mistake Danny made,” Zearfoss said. “I was just kind of messing around too long.

“He left the door open, and I got him. I tried to drive away, caught lapped traffic, just messing around too long. That’s the deal breaker right there. I need more laps on short tracks to gauge when to pull the slide job on somebody, so I learned a lesson and got beat by it.”

Dietrich opened up a half-straightaway lead by the halfway point. Four laps later, Zearfoss got a shot at the leader after Chase Dietz got upside down in turn two. Jared Esh was also involved.

After the red flag, Dietrich was able to stretch his advantage. But, Zearfoss closed again when the leaders approached a four-pack of backmarkers on lap 29.

Dietrich took action, squeezing around Dylan Norris and Dan Shetler in turn two and sped away over the final circuit to take the win by 1.928 seconds.

Zearfoss settled for second, with Smith holding third. Anthony Macri came from 13th to fourth, and Cory Eliason completed the top five.

Kevin Nouse started seventh and methodically made his way to the front to earn the win in the 25-lap 358 sprint car main event.

The finish:

Feature (30 Laps) – 1. 48-Danny Dietrich; 2. 70-Brock Zearfoss; 3. 72-Ryan Smith; 4. 39M-Anthony Macri; 5. 26-Cory Eliason; 6. 99-Kyle Moody; 7. 24-Lucas Wolfe; 8. 40-George Hobaugh; 9. 51-Freddie Rahmer; 10. 67-Justin Whittall; 11. 07-Gerard McIntyre Jr.; 12. 91-Tony Fiore; 13. 73B-Brett Michalski; 14. 44-Dylan Norris; 15. 7K-Dan Shetler; 16. 19-Bryn Gohn; 17. 90-Jordan Givler (DNF); 18. 33-Jared Esh (DNF); 19. 75-Chase Dietz (DNF); 20. 7-Trey Hivner (DNF); 21. 2W-Glenndon Forsythe (DNF); 22. 9-Ryan Linder (DNF), DNS: 21-Brian Montieth, 49H-Bradley Howard.

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