Sports

Coke Zero Sugar 400 Race Weekend: NASCAR’s Chase Battle Heads to Daytona

Published

3 months ago

August 26, 2026

Tyler Reddick eyes Daytona sweep as playoff bubble drivers fight for position on the high banks

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400, with championship implications, a potential Daytona season sweep and new superspeedway rules adding to the stakes on race weekend.

Reigning Daytona 500 champion Tyler Reddick enters the summer race with an opportunity to accomplish something that has not been done in more than a decade.

Reddick will attempt to become the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2013 to win both NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona in the same season.

13 Drivers Have Clinched Chase Spots

Thirteen drivers have already secured spots in The Chase: Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, Carson Hocevar, William Byron and Daniel Suarez.

That leaves the spotlight on drivers fighting around the cutoff line as Daytona’s unpredictable pack racing creates one of the season’s biggest opportunities for the championship picture to change.

Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski enter the weekend on the outside of the cutoff looking in.

Shane van Gisbergen sits 16th in the standings and will battle to remain above the cutoff line. Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric currently occupy the other two positions inside the top 16.

Blaney Chasing Back-to-Back Daytona Victories

Ryan Blaney has already secured his place in The Chase, but another milestone remains within reach.

Blaney will attempt to win consecutive Coke Zero Sugar 400 races and capture his third victory in Daytona’s summer Cup Series event.

With his postseason position already secured, Blaney can focus on adding another Daytona trophy rather than racing primarily for points.

Hocevar Eyes Superspeedway Sweep

Carson Hocevar also arrives at Daytona with history on the line.

After winning the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this season, Hocevar can become the first driver since Denny Hamlin in 2020 to win Cup races at both Daytona and Talladega in the same season.

Hocevar enters Daytona 11th in the standings.

New Rules Coming to Daytona

Drivers will also face a different aerodynamic and horsepower package for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

The rear spoiler will be reduced from 7 inches to 4 inches, matching the height used at intermediate tracks. The change is intended to reduce aerodynamic drag.

Horsepower will also be reduced from 510 to 465 to compensate for the reduction in downforce.

NASCAR officials anticipate the changes will make single-car runs approximately 3 mph faster than under the previous package. Speeds in the draft, however, are expected to remain roughly comparable.

The changes could introduce another variable as drivers and teams determine how the new package affects handling, passing, drafting and strategy in Daytona’s tightly packed racing.

Daytona Could Reshape The Chase

Few tracks offer the unpredictability of Daytona.

With Preece and Keselowski trying to race their way above the cutoff and van Gisbergen fighting to remain inside the top 16, one crash, strategic gamble or late-race move could dramatically alter the championship picture.

Meanwhile, Reddick, Blaney and Hocevar arrive chasing their own pieces of Daytona history.

That combination puts the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the center of the NASCAR championship conversation as the field returns to the high banks of Daytona International Speedway.

Sports

LIV Golf to begin winding down operations Nov. 9 after five years, $5 billion spent

Published

3 days ago

November 7, 2026

FNN SPORTS

LIV Golf sign in a landscaped setting in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News

NEW YORK CITY, NY (FNN SPORTS) – LIV Golf plans to begin winding down operations Monday, Nov. 9, following five years and more than $5 billion in spending.

Attorney Matthew Williams outlined the league’s plans during a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, in New Jersey. The process includes selling its remaining assets.

“We believe the wind down path is the best path,” Williams told the court.

LIV Golf confirmed the decision after a proposed restructuring deal fell through. The league said it will continue considering alternatives during the shutdown process.

Basketball

USF Women’s Basketball Opens Season With 80–54 Victory Over Furman

Published

5 days ago

November 5, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — On Monday November 2, at the Yuengling Center, the South Florida women’s basketball team opened with a successful debut undernew head coach Kristy Curry.

The Bulls established control early with a 9–0 opening run, taking a 27–12 lead after the first quarter. Furman narrowed the margin before halftime, but South Florida maintained a 46–32 advantage heading into the break.

A dominant third quarter proved decisive, as USF outscored Furman 23–9 to extend its lead to 69–41 entering the fourth.

Balanced Scoring Leads the Bulls

Stefanie Ingram led South Florida with 15 points, followed by Hannah Kohn with 13 and Kendall Puryear with 12 points and nine rebounds.

The Bulls placed six players in double figures, shot 51.6 percent from the field and controlled the boards with a 48–25 rebounding advantage.

A Winning Debut for Kristy Curry

The victory marked Curry’s first win leading South Florida after arriving from Alabama.

Ahead of the season opener, Curry expressed confidence in the program’s potential:

“I’m so excited to be here. I truly think the sky’s the limit at USF.”

— Kristy Curry, USF Head Coach, in pregame remarks published by USF Athletics.

South Florida (1–0) will face Belmont on Friday, November 6, in Nashville, Tennessee.

– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com

Central Florida News

USF Defeats UAB 30–10, Secures Fourth Consecutive Bowl-Eligible Season

Published

1 week ago

November 3, 2026

NISEY LOU S.

C.J. Hicks (#1) USF defensive end lines up before the snap during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory over UAB at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Bulls overcome early deficit behind defensive touchdowns and a record-tying performance from C.J. Hicks.

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The University of South Florida (USF) secured its sixth victory of the season Saturday, October 31, defeating the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 30–10 at Raymond James Stadium. The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 6–2 overall and 2–2 in American Conference play, making the program bowl-eligible for the fourth consecutive season.

Defense Turns the Game Around

UAB opened the game with a 10–0 first-quarter lead, but South Florida responded with 30 unanswered points, highlighted by two defensive touchdowns.

Defensive end C.J. Hicks delivered one of the game’s most significant performances, recording four sacks to tie the USF single-game record. Two of those sacks forced fumbles that resulted in touchdowns.

Late in the second quarter, Hicks forced a fumble by UAB quarterback Ryder Burton, allowing USF defender Asani Redwood to recover the football and return it six yards for a touchdown. The play gave South Florida a 17–10 halftime lead.

Asani Redwood and UAB #71 UAB defensive lineman #71 attempts to tackle USF’s Asani Redwood during the October 31, 2026, matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Hicks created another scoring opportunity in the fourth quarter, forcing a second fumble that linebacker Grayson Howard recovered and returned 13 yards for a touchdown, extending USF’s lead to 27–10.

South Florida’s defense finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss, limiting UAB to just 177 total offensive yards, including 17 rushing yards.

Offensive Adjustments Provide Momentum

Following an injury to starting quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr., sophomore Luke Kromenhoek entered the game and helped shift momentum in South Florida’s favor.

Luke Kromenhoek (#17) USF quarterback Luke Kromenhoek (#17) carries the football while facing pressure from a UAB defender during the Bulls’ 30–10 victory at Raymond James Stadium on October 31, 2026. Photo by Nisey Spruill / Florida National News

Kromenhoek finished with a career-high 92 rushing yards, including a 42-yard run that helped establish the Bulls’ offensive rhythm.

Running back Jason Collins Jr. added a six-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter to tie the game at 10–10.

Kicker Nico Gramatica contributed three field goals, connecting from 31, 30 and 33 yards to help secure the victory.

Bowl Eligibility Marks Another Program Milestone

With its sixth win, South Florida secured bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season, matching the second-longest such streak in program history.

The accomplishment allows USF to qualify for postseason bowl consideration, although an official bowl invitation and destination have yet to be determined.

The victory also kept the Bulls competitive in the American Conference standings, with four regular-season games remaining following the UAB matchup.

Looking Ahead

USF will return to conference competition Friday, November 6, traveling to face East Carolina as the Bulls continue their pursuit of a stronger conference finish and a postseason bowl invitation.

Final Score: USF 30, UAB 10