Sports

Dillmann Fends Off Late Charge to Win Chevrolet Grand Prix

Published

2 years ago

July 14, 2024

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario – Two hours and 40 minutes of racing came down to a 0.658-second margin of victory Sunday for Tom Dillmann and Nick Boulle.

Dillmann weaved his way through traffic after a final restart with nine minutes left, eventually holding off Felipe Fraga to claim a victory in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class at the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

The victory was simultaneously close and dominant. Despite the narrow margin of victory, Dillmann and Boulle and the No. 52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA LMP2 07 controlled the lead for all but the first 10 minutes.

It all came down to a final restart, which Dillmann fully expected to happen before Ryan Dalziel slid into the tire barrier with 17 minutes remaining, bringing out a caution and setting up the final duel.

“I knew there would be a final restart because there always is in IMSA,” Dillmann said. “I was expecting it, but I knew that I had an edge. I was quite confident I could pull a gap and bring it home.”

Their first win of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season helped Dillmann and Boulle close in on the leaders in the LMP2 driver standings. They’re now, unofficially, just 12 points behind Fraga and Gar Robinson in the No. 74 Riley ORECA.

“All in all, it was a good points day,” Robinson said. “We’ll move on from here and go to Road America.”

As Dalziel was sliding off course late in the race, Fraga sneaked past Scott Huffaker in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA he co-drove with Steven Thomas for second place. After the final restart, Fraga relentlessly chased Dillmann. He got close at times, but Dillmann eventually prevailed.

“I was hoping we would not reach the traffic on the final lap, but we did reach it,” Dillmann said. “I had a little bit of a margin, like 1.5 seconds, so I could deal with it without it being too much of a threat. I was fine.”

While Dillmann was navigating his way through the harried final minutes, Boulle was in the pits, barely able to watch.

“Myself and one of our engineers had to walk away,” Boulle said. “I haven’t been that nervous in a while. We’ve been trying to do this all year. I’m happy it all came together.”

Riley is in its first year in the LMP2 class after a successful run of 26 wins in the now-defunct LMP3 class.

“These guys (in LMP2) have been racing these cars for five, six years,” Fraga said. “I think we should be proud that we’re leading the championship. It’s disappointing because we’re the only ones to have the fuel to go hard until the end. I saved a lot in the first stint. … It’s always 50-50 with the yellows, but we almost got the win.”

For PR1 Mathiasen, a consistent winner in LMP2 in recent years, the victory was a relief. The team hadn’t won since last August at Road America.

“Nick did an outstanding job, and Tom backed it up,” PR1 Mathiasen owner Bobby Oergel said. “I’m just so thankful to have these guys, you know. … It does taste good right now. We hope to keep it rolling.”

The WeatherTech Championship resumes Aug. 4 with the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America. Peacock’s live coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET.

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Sports

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

Published

2 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

3 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

5 days 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