NEW ORLEANS -- For three quarters on Friday night, things were going the New Orleans Pelicans' way against the Phoenix Suns.

The Pelicans carried an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter, and their offense was humming to the tune of 102 points in the first 36 minutes. But games are 48 minutes long. And the final 12 were certainly ones the Pelicans would like to soon forget.

The lead evaporated in four minutes. Then not even four minutes later, the Suns were up double digits. When the final horn sounded, the Suns joyously walked off the court with a 132-114 win, while the Pelicans headed to their locker room in a daze, trying to figure out what just transpired.

According to research by the Elias Sports Bureau, the 18-point defeat was the largest in the NBA in the shot-clock era (since 1954-55) for a team that entered the fourth quarter up double digits.

So what happened?

"I saw Chris Paul take control of the basketball game," Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram said.

Paul finished with 15 points, 19 assists and was plus-28 in the fourth quarter -- and he didn't even play 10 minutes. The veteran point guard helped the Suns seize control and never looked back.

"Man is orchestrating out there. He knows what's going on on the floor before it even happens," Suns guard Devin Booker said. "With him, the game is never out of reach. The game is never over until the horn sounds. He did a good job of leading us, keeping our composure throughout the whole game.

"In that fourth quarter, it's a work of art. The way he was picking apart their defense and making plays for others and at the same time scoring when he had to."

Paul was seemingly three steps ahead of everything the Pelicans wanted to do in the fourth quarter. His falling 3-pointer over Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball with 4:41 left felt like the dagger to put New Orleans away. He ran back up the court with his teammates chasing him, as Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy called a timeout to try to salvage something in the final minutes.

However, contrary to what social media suggested in the moment, Paul didn't scream "I own this place."

"I said I know this place, I know this place," said Paul, who played in New Orleans for the first six seasons of his career. "I know it. I do. I spent some of the best years of my life was playing here in New Orleans."

While the Suns were figuring out a way to come out with the victory, the Pelicans were left trying to figure out how they let the game slip away.

"Just being in the game, I think us not getting stops kind of demoralized on the offensive end," Ball said. "Seeing them hit 3s back to back to back, we weren't getting any ball movement or good shots over the course of the fourth quarter. It just got worse and worse."

Aside from the barrage of 3-pointers Phoenix was sending New Orleans' way, the Pelicans got sloppy with the basketball as well. After committing just seven turnovers in the first three quarters, the Pelicans coughed it up six times in the first six minutes, leading to 12 Phoenix points.

It's a problem that has plagued New Orleans this season. With Friday's loss, New Orleans falls to 12-9 this season in games in which they've had a double-digit lead. That's the most losses after leading by double digits in the NBA this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

"The thing is when chaos is going on, we gotta figure out how to settle down," Ingram said. "We have to be able to adjust during the game.

"Whatever defensive scheme, whatever we wanna do on the offensive end to make our team the best team, that's what we need to do. After these losses, it's frustrating. We don't have much to say. The coaches don't have much to say. You just look at the film and try to be better tomorrow."

Van Gundy said he doesn't think his team's issue is age.

"A lot of teams in this league have quarters like that," Van Gundy said. "I'll never throw the young card out there. We're a basketball team with really talented people, and we didn't get the job done in the fourth quarter."

He did call it a "disastrous quarter," though. And it was. The minus-29 point differential was the largest for the Pelicans in any quarter in franchise history.

"They were hitting us with haymakers at the end, then it just snowballed," Van Gundy added.

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson said there's only one way to handle a loss like this.

"Really, the thing for us is learn from it," the 20-year-old said. "Honestly, I think that's the best thing we can do. Learn from it."

For Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner, what started as a response to an internet troll eventually turned into a fundraiser for storm-damaged Texas.

It began when Turner received an unusual message from a disgruntled fan after Monday's overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls. The fan sent a $100 Venmo request to Turner -- not once, but three times -- blaming him for the loss.

Turner typically doesn't respond to internet trolls, but this time he engaged and countered with a payment of 1 cent.

"Here's a penny for your thoughts," Turner wrote in a return message.

The fan shared the payment via Twitter, and it gained traction. Random fans then began sending in payments to Turner, who said as of Friday night he had received about $3,500.

Turner, the NBA's leading shot-blocker, now says he will keep it going for something positive. He said he will match any donations to assist those affected by the Texas power outage.

As a Bedford, Texas, native whose parents also live in the state, Turner said he plans to keep it going until Monday.

"I'm finally at a point in my career where I can laugh at stuff like that," Turner told ESPN on Friday, referencing the troll. "My first couple years in the league, I would've took offense to it. I would've been mad, I would've wanted to say something back, but I've been dealing with this for the past two or three years. I can have a great game, I can have a bad game, they love you and they hate you."

Turner said he hasn't decided where exactly to direct the funds. His business manager, Lavelt Page, said he is targeting five to 10 families as well as charitable organizations to help with issues such as homelessness and water damage.

Millions of Texans were without heat or electricity for days after ice and snow storms earlier in the week, and most were under orders to boil tap water before drinking it because low water pressure could have allowed bacteria to seep into the system.

Turner's parents and other members of his immediate family were also affected temporarily in Colleyville, Texas, which is centrally located between Dallas and Fort Worth. However, Turner said they're doing fine now.

"Thankfully, everybody is good," Turner said. "They were both without power and without water for a little while. My parents' water just got turned on last night, but we have a backup generator that we depend on and it was able to sustain heat for the house, and we had a whole bunch of extra food and everything.

"My mom is one of them apocalyptic moms that actually prepares for stuff like this. She's telling me for years to always have food, blankets, this, this and that. And she came through. She had everything she needed for this time. When all the grocery stores were closed, you couldn't travel anywhere, they were ready."

As for the initial Venmo request from the fan, Turner said he is not exactly sure how the fan was able to find him, although his Venmo account is under the same name as his Twitter handle.

Either way, he has used it as a bigger opportunity.

"Some people have been sending me $33 for my number, and I have 801 [career] blocks this season so $8.01, and finding creative ways to send me messages and all this kind of stuff through Venmo, so it's a new way of fan interaction for me," Turner said. "A lot of people have been sending personalized messages and giving me shoutouts, and it's been a new way for me to connect and a new form of fan engagement for me. Something I feel like hasn't been done before. So, I want to take it and run with it."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CLEVELAND -- Not himself of late, Jamal Murray got a lecture from Nuggets coach Michael Malone about being more aggressive and not passing up open shots.

He listened -- and launched.

Murray scored a regular-season career-high 50 points, and became the first player in NBA history to get that many without trying a free throw, as Denver beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-103 on Friday night.

Following the game, Murray was unaware he had done something unique.

"I was just making my shots," he said nonchalantly between sips of a postgame smoothie. "It's kind of cool to make history. It's a cool stat."

Murray was cooler than cool. While All-Star starter Nikola Jokic added a triple-double on his birthday, it was Murray's night.

The smooth guard made 21 of 25 shots, including 8 of 10 3-pointers, and scored 30 in the second half. He added six rebounds and two steals during 38 electrifying minutes.

His 84% mark from the field is second only to Wilt Chamberlain for the highest percentage in a 50-point game in the shot-clock era, according to research by Elias Sports Bureau.

"To do it as efficiently as he did it is really remarkable," Malone said. "That's an incredible stat line."

With the Cavs still hanging around in the fourth, Murray made three 3-pointers in a 65-second span to push Denver's lead to 21. He celebrated his third straight long-range make -- an off-balance number from 33 feet -- to open the fourth by pounding his chest and screaming toward fans in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

"That's what we live for as players," Murray said, "that atmosphere."

Murray scored Denver's first 13 in the last quarter and then passed his previous career best of 46 points by draining another 3 -- on Jokic's 10th assist -- with four minutes left. Murray capped his incredible performance with a resounding dunk before being replaced with 2:23 left.

Collin Sexton scored 23 and Jarrett Allen 20 for Cleveland, which had a couple of days to prepare for the Nuggets but still couldn't stop them.

Not with the way Murray was shooting.

The Cavs tried several different defenders on Murray, who was hardly bothered.

"It never matters," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

After watching Joel Embiid put together his latest dominant performance for the Philadelphia 76ers -- a career-high 50 points to go with 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 4 blocks and just 2 turnovers in 35 minutes to carry them past the visiting Chicago Bulls on Friday night -- Tobias Harris said he'll never play with someone better in his career.

"I'll tell my kids one day I played with Joel Embiid," Harris said after scoring 22 points himself in the 112-105 victory. "When they'll ask me who is the best player I ever played with, I'll say Joel Embiid. It's an honor to be out there with him on the floor."

Embiid, one of the front-runners for MVP, looked every bit the contender for the award with his play against the Bulls. On a night when Ben Simmons was unavailable for a second straight game due to illness, the Sixers needed all the help they could get from their superstar center. And, as he has so often done this season, he delivered.

After entering the fourth quarter with 37 points and 11 rebounds, Embiid continued his dominance down the stretch -- capped by an absurd, step-back jumper in the corner with 41.3 seconds remaining that pushed Philadelphia's lead to 109-103, officially putting away a Bulls team that managed to hang around all night.

But as Embiid turned and looked into the empty stands inside Wells Fargo Center, he raised his arms aloft with a smile on his face. And while the fans who normally would've showered him with praise remain watching from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was little doubt about Embiid's comfort level not just on this night, but throughout this season in Philadelphia.

"It just feels like the game has slowed down for me," Embiid said when asked why he's been so dominant in a season in which he's now averaging a career-high 30.5 points to go with 11 rebounds and 3.5 assists. "I'll say the only difference this year from last year is not so much about coaching; it's more about me being willing to just dominate every single minute I'm on the floor. Last year, I was going through a rough time; it was just not there. And then also the moves that (new Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey) made, adding all that shooting, is also helping a lot.

"But like I said, it's not about coaching it's about me turning a corner and being willing to do it every single night on defense and on offense."

The Bulls were the ones on the receiving end of that abuse Friday night. While guard Zach LaVine -- who Embiid said should be an All-Star when reserves are named -- finished with 30 points, he did so while going just 9-for-28 from the field, something multiple Sixers credited to the work both he did inside and second-year guard Matisse Thybulle did on the perimeter.

Meanwhile, the Sixers needed every single one of Embiid's points to hold off Chicago thanks to Simmons' absence. Embiid, Harris and Danny Green (13 points) combined to score 85 points between them and were the only Sixers to finish the game in double figures. Embiid set his career high when he split a pair of free throws with 29.1 seconds to go.

He got those 50 points with an assortment of moves that have grown familiar to everyone who has watched him this season: going to the free throw line a ton (he was 15-of-17 on Friday); not settling for 3-pointers (he was 1-for-2, but his attempts are down and he's shooting a career-high percentage); and he was dominant inside the arc (he was 16-for-25).

It's a combination of skills that makes Embiid as versatile of a scorer as anyone in the league, let alone centers. And, in typical fashion, he isn't shy about saying so.

"That's what makes me unguardable," Embiid said of his diverse offensive skills. "If you're going to crowd me, I'm going to find my way to the free throw line or I'm going to end up at the basket. If you back up on me, I've got the hesi -- that hesitation shot -- and my favorite, just pull-up shot. (That's) just an easy shot I always get in the post.

"So it's hard (to stop me) when you've got that much. And also off the dribble just dribbling the ball and just making things happen. I've been adding a lot to my game, and it's been working well."

He added that he hopes the changes he has made to his offensive game will have him better prepared for the challenge of scoring in the playoffs, when teams have typically relied on perimeter scorers to lead the way and when Philadelphia -- outside of when it had Jimmy Butler two years ago -- has typically faltered at that end.

"I'm excited because that's what you need in the playoffs," Embiid said. "Especially when you're going to play a team four to seven times and they're going to game-plan [against you]. Sometimes, you know, I'm going to have to shoot over double-teams. Sometimes I've got to pass it, sometimes I've got to figure that out and play through double- and triple-teams and those types of shots you can't guard.

"You can't guard a step-back. You can't guard a catch-and-shoot shot. I think it's going to go a long way, and I think those shots are going to help me play for the next 10-15 years."

The win, meanwhile, ensured Rivers would be in charge of Kevin Durant's team in next month's All-Star Game, as Philadelphia clinched having the best record in the Eastern Conference through the end of this weekend's games.

Rivers, though, was less enthusiastic about that than he was Embiid's dominant performance.

"Well, you know, I'll try not to get in trouble," Rivers said with a laugh. "I'm really happy for our team that we're in this position. I think I'm going to stop there. I think that would be wise."

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray dropped 50, and so did Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Both were career highs in scoring.

Murray accomplished his in a 120-103 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Embiid did it in a win over the Chicago Bulls.

This is the second time this month the NBA had two players score at least 50 points. The last came on Feb. 6 when Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic did it. Here's a look at some of the numbers from Murray and Embiid's epic nights:

Murray was wildly efficient

Including the playoffs, it was Murray's third 50-point game of his career. But, his performance Friday was the most efficient. Murray shot 21-of-25 (84%) on field goals. He was 8-of-10 on 3-point attempts.

The 84% shooting was the second-highest shooting percentage in a 50-point performance; Wilt Chamberlain shot 87% in a 53-point game in 1967.

Murray had 20 points in the paint and 20 points from 3-point range. He joins James Harden, Bradley Beal, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as the only players to do that.

All those points and from different parts of the floor -- and none of them came from the free throw line. Murray is the first player in NBA history to score 50 without hitting a free throw. Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar each had the previous high of 48 points without a free throw.

Good company for Embiid

The only 76ers' centers to score 50 points in a game: Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain and Embiid.

Embiid and Chamberlain are the only players in 76ers history to have 50 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in a game. Embiid joins Russell Westbrook, Michael Jordan and James Harden as the only players with multiple games of 45 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists since the NBA-ABA merger.

New career-high. pic.twitter.com/F0jzUDi5JM

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 20, 2021

Embiid is the first 76ers player to score 50 since Allen Iverson did so in December 2005. Embiid is also the first 7-footer to score 50 since Dirk Nowitzki did so in 2006.

Overpowering the Bulls, Embiid did most of his damage in the half-court offense. Wendell Carter Jr. and Thaddeus Young weren't much help defensively against Embiid, allowing him to score 40 of his 45 half-court points. The Bulls tried doubling-teaming Embiid, but he was 6-of-11 shooting when he was double-teamed.

And unlike Murray, Embiid racked up free throws, scoring 15 points from the line.

ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this story.

Ulster continued their impressive push for the Pro14 play-offs with victory away to Glasgow Warriors.

Adam Hastings, on his return from long-term injury, kicked two penalties for the hosts.

With Ulster down to 14, a late converted try from Aki Seiuli earned Warriors a losing bonus point.

It was the only time Danny Wilson's side managed to exert any real pressure near the scoring zone, with Glasgow slumping to an eighth defeat of the season and struggling with set-piece plays.

With both sides rusty after more than five weeks without a game, defences were on top in the first half, while a flurry of handling errors and some fussy refereeing also slowed things down on a wet evening.

Marcell Coetzee almost bundled over after peeling off a maul but a lengthy TMO consultation ruled that the home side had held the big number eight up.

Scotland fly-half Hastings, back after four months out with a shoulder injury, kicked over the first points on 37 minutes.

However, Ulster had time to respond before the interval when a Jamie Dobie offload was snaffled and full-back Lowry finished off a pacey counter-attack, with John Cooney adding the extras.

The theme of aggressive defending continued in the second half, with a second penalty from Hastings clawing the Warriors back to within a point.

But, moments after the winger had been denied in the corner by some heroic scrambling, Gilroy added a second score for the visitors after good work from Lowry.

Three penalty advantages in quick succession demonstrated Ulster's growing dominance and a third try followed after a solid drive from a line-out. Timoney powering over.

Ulster were reduced to 14 for the closing stages, with replacement scrum-half Alby Mathewson shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. Glasgow peppered the line and Seiuli found a way through, with Ross Thompson thumping over a tricky conversion.

It was a six-point game with two minutes to play but savvy Ulster held on with little fuss to add to their 45-10 success at home to Glasgow earlier in the campaign.

Glasgow: Jones; Tagive, Fergusson, Johnson, McLean; Hastings, Dobie; Kebble, Matthews, Pieretto; Gray, Nakarawa; Harley, Gordon, Wilson (capt).

Replacements: Stewart, Seiuli, Rae, Scott, Ioane, Kennedy, Thompson, Smith

Ulster: Lowry; Gilroy, Hume, McCloskey, Lyttle; Madigan, Cooney; O'Sullivan, Andrew, Moore; A O'Connor, Treadwell; Timoney, Murphy (capt), Coetzee.

Replacements: McBurney, Warwick, O'Toole, Izuchukwu, Jones, Mathewson, S Moore, Faddes

Champions Leinster extended their lead at the top of Conference A with a bonus-point Pro14 win over Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Five Sam Davies penalties had seen Dragons lead 15-14 at half-time.

The hosts suffered yellow cards for Lloyd Fairbrother and Dan Baker but late tries from Luke Baldwin and Josh Lewis ensured a losing bonus point.

Sam Davies finished the game with 19 points but also decided to kick the ball out at the end of the game with the final play rather than attempt an unlikely victory as Dragons suffered a seventh straight defeat in all competitions.

Dragons have managed just three wins from their 11 Pro14 games, while Leinster sit top of Conference A after picking up 55 points from 11 wins in 12 matches.

The hosts welcomed back Wales international wing Jonah Holmes after injury, while Aneurin Owen made a first start at centre in the absence of Lions star Jamie Roberts, following the birth of his son.

There was a minute silence before the start for Dragons academy member Ross Mohring who passed away recently.

Leinster number eight Jack Conan made his 100th appearance for the Irish region and produced a man-of-the-match display.

Davies, who signed a new contract this week, opened the scoring after 15 minutes with a penalty after Ross Molony was penalised, and added two more including one from half-way with the wind to build a 9-0 lead.

Prop Dooley reduced the deficit by charging over under the posts with Byrne converting.

Dragons outstanding flanker Ben Fry won a penalty almost immediately which Davies slotted over but Leinster power told with a second try as flanker Penny crashed over.

Wales number eight Baker made his Dragons debut after replacing Matthew Screech and his introduction coincided with Davies slotting over his fifth penalty.

Dragons led by a point at the interval after foraging flanker Fry was denied a late first-half try because of obstruction from a driving lineout.

The hosts' lineout woes early in the second half cost the Dragons, with prop Fairbrother yellow carded in his 100th Pro14 game for persistent offending in defence, including no arms tackles and offside.

Flanker Murphy made use of the numerical advantage as he was driven over for Leinster's third try and Dragons remained short-handed when Baker was yellow-carded for a professional foul as Leinster secured a bonus-point penalty try.

Replacement hooker Sheehan side-stepped his way over for Leinster's fifth try before Dragons replacement scrum-half Baldwin dived over for the home side's opening touchdown.

Another try from Lewis brought Dragons within six points and could have set up a grandstand finish, but Davies kicked the ball off the field instead of searching for the converted try which would have won the game for the home side.

This was a strange finale following a spirited Dragons fightback as Dean Ryan's men settled for a losing bonus point.

Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan: "In two or three months it (losing bonus point) will be important. I would hate to get to the end (of the season) and miss out on a point.

"I was asked a question whether I thought we could go 80 metres (down the pitch) against Leinster on here and we would be lucky.

"That is a pretty difficult pitch to play on so I think it was the right decision to get off and in a few weeks time that might look like a wise decision.

"I can't go without recognising some of our youngsters, Aneurin Owen, Ben Carter, and Ben Fry I thought was outstanding, they looked the real deal and that's a real positive."

Leinster director of rugby Leo Cullen: "Conditions were difficult, first half our discipline was poor playing into the wind though we scored two tries

"A better second half, then we make some changes and it gets a bit disjointed, we made life a bit more difficult than it needed to be but there were some good passages of play so it's mixed emotions.

"Overall, a positive result, a win away from home against a tough team on a difficult pitch."

Dragons: Jordan Williams; Jonah Holmes, Aneurin Owen, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt; Sam Davies, Rhodri Williams (c); Brok Harris, Richard Hibbard, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Ben Carter, Matthew Screech, Ben Fry, Huw Taylor

Replacements: Ellis Shipp, Greg Bateman, Chris Coleman, Joe Maksymiw, Dan Baker, Luke Baldwin, Josh Lewis, Connor Edwards.

Leinster: Max O'Reilly; Cian Kelleher, Rory O'Loughlin, Ross Byrne, Dave Kearney; Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath (c); Peter Dooley, James Tracy, Tom Clarkson, Ross Molony, Ryan Baird, Josh Murphy, Scott Penny, Jack Conan

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Marcus Hanan, Greg McGrath, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Rowan Osborne, David Hawkshaw, Jamie Osborne.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Assistant Referees: Dan Jones (WRU), Mike English (WRU)

TMO: Ian Davies (WRU)

Rhys Priestland's late penalty saw Bath edge out Gloucester in a scrappy West Country derby, in which both sides finished the game with 14 men.

Taulupe Faletau's try put Bath ahead just before the break, before Mike Williams was sent off after 51 minutes.

Lewis Ludlow's 75th-minute try looked to have won it for the visitors but Priestland's kick snatched the victory.

Cherry and Whites prop Rapava-Ruskin received his marching orders from referee Wayne Barnes after connecting with Bayliss' head while running into contact with the Bath second row.

Bayliss was taken from the field for a head injury assessment, from which he would later return, and Gloucester were forced into a reshuffle, sending on prop Alex Seville for centre Tom Seabrook.

Despite the setback, Gloucester were enjoying plenty of possession and territory, and two quick Bath infringements near their own line allowed Billy Twelvetrees to open up a 6-0 lead.

But the first half had a sting in the tail for the visitors when Bath substitute Jonathan Joseph sent a deft pass inside to Tom de Glanville who drew the last defender and sent Wales back row Faletau over the line. Priestland added the extras to give Bath a 7-6 half-time lead.

Priestland landed a penalty to extend the advantage but Bath's momentum was checked shortly afterwards when Williams was sent off for a high tackle on full-back Kyle Moyle.

However, Bath pulled further ahead through another Priestland penalty, before Gloucester fought their way back into the game and Twelvetrees landed a penalty with nine minutes remaining to cut the lead to 13-9.

Gloucester thought they had won it with five minutes left on the clock, when winger Louis Rees-Zammit was given space to run across the field and put Chris Harris into space, with the Scot feeding Ludlow to score in the corner.

But Twelvetrees' missed conversion would prove costly as Harris gave away a 78th-minute penalty, allowing Priestland to secure back-to-back Bath wins, and leave the Cherry and Whites rooted to the bottom of the Premiership.

Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper told BBC Radio Bristol:

"It was definitely tense. I thought it was tit-for-tat all the way through and both teams will probably look at that and say it wasn't the best game of rugby but I'm so pleased we got the points and I'm so proud of the lads.

"Tactically we weren't right and got a bit thrown because they lost a man in the forwards and took a back off. Credit to them defensively but most of the credit goes to our lads for digging-in and getting the result.

"I can see why they've given it [the red card]. It's about accumulating points but also about performances when your backs are against the wall like this."

Gloucester head coach George Skivington:

"If you get a red card after nine minutes there is a very good chance you are going to lose, but the boys fought unbelievably hard.

"I thought they were unbelievable in the first half with their fight and collectiveness. I can't not be proud of them today.

"I don't think either of the red cards were malicious, but they are the rules and you have to live by the rules."

Bath: De Glanville; Rokoduguni, Clark, Matavesi, Muir; Priestland, Spencer; Schoeman, Dunn, Judge, Bayliss, Williams, Faletau, Reid, Mercer.

Replacements: Walker, Bhatti, Thomas, Ellis, Staddon, Chudley, Schoeman, Joseph.

Gloucester: Moyle; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Seabrook, Thorley; Twelvetrees, Heinz; Rapava-Ruskin, Walker, Balmain, Slater, Craig, Reid, Ludlow (capt), Ackermann.

Replacements: Socino, Seville, Ford-Robinson, Atkins, Clarke, Varney, Barton, Trinder.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).

Yellow card: Joseph (Bath)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and 15-time NASCAR Cup Series Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has joined the ownership group of the Music City Grand Prix.

Earnhardt is the most recent addition to an elite group of owners for the event, which includes Grammy Award-winning artist Justin Timberlake.

“I’ve been excited about the Music City Grand Prix since I first heard about it. It will be an incredible event combining great music and racing in one of my all-time favorite cities,” said Earnhardt. “I’m excited to be part of the ownership group for this event and look forward to not only this year’s inaugural event, but to great racing in Nashville for years to come.”

“It’s hard to put into words how excited we are with the addition of Dale Earnhardt Jr. to our already incredible ownership team,” added Music City Grand Prix CEO Matt Crews. “Over the past two decades the Motorsports Industry has had no greater ambassador. His influence goes well beyond motorsports and his passion for music, food and Nashville make him a perfect addition to the team.”

Other Music City Grand Prix event owners include Teddy Phillips, the CEO of Phillips and Jordan Inc.; Stanton Barrett, a movie director, stunt coordinator, and former NASCAR driver; Scott Borchetta, the President & CEO of the Big Machine Label Group; JR Hand, the President & CEO of Hand Family Companies; Darby Campbell, the owner and president of Safe Harbor Development; NASCAR team owner and driver Justin Marks; Gil West, the former Chief Operating Officer of Delta Airlines; Kevin Clayton, the President & CEO of Clayton Homes; Brad Lager, the Chairman & CEO of Herzog Contracting Corporation; Drew Kitchen, Attorney Maynard Cooper; Andy Moats, the EVP of Music Sports & Entertainment at Pinnacle Financial Partners; Amish Purohit of Alpha Development; John Thompson, the CEO of MTA Distributors; and Ace Harrington, the COO of MTA Distributors.

The three-day event will be staged on a temporary 2.17-mile grand prix circuit in downtown Nashville and around the Nissan Stadium campus.

The course will cross the Cumberland River via the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge, making the Music City Grand Prix one of the only events in motorsports to cross over a major body of water.

In addition to a weekend of racing, attendees can look forward to the best Nashville has to offer, including live music performances by top artists, best-in-class chef-curated food experiences, and entertainment.

WELCOME, N.C. — In anticipation of the first time in more than 50 years the NASCAR
Cup Series schedule will include a dirt race, Richard Petty Motorsports has partnered with Food City and Tide for the Food City Dirt Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.

As part of the agreement, the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will carry the Tide brand as the primary partner in the NASCAR Cup Series event at Bristol on March 28 with driver Erik Jones.

In honor of Bristol Motor Speedway’s 60th anniversary celebration, the half-mile, high-banked concrete oval will be transformed into a state-of-the-art dirt racing facility for the Food City Dirt Race.

The event will mark the first time the NASCAR Cup Series will compete on dirt in the sport’s modern era.

“The Food City Dirt Race marks the first time that the NASCAR Cup Series has competed on dirt since 1970 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, N.C., when Richard Petty took home the checkered flag,” Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer, said. “How awesome is it that we have the opportunity to serve as the primary partner of the iconic Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro for the running of this historic event at the Bristol Motor Speedway?”

This is the first time a dirt surface has been put down for any race at The Last Great
Colosseum in over 20 years, and it will likely be the most anticipated.

“We are so proud to have Food City and Tide to partner with Richard Petty Motorsports for the Food City Dirt Race,” Jones said. “Tide has such a rich history in this sport, and I am honored to continue the legacy as a driver behind-the-wheel of the No. 43 Tide Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.”

Tide’s unmistakable logo, the distinctive orange-and-yellow bulls-eye, is on the hood and will adorn Jones No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the circuit’s return of dirt track racing.

The paint scheme was inspired by Tide’s rich history in NASCAR, with its classic bright paint scheme. The addition of Petty Blue, one of the most iconic colors in NASCAR, is a fresh twist on the classic design that has adorned the hoods in the past with Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd and Ricky Craven.

As part of the partnership, Tide is partnering with Food City and Richard Petty Motorsports at the Bristol Motor Speedway to bring NASCAR fans “The Ultimate Dirt Race” Sweepstakes.

Three first place winners will each receive one $1,500 Best Buy gift card to be used toward the purchase of a new washer/dryer. Three second place winners will each receive one $500 Best Buy gift card, and three third place winners will each receive free Tide for a year.

The 24-year-old Byron, Michigan, native has eight starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at the .533-mile track. Jones collected the pole award at the Bristol Motor Speedway in August 2017, and has posted four top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes, with 293 laps led.

In addition, Jones has notched two wins (2016, ’17), three top-five finishes, and four top-10 finishes in six career starts at the Northeast Tennessee half-mile oval in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

He has one start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Bristol Motor Speedway.