Running back Chris Carson is re-signing with the Seattle Seahawks on a three-year, $24.625 million deal that voids to two years at $14.625 million, his agents at Octagon Football told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler on Friday.

Casey Muir, who co-represents Carson along with Murphy McGuire, told Fowler that the first year of the contract includes $5.5 million guaranteed with an opportunity to earn as much as $6.9 million with incentives.

The New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots were all involved with Carson before he agreed to his deal with Seattle, Muir said.

The voiding third year in Carson's deal allows the Seahawks to spread out his signing bonus over three seasons for salary-cap purposes instead of two. The Seahawks have not done deals with voidable years under general manager John Schneider and contract negotiator Matt Thomas, but that mechanism gave them a workaround to their tight cap situation.

OverTheCap.com listed the Seahawks with less than $500,000 in cap space before Carson's deal was reported. It's likely that Seattle will have to free up room with moves such as restructures, extensions or possibly a salary-shedding trade.

Carson, 26, is coming off a season in which he totaled 968 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns, but an early career trend continued as he missed four games with a foot injury.

Carson has been one of the league's most productive running backs when healthy, but he has missed 19 of a possible 64 regular-season games since entering the league as a seventh-round draft pick out of Oklahoma State in 2017.

Quarterback Russell Wilson worked hard in recent days to try to convince Carson to re-sign, sources told ESPN.

Re-signing Carson checks off a major item for the Seahawks. Their backfield returns 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny as well as DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer and veteran Alex Collins. But Penny has played a complementary role to Carson in each of his three NFL seasons and missed most of 2020 while recovering from knee surgery. Homer and Dallas are change-of-pace backs, and Collins will be competing for a roster spot with no guaranteed money in his minimum-salary contract.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has long had a well-known fondness of Carson and his bruising running style. Carroll said after last season that a better running game would have helped the Seahawks combat the issues in their passing game that contributed to their offensive decline late in the year.

That made it clear that Carroll would continue to make Seattle's running game a strong priority. But it was hardly a given that Carson would return as he headed into free agency as arguably the top running back behind Green Bay's Aaron Jones. Carson and several other running backs found a weak market for the position, which worked in Seattle's favor.

The Seahawks declined to extend Carson or cornerback Shaquill Griffin last offseason even though each was coming off a strong 2019. Griffin made the Pro Bowl as an alternate and Carson topped 1,100 yards rushing for the second year in a row. But the Seahawks went all-in on 2020. That meant adding other players with cash and cap space they would have had to set aside to extend Carson and Griffin, having each play out the final year of their inexpensive rookie deals and hoping they could re-sign them in 2021.

Griffin signed a three-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Seattle's other departures in free agency have been running back Carlos Hyde (Jaguars), wide receivers David Moore (Panthers) and Phillip Dorsett (Jaguars) and tight end Jacob Hollister.

The Seahawks have signed tight end Gerald Everett and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and acquired guard Gabe Jackson in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. In addition to Carson, they've re-signed defensive tackle Poona Ford (a restricted free agent), center Ethan Pocic and special-teams standout Nick Bellore.

Friday gave the world the peak March Madness experience it had been missing for the past two years, with Oral Roberts' overtime takedown of Ohio State in a 15 vs. 2 upset and North Texas' OT shocker over Purdue among the top highlights. If history is any guide, Saturday will bring us many similar thrills. With that in mind, ESPN.com's college basketball team of Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway and Joe Lunardi not only broke down the highlights of Friday's wall-to-wall action in the Hoosier State, but also peeked ahead and made some March Madness upset predictions for Saturday's slate of games. Which No. 1 seeds could be in trouble? Is there an Oral Roberts or a North Texas that could wreak havoc on the left side of the bracket? And glimpsing ahead to Sunday, do Max Abmas and ORU have the goods to throw a scare into their second-round foe, the Florida Gators? Our team weighed in on all of the above. Follow this link for Saturday's NCAA tournament tip times, and visit here to check your March Madness bracket.

Oral Roberts was the story of the first round. What most impressed you about the Golden Eagles and can they win another game?

Medcalf: After the game, Paul Mills pointed to the metrics that foretold a critical element of the game: Oral Roberts finished 15th in the country in turnover rate and Ohio State finished 13th in the 14-team Big Ten in defensive turnover rate. Mills said he knew his team could play efficient basketball because it wouldn't face a lot of pressure from the Buckeyes.

Oral Roberts' ability to play with poise (six turnovers) actually put the pressure on an Ohio State team (15 turnovers) that unraveled on key possessions. The Buckeyes' athletic advantages didn't rattle Oral Roberts. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles forced Ohio State into a number of sloppy possessions. They're the best free-throw-shooting team in America. Max Abmas and Kevin Obanor can clearly play with anybody. Abmas had double-digit outings against Oklahoma State, Wichita State, Oklahoma and Missouri in nonconference action.

Does Florida present a more challenging test? Maybe. Yes, Oral Roberts can advance to the Sweet 16. But I don't know how it will solve Tre Mann, who is a strong guard who can create shots. And Colin Castleton is a big body who will demand attention in the post. Plus, the Gators can pressure Oral Roberts on the perimeter. It's a different puzzle.

Borzello: What impressed me was just how confident they looked on the offensive end. Oral Roberts was consistently getting open looks in the second half against Ohio State, driving into the lane, kicking it out and then swinging it around for an open shot -- and the Buckeyes were chasing shadows on several possessions. A lot of it had to do with Max Abmas, of course; nobody on Ohio State could stay in front of him and he did whatever he wanted off the bounce. But Kevin Obanor was outstanding, creating matchup issues against the Buckeyes' frontcourt.

Granted, a lot of those open looks didn't fall during regulation. Players not named Abmas or Obanor shot 1-for-13 from behind the arc. Against Florida, the supporting cast will have to step up in order to get another win. I think they can win another game, but I don't think they will. Ohio State's offense looked slow and labored against Oral Roberts, overly reliant on one or two guys to create their own shot. I think Mann will be a catalyst for the Gators.

Gasaway: Oral Roberts is more than just Max Abmas. To be sure, the leading scorer in the tournament field had a great game (29 points and five 3s), but Obanor scored 30 and Carlos Jurgens recorded four steals against what we thought was a very good and very polished Ohio State offense. The Golden Eagles will now face Florida and, on paper, the Gators will be favored by a significant margin. Still, Mike White's group is nothing special on the defensive glass, and Obanor could create second chances for ORU. The odds will be against them, but Oral Roberts can win one more game.

Lunardi: I'm flashing back to Harold "The Show" Arceneaux and 14-seed Weber State knocking off North Carolina in 1999. The Wildcats advanced to face, believe it or not, Florida. Weber lost in overtime that year, but I think Oral Roberts can and will go one better. The Eagles fly into the Sweet 16.

No. 1 seeds Baylor and Illinois had it pretty easy in the first round. See anything from their second-round opponents -- Wisconsin and Loyola Chicago -- that has you thinking Sunday upset? Which game is going to be closer?

Gasaway: Loyola Chicago is perfectly capable of forcing Illinois into a half-court game and taking the issue into the final minutes. This is not Porter Moser's first rodeo by any means, Cameron Krutwig's an exceptionally savvy big man and, yes, there is what hoops analysts in white lab coats refer to as "the Sister Jean effect."

But I must concede that, after seeing what Wisconsin did to North Carolina, I like the Badgers' chances against Baylor better than I do the Ramblers' chances against the Illini. We're talking about an experienced UW team that a good many people, present company included, picked to win the Big Ten. Well, that's how good the Badgers looked against the Tar Heels. Brad Davison was on fire, and this is March. The Bears better be ready.

Lunardi: Baylor will have its hands full against the deliberate pace and overall experience of Wisconsin. But the Badgers' out-of-the-box effort against North Carolina, especially on offense, doesn't seem repeatable. I don't think it's a blowout, but Baylor should pull away with some comfort in a low-double-digit win.

Illinois' situation is quite different. The Illini are capable of blasting almost any team in the field and could absolutely put a hurting on Loyola. But the Ramblers are rarely in a hurry and can make this a half-court game. And veteran center Cameron Krutwig is one of the few players in the country who won't look small next to Kofi Cockburn. But unless Sister Jean puts on a uniform, I have to take Illinois in a tight one.

Medcalf: Nothing makes me think upset with Baylor-Wisconsin. The Badgers have been the kings of squashing the dreams of mediocre, volatile teams this season. A win over North Carolina followed that model. But the Badgers are 8-10 in their past 18 games because they couldn't handle the top-tier opponents in the Big Ten. Baylor is at that level, despite its recent defensive slip. And the Badgers just haven't excelled against teams of that caliber.

Loyola Chicago is a different problem for Illinois. Krutwig is playing at a high level. The defense is excellent. And the Ramblers have lost one game since Jan. 10. But Illinois just beat another Division I NCAA tournament team by 29 points. Brad Underwood's team is playing the best basketball in America outside of Spokane, Washington. I think Baylor and Illinois coast to the Sweet 16.

Borzello: I don't see either top seed losing on Sunday. Wisconsin hasn't shown any ability to beat top-tier competition at all this season, so despite its dispatching of North Carolina in comprehensive fashion, I don't have much faith in the Badgers taking down Baylor. Every game the Bears play, they're further away from their COVID-19 pause and perhaps closer to regaining their prepause form. Loyola Chicago could cause Illinois some issues because of its Cameron Krutwig-focused offense. Kofi Cockburn isn't used to guarding players like Krutwig, 6-foot-9 guys who can step out and dictate offense and find teammates despite his size. It's a different offense than Illinois is used to seeing. And the Ramblers do have one of the elite defenses nationally.

All that said, I'm not sure it will end up being that close down the stretch. Illinois should overwhelm Loyola with its athleticism and speed. Georgia Tech caused a lot of problems when it amped up its defense, and Loyola had trouble getting things going for long stretches. Illinois can do even more of that -- and better -- than the Yellow Jackets.

Who's your upset special from Saturday's games?

Lunardi: It kills me to pick against Tony Bennett and Virginia, but anyone who knows which UVa teams shows up in Indy is guessing. In a one-and-one situation, it also helps to have the best player on the floor. That would be Jason Preston of Ohio U. Don't believe me? See Abmas, Max, and Oral Roberts. Virginia's tournament trip is a short one.

Medcalf: I'll go with UC Santa Barbara over Creighton. I don't think anyone affiliated with Creighton's program is being honest right now about the impact Greg McDermott's "stay on the plantation" comments have had on that locker room. Sure, you can rally and say all the right things, knowing the NCAA tournament is coming. But who was that team that got crushed by Georgetown in the Big East tournament title game? What about the team that didn't wake up until the second half against Villanova, right after the comments were publicized?

This team's top achievement in the past three weeks was a win over UConn in the Big East tournament when James Bouknight went 4-for-14. Enter the Gauchos, a good, efficient team that made 53% of its shots inside the arc this season. JaQuori McLaughlin (16.2 PPG, 5.2 APG) and the Gauchos have a chance.

Gasaway: I won't cheat by looking at 8-9 games or even a potential No. 10 over No. 7 like Maryland over Connecticut. No, we're going deep and picking UCLA over BYU. On paper, with no numbers next to their names, this would be close to a 50-50 proposition anyway. In fact, the Bruins carried the higher projected seed of the two teams until Mick Cronin's group entered the tournament fresh off four straight losses. The losing streak came to an end in the First Four against Michigan State, however, and one thing we know about the Bruins is that they can make shots. With Jaime Jaquez and Johnny Juzang leading the charge, UCLA drained nine 3s on 50% shooting against the Spartans. The Cougars will be challenged.

Borzello: Most of my original upset picks were on the other side of the bracket, but I'll go with UCLA too. I originally had Michigan State in that game, and since UCLA really handled the Spartans for the final 25 minutes on Thursday, I can be talked into going with the Bruins over the Cougars. That said, it depends heavily on Johnny Juzang being healthy. Juzang left Thursday's game with an ankle injury, and Mick Cronin reportedly is hopeful the Kentucky transfer will suit up against BYU. I'm not sure UCLA can win without a healthy Juzang, as he and Jaime Jaquez form a dangerous offensive duo. The key for the Bruins will be their ability to defend the 3-point line. They struggled to guard the arc in Pac-12 play, while BYU was the best 3-point shooting team in WCC play.

Who's the player you're most looking forward to seeing in action on Saturday?

Gasaway: There will be a flock of Wooden finalists in action Saturday against much lower seeds in games that, we think, won't be very close. (Ask Ohio State how those assumptions work.) So I'll go off-menu a bit here and say that I want to see what Osun Osunniyi of St. Bonaventure can get done against the talent and length of LSU.

Osunniyi has looked excellent all season against Atlantic 10 competition. But, to an extent that's truly historic, that's pretty much the only competition the Bonnies saw in this unusual season. St. Bonaventure has played a total of 80 minutes against two nonconference opponents: Akron and Hofstra. Maybe the NCAA tournament will be a coming-out party for the 6-foot-10 junior.

Borzello: Isaiah Miller is one of the best mid-major guards in the country, and on Saturday, he will have a chance to go against the size and length of Florida State. The Seminoles aren't as elite defensively as they've been in the past, and Miller will be aggressive and put pressure on them with the ball in his hands. But he will have to navigate the shot-blocking bigs once he gets into the lane. At the other end, Miller is a pest defensively -- and Florida State can certainly commit its fair share of turnovers. I'm not sure Florida State is a good matchup for UNCG's upset hopes, but getting to see Miller on a big stage against a team like the Seminoles will be fun to watch.

Medcalf: Ohio's Jason Preston was playing rec-league ball at UCF a few years ago. Now, he's the leader of a dangerous Ohio squad and an NBA prospect? You can't beat that. It seems like it happened a year ago, but Preston, a 6-foot-4 guard, dropped 31 points in a two-point loss to Illinois in a nonconference matchup. My guess is we're going to end the day, win or lose, talking about Preston and the Bobcats in a matchup against a Virginia team that might not be full strength. And even if Tony Bennett has everyone available, how much time have they had to prepare and practice for this group? Preston will be fun to watch.

Lunardi: Give me Evan Mobley of USC. He's the best player in the country almost no one has seen. That's about to change in a big way. The Trojans are in excellent position for a deep run, and will soon learn that Mobley has just as great an impact on a game as fellow frosh Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State and Jalen Suggs of top-ranked Gonzaga.

When Duhan van der Merwe was lining up for Edinburgh against Finn Russell's Glasgow, it's fair to the say the pair were not the best of friends.

"Playing against Finn and Hoggy [Scotland captain Stuart Hogg] I was always told you have to try and get in their heads," Van der Merwe laughs.

"That's why they probably didn't like me. We always got stuck into each other when Glasgow played Edinburgh, and now we're actually good mates. It's funny how it works out."

The restricted world of a Six Nations Covid 'bubble' could be suffocating but for Van der Merwe - a relative newbie to international rugby having made his debut in the autumn - it has been an opportunity to settle into the camp.

"The boys play a lot of Warzone [on the PlayStation]," the 25-year-old says. "We've got a dart board, we've got a pool table, and I probably drink about five coffees a day just to chat to the boys. You try and keep yourself busy, it's tough but you just have to get used to it.

"I'd like to say I'm up there with the pool, but I got absolutely smashed by our defence coach Steve Tandy. He's up 7-1, so credit to him. Darts, I'd probably say it's between Hamish Watson, Dave Cherry and Cornell Du Preez - obviously it has to be a forward.

"Coming in I was quite stressed, but the boys have made it very easy for me. We've got a very tight bunch here, I love being in the environment."

You could certainly say that head coach Gregor Townsend - and no doubt his team-mates too - have enjoyed having Van der Merwe in the squad, with the South African native once again in the starting XV to face Italy on Saturday.

His immense bulk and pace give Scotland a hefty ball-carrying option in the backs that they have often missed over the years, and his four tries in eight Tests - including the decisive one against England at Twickenham where he carried four white shirts over the line with him - suggest he won't struggle to bring his Edinburgh form of recent years onto the international stage.

That evidence has led to talk of a potential call up for the Lions series against South Africa this summer, a shout only strengthened by coach Warren Gatland's love of ball-carrying backs. For Van der Merwe, who grew up in George on the Republic's south coast and one day dreamed of pulling on the famous Springbok green and gold, it would be a strange twist of fate.

"For now I'm just focused on performing for Scotland and doing my best for the team," he said. "But if I get the opportunity to play for the Lions I would absolutely love it to go up against South Africa.

"It probably would be a wee bit strange. But I've been here now for four seasons, I feel like my rugby career is in Scotland. It's a tough one to answer, it would be strange but if given the opportunity it's something I would really look forward to."

Strange it may be, but nothing about Van der Merwe's rugby journey has been conventional. Bad injuries as a promising youth stifled his career at the Bulls, and then Montpellier in France. Edinburgh took a chance on him, and their investment has been rewarded by having the Pro14's most dynamic back on their books for the past four seasons.

That fruitful arrangement will come to an end this season, with Van der Merwe off to Worcester Warriors in the English Premiership. The move attracted some fierce criticism of the regularly under-fire 'project player' scheme, where Scottish Rugby bring players from the Southern hemisphere to Glasgow and Edinburgh with a view to them eventually representing Scotland under the contentious three-year residency rule.

"It probably doesn't look great," Van der Merwe acknowledges. "I've come over, qualified and leave. But I signed an extension three years ago, and then another extension so I've signed for four years and I can still play for Scotland.

"I just I want to test myself even more and potentially become a better player as well. So that's why I decided on the move.

"That's always something you have to think about as well [looking after yourself and your family], it's been tough times with Covid and pay cuts but at the end of the day, even if you take the money part away, I want to go and test myself in the Premiership."

While his rise has been meteoric, it has not all be plain sailing for Van der Merwe since his move to Scotland. Like many others he has been unable to see his family in the last 12 months due to Covid, and couldn't fly home to South Africa to support them when his grandfather died in June.

"He was a rugby player as well and just someone always looked up to," he says. "I still remember him dropping me off at the airport two years ago saying that whenever I play for Scotland he's definitely going to be there. But unfortunately he passed away.

"I miss home, I'm not going to lie about that, it's been tough.

"My family are very proud of me. I've gone through a lot of injuries and stuff and they're just happy for me that I stayed positive and kept on working hard. A lot of credit goes to my brother [Sale Sharks hooker Akker van der Merwe] as well, and he was very happy for me when I made my debut for Scotland.

"I'm a happy man and I've been enjoying it a lot."

And so to Italy, as Scotland attempt to salvage a Six Nations campaign which promised so much but the success of which hinges on seeing off the Italians in style, before trying to finish with a flourish in Paris.

The narrow losses to Wales and Ireland were "tough to take", says van der Merwe, who expects Italy to come to Murrayfield smelling blood.

"We were in the games for the most part but just couldn't get the last points on the board to get the win," he says. "Against Ireland, we probably only started playing 30-35 minutes from the end of the game, so we made it really tough for ourselves.

"We obviously spoke about that [bouncing back] to get the win again at BT Murrayfield, our home ground. Italy always target Scotland to get a win. They'll be up for it and we're looking forward to the challenge."

In his latest BBC Wales Sport column, Liam Williams underlines what it will mean to win a Grand Slam for the Welsh nation.

It would be very special if we could get the job done in France. It's a dream to play for Wales and to win a Grand Slam is huge for the nation, especially after a tough old year on and off the pitch.

We know it's going to be hard against France. They've been playing good rugby and have some special players. It's going to be tough but hopefully we're good enough to win and create our own little bit of history.

We have turned things around from last year. The autumn wasn't great and the fans were on our back which is kind of understandable. We've come through and won four from four.

Personally, it would be an amazing achievement to win a Grand Slam. It's what people dream about and for the fans who haven't been able to be there and have been watching on TV at home with a can of lager, we want to get the win for them as well. Hopefully they'll be coming back into the stadiums soon.

Creating that matchday atmosphere is an individual thing. When we played in the autumn we went out and you could hear a pin drop.

It's strange, but we've come to the realisation now that there are no fans and you have to get your own way of getting up for the game.

We make our own atmosphere in the ground, on the bus on the way in and in the changing room.

Fans or no fans, we're playing for our country and most people would love to be in our position.

The Six Nations is a totally different tournament to the autumn, when we were just coming out of lockdown, we hadn't played much rugby and we weren't used to having no fans in the ground.

The autumn was a stepping stone towards the next World Cup and we had to give the younger boys a chance to get them some game-time and see how they got on.

If you look at Louis Rees-Zammit, he had one or two games in the autumn and has come through.

Now you can see the player he is going to become through the performances he's produced in this Six Nations.

Callum Sheedy was given a chance too and he and the other boys have slotted in pretty well.

Final flourish

This last week has just been about fine-tuning things. We had a couple of days off after the Italy game that I spent with my fiancee Sophie.

To be honest I didn't move from the couch for two days - I was a bit stiff after the game. It was nice not doing a lot. I also did not travel very far, literally.

We are currently renting one of the apartments at the Vale, but I'm not allowed to go back there when we are in camp because I am staying at the hotel with the squad.

It's a bit strange. Whenever we drive down to the bottom pitch to train I always see Sophie in the window and give her a wave.

Coming back into camp has been good. It has been tough not being able to go home in the week but the environment has been great this year. The entertainments committee, food and everything has been brought into one.

We can't do too much because of Covid but we put on a couple movie nights, we watched Twin Town which is one of my favourites. We had a pool and darts competition in the team room too.

Cory Hill loves the darts. He is a bit of a cowboy, he's up and down, sometimes has good games and then bad games.

Adam Beard got to the darts final - he's very good. Being 6ft 8in, he stands at the oche and he's almost touching the board.

All of this is to take our mind off things. I keep alluding to the fact that it's a big week, but Alun Wyn Jones has spoken about not playing the game until the weekend.

We all need to keep calm until Saturday at 9pm French time.

I used to be one of the younger guys, but I'm one of the older guys now and happy to look after anybody and welcome them to the squad.

I am 29 now and Louis is 20. I think he was born in 2001 which just blows my mind.

Whatever our ages we know what's at stake, we've been on the laptops this week looking at France and our own training. It's about being professional.

I do like playing on the big stage, who wouldn't? People would give up everything to be in my position. I just want to go out there and work hard for the team, myself, my family and my country.

France challenge

France have imploded against us in the past but I think they have got rid of that aspect of their game now. With Shaun Edwards being over there he's turned them into a different team defensively.

They've been one of the best teams in the Six Nations. It's a tough one because they're always hard to play against and have got some big boys.

I think we're going to have to take them down to the pits this weekend, grind them down, tire them out and hopefully it opens up in the second half.

Shaun will be looking at their physicality against us, that'll be huge for him.

I know when he was here with Wales it was all about physicality. I'm sure he'll have a few things up his sleeve - we'll just have to wait and see.

Their players have all got individual traits which we've noted down. We'll be looking out for those traits and individually they're all world class - we've seen that over the past couple of weeks.

I think it's going to be a close battle, one we hopefully will come out on the right side of and bring the Grand Slam back to Wales.

We will be playing for all the fans this weekend - the supporters who can't come out to Paris or meet on the streets or in pubs and rugby clubs to watch us play.

We know they will be in their living rooms cheering us on and I can promise you that knowledge will inspire us. We just hope we can deliver for you again.

SEBRING, Fla. – Pipo Derani conquered a green race track Friday to win the Motul Pole Award for the 69th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts.

After overnight rain removed the rubber laid down during Thursday’s practice sessions, Derani carefully found his footing before pushing the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac-DPi V.R to the lap of 1 minute, 45.354 seconds (127.797 mph) to top the seven-car field in the Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class.

The rain made everything uncertain.

“It washed the track out,” Derani said. “We didn’t know coming into this qualifying if the car was going to behave as it did yesterday. The track was different. I made a small mistake in turn five and went wide, and that is purely because the track was different from what we had yesterday. You’re trying, constantly, lap after lap, to find your limit and what the track will give you at this moment in time.”

Steven Thomas led the way in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class, while Rasmus Lindh was fastest in the Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) class.

The qualifying session ended when Jimmie Johnson crashed hard in Turn 17 of the 17-turn, 3.74-mile Sebring International Raceway circuit. The former NASCAR star who’s transitioning to sports cars and IndyCars was starting his final lap during the 15-minute session when the rear end of the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R lost traction and the car slammed into the tire barrier.

Johnson emerged from the car under his own power and was later evaluated and released from the infield care center.

“I’m certainly disappointed that I tore up the car for the team, putting them in a difficult position,” Johnson said. “They seem eager and ready for the challenge to get the Ally Cadillac back together for tomorrow. I spun in Turn 16. I was trying to get up and going to catch another flying lap before the session ended. Sadly, I had some debris on my tires as I entered (turn) 17 and tagged the outside wall. I learned a couple of lessons there. Call them rookie lessons.”

Derani was confident the Action Express crews would get the No. 48 car, which Johnson co-drives with Kamui Kobayashi and Simon Pagenaud, ready for the start of Saturday’s race.

“I’m pretty sure the whole team will work together to get the car ready for the race,” Derani said. “When we win, we win as a team, and when we lose, we lose as a team. I’m pretty sure with a fantastic effort and a great team, the car will be ready for tomorrow’s race.”

Derani, the three-time Sebring Twelve Hours winner who will co-drive the No. 31 Cadillac with Felipe Nasr and Mike Conway in Saturday’s race, said the question wasn’t with the car but with the condition of the track.

“The general feeling was always very good,” he said. “I knew that I had the confidence to attack lap after lap and find my limit. (We) unloaded quick and only made small changes.”

Ricky Taylor had the second-fastest lap, putting the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05 on the front row with a lap of 1:45.464. He’ll co-drive the Konica Minolta-sponsored DPi with Filipe Albuquerque and Alexander Rossi when the race begins Saturday morning. The No. 10 won the Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

Renger van der Zande, who shares the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R with Scott Dixon and Kevin Magnussen, posted the third-fastest lap of Friday’s qualifying session.

Thomas said teammates Tristan Nunez and Thomas Merrill coached him before he turned a lap of 1:51.025 (121.269 mph) in the No. 11 WIN Autosport ORECA LMP2 07. That was good for the pole position in LMP2.

“(They) were really on me to get on the fronts early, get them heated up, and get the car going,” Thomas said. “That was great advice. I got the brakes to come in and we were able to go pretty fast.”

The No. 11 will start eighth overall and one place ahead of Ben Keating, who was clocked at 1:51.148 (121.135 mph) in the No. 52 PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA he shares with Mikkel Jensen and Scott Huffaker.

Dwight Merriman was third in LMP2 – 1:52.388 (119.798 mph) – in the No. 18 Era Motorsport ORECA co-driven with Ryan Dalziel and Kyle Tilley. The trio won the class at the Rolex 24, along with fourth driver Paul-Loup Chatin.

In LMP3, Lindh outlasted a final-lap charge by Oliver Askew to win the Motul Pole Award for Performance Tech Motorsports. Lindh recorded a lap of 1:56.001 (116.067 mph) in the No. 38 Ligier JS P320 he shares with Mateo Llarena and Dan Goldburg.

“The car was really good,” Lindh said. “I could have improved a little bit, but it was enough. It was the first pole in LMP3 and IMSA. It’s a long race, so we won’t rush anything too much.”

On his final lap of the 15-minute LMP3 qualifying session, Askew was clocked at 1:56.066 (116.002 mph) in the No. 7 Forty7 Motorsports Duqueine D08. Gar Robinson was third fastest in class with a lap of 1:56.974 (115.102 mph) in the No. 74 Riley Motorsports Ligier JS P320.

SEBRING, Fla. – Robin Liddell nursed a smoking car to the finish line Friday to win the Alan Jay Automotive Network 120, the second race of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season.

While holding a five-second lead over Jan Heylen in the final minutes of the two-hour race at Sebring Int’l Raceway, the No. 71 Rebel Rock Racing Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R that Liddell co-drove with Frank DePew began emitting smoke from the rear end.

Liddell backed down but kept it going for the final three laps, eventually finishing 3.343 seconds ahead of the No. 16 Wright Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport that Heylen co-drove with Max Root.

The smoke roiling from the back of the Camaro worried Liddell as the final minutes ticked away.

“I was very concerned,” Liddell said. “But I didn’t feel anything mechanical. I was just waiting for something to tighten up or let go. In the end, to be fair, I wasn’t really pushing the car very hard. Our whole thing was about rolling speed. I was lifting off (the accelerator) very early and saving the gas and carrying as much speed as I could.

“It didn’t hurt our lap times massively, but it made a big difference to our fuel mileage. That was the only way we could have done what we did today. There was absolutely no way we had the performance to win outright if we’d have just pushed and done the same strategy as everyone else.”

As Liddell coaxed the No. 71 Camaro closer to the finish, DePew watched nervously.

“I was thinking, ‘Man, we’re going to get this,’” DePew said. “That was with about four laps to go. I was hearing the team calling out the fuel numbers. As long as Robin, knowing that we don’t have quite the car, he could take off before Heylen gets too close. Then all of a sudden, the car starts smoking. The last three laps were nail-biting.”

While Liddell was winning the Grand Sport (GS) class and overall race, Jon Morley prevailed in the Touring Car (TCR) class in the No. 61 Road Shagger Racing Audi RS3 LMS SEQ he shared with Gavin Ernstone.

Morley and Ernstone overcame mechanical issues discovered Thursday in practice, and Ernstone drove the car to the lead during his stint.

“The team ironed every single one of those problems out,” Morley said. “Since practice two it’s been flawless. I was just looking forward to getting back into it. … I had a much more exciting race than I intended.”

The win by Morley and Ernstone in TCR added Sebring to their list of achieved goals.

“We just executed everything we talked about,” Ernstone said. “Just driving the car really smooth, look after the car, don’t touch anything. … This is a big check off our list. We’ve got (wins at) Daytona, Laguna Seca and now Sebring. Looking at the wall and all the names on the plaques out there, I was really emotional.”

NEWTON, N.C. – The Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour will see its super late model division kick off the season this weekend as part of the MTP Tire 250 presented by Cloer Construction at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Saturday’s racing program at the historic .363-mile short track will mark the first of two stops at Hickory for the CARS Tour this season.

Leading the charge for the CARS Super Late Model Tour will be two-time defending champion Matt Craig, who is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive title this season.

Craig will be back in his familiar CNC Boiler No. 54, participating in each of the series’ eight scheduled super late model events this year. He’ll be one of 15 drivers in the Hickory super late model field.

The Kannapolis, N.C., native is a three-time CARS Super Late Model Tour winner at Hickory.

Expected to challenge Craig for the series crown this year are CARS Tour veteran Kodie Conner, back for another year in his self-owned No. 45; and longtime veteran Jeff Batten, with the possibility of others.

The super late models will contest a 100-lap feature Saturday evening, part of a move to some shorter-length races for the division this year, with a single-tire change option during the race.

The top four qualifiers will have the option to drop to the rear of the field for bonus money if they can win or get back to a top-four finish, with additional bonus money on tap for those drivers who elect to run the sealed crate engine option that is permitted this year in the super late model class.

While the super late models are opening their CARS Tour campaign this weekend at Hickory, it will mark the second round of the season for the late model stock division.

Justin Johnson won the CARS Late Model Stock Tour opener at Dillon (S.C.) Motor Speedway on March 6 after making a last-lap, last-corner pass of Layne Riggs for the victory.

Johnson leads the late model stock point standings entering Hickory, where he has a best finish of fifth, earned in 2017 during the second race of a twin-75 format at The Birthplace of the NASCAR Stars.

Though the last five CARS Late Model Stock Tour races at Hickory have produced five different winners, only Bobby McCarty – the most recent of those five and a two-time series champion – will be part of the field on Saturday with a shot to duplicate his victory.

Those looking to deny Johnson and McCarty include Riggs, who has never won at Hickory, as well as Jonathan Shafer, Jack Wood, Sam Butler, Joe Valento and Johnson’s teammate Kaden Honeycutt.

William Cox III is driving JR Motorsports’ iconic No. 88 Chevrolet this season, looking to deliver the Dale Earnhardt Jr.-owned organization its series-leading sixth CARS Tour late model stock win at Hickory.

All the action from the Solid Rock Carriers CARS Tour can be viewed all season long through SPEED SPORT Network affiliate CARS Tour TV, a subsidiary of Pit Row TV.

Saturday’s broadcast kicks off at 5:45 p.m. ET.

The 64-player field for next week's WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is set.

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson headlines the bracket, which begins Wednesday at Austin Country Club for the first of three days of group play. The Round of 16 and quarterfinals will be held Saturday with the semifinals and final on Sunday.

The 16 groups, each highlighted by one of the top 16 players in the world, will be filled out on Monday. The draw can be seen live on the PGA Tour's digital platforms at 11 a.m. ET.

The only top-64 players not teeing it up are Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Gary Woodland and Tiger Woods.

This championship was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rickie Fowler is not taking the bait.

Asked again Friday about recent comments by Nick Faldo, Fowler took the high road.

"No, I know where Nick was trying to come from on that," Fowler told reporters at the Honda Classic, where he is T-30 after 36 holes at PGA National, "and it's like competitor to competitor, you're trying to needle each other and get each other going type of thing."

Faldo shared a tweet about Fowler potentially missing the Masters – Fowler needs a win to avoid sitting out the year's first major at Augusta National  for the first time since 2010 – and then added a jab at Fowler and his many endorsement deals.

"Good news is if he misses the Masters he can shoot another six commercials that week!" Faldo tweeted.

Fowler, who last November parted ways with longtime swing coach Butch Harmon and teamed up with John Tillery, is currently No. 81 in the Official World Golf Ranking and has gone more than a year without a top-10 finish.

"I am fortunate to have some great partners and make some great commercials and it's been fun to be able to do that," Fowler added. "I would much rather be playing the week of the Masters than working. But it's all part of it. I'm going to keep kicking down the door, if we're able to do something special in the next few weeks before Augusta, we'll be there. If not, we'll keep grinding and we'll be back in the winner's circle soon."

United States defender DeAndre Yedlin scored his first goal for Galatasaray, then was ejected during a 4-3 loss to visiting Caykur Rizespor on Friday night in the Turkish Super League.

- USMNT defender Yedlin joins Galatasaray from Newcastle

The 27-year-old right-back tied the score 1-1 in the 14th minute with a right-foot shot from near the penalty spot off the rebound of a free kick.

Yedlin received a yellow card for a hand ball in Caykur Rizespor's penalty area in the 52nd when he slid to block Braian Samudio's headed shot, leading to Milan Skoda's penalty kick that gave the visitors a 3-2 lead.

Yedlin was given his second yellow in the 79th for shoving Konrad Michalak from behind while on a run just outside the penalty area.

Galatasaray acquired Yedlin on a transfer from Newcastle on Feb. 1. The team is second in the league, two points behind Besiktas, but has played two more games. Caykur Rizespor is in 12th place.