Teen ace Mayer scores upset Truck Series victory at Bristol

Sam Mayer celebrated his recent promotion to JR Motorsports by scoring his first NASCAR national series victory with a Truck Series win Thursday night at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The 17-year-old Mayer was hired this week to race in the Xfinity Series next season for JR Motorsports. His win in his seventh career Truck Series start — fourth this year — was an upset in the opening race of the playoffs.

Mayer passed title contender and teammate Brett Moffitt to score the victory for GMS Racing. He's the second youngest Truck Series winner behind Cole Custer, who was 16 when he won at New Hampshire in 2014.

Sam Mayer, right, celebrates his win in the NASCAR Truck Series auto race Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP PhotoSteve Helber)

“What? Oh my gosh, Bristol, dude. I love this place,” Mayer said in somewhat disbelief. “That feels so good.”

Mayer was set to race later Thursday night at Bristol in the ARCA Series event. Mayer has four wins in 11 ARCA starts this year.

A win by any playoff driver would have earned an automatic berth into the next round. But the field was upstaged by the teenager who signed his career-changing deal Wednesday.

The field passes through Turn 2 during the NASCAR Truck Series auto race Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP PhotoSteve Helber)

Mayer first joined JR Motorsports’ Late Model program in 2018, and now will return for the second half of the 2021 Xfinity Series season when he's 18 and eligible to run at that level. He is slated to race full-time in 2022.

Mayer is the son of former IndyCar and road racing driver Scott Mayer. He's run a mixed schedule this year of ARCA, and ARCA East and West series races, winning eight times.

Moffitt finished second and moved to the top of the Truck Series standings. The defending race winner made it a 1-2 finish for GMS Racing. Sheldon Creed and Zane Smith, both GMS drivers also in the playoffs, finished 12th and 17th.

Tate Fogleman, front right, puts his hand over his heart during the national anthem before the NASCAR Truck Series auto race Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP PhotoSteve Helber)

“I am proud of everyone at GMS for bringing not just mine, but Sam's and Sheldon and Zane all having fast trucks in the playoffs,” Moffitt said. “That's what we need. We need to have four trucks at Phoenix racing for a championship and this is a good start.”

Tanner Gray was third and followed by Parker Kligerman and Trevor Bayne. Chandler Smith was sixth and Grant Enfinger was seventh — the second best finish among playoff drivers.

Tyler Ankrum picked up his first career stage victory and finished eighth, followed by Ross Chastain and Johnny Sauter.

Tyler Ankrum (26) and Sheldon Creed (2) drive into Turn Four during a NASCAR Truck Series auto race Thursday Sept. 17, 2020, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP PhotoSteve Helber)

Moffitt has a 37-point lead over eighth-place, the cutoff line, for the playoffs. The series goes to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week then eliminated two drivers at Talladega Superspeedway in October. Christian Eckes and Todd Gilliland are both below the cutline.

PARIS (AP) — Former Marseille coach Rolland Courbis, a charismatic figure of French soccer who later became a prominent pundit, has died, his employer said on Monday. He was 72.

RMC radio did not disclose the cause of the death in a statement released in agreement with Courbis' family.

Born in Marseille, Courbis came through the club's academy. A rugged defender, he was part of the team that won the French league and cup double in 1972 and returned to the club in the late 1990s as coach.

As a player, he also won two French league titles and a French Cup with Monaco.

“A Marseillais at heart, he embodied popular, dynamic football. His unmistakable accent carried his frank, direct, often passionate and always sincere words,” Marseille said in a tribute.

Courbis enjoyed a much-traveled coaching career, with spells in France and abroad, notably at Bordeaux, Lens, Montpellier and the USM Alger.

Among the many defining moments of his career was a stunning comeback he oversaw when coaching Marseille. His team found itself 4-0 down at home to Montpellier in 1998 but fought back to seal a remarkable 5-4 victory.

Courbis, who had a taste for casino gambling and lived with an Italian countess for a while, led a tumultuous life. He was seriously wounded in 1996 when gunmen fatally shot the president of a French soccer team outside a stadium following a game. Courbis, who was also involved in several legal cases and sentenced to prison, was hit by a bullet during the attack.

France coach Didier Deschamps said that with his passing, French soccer lost “a fine connoisseur of football and its inner workings, but also of the game itself.”

“He was a true passionate figure,” Deschamps added. “And in recent years, he chose to pass on that passion behind a microphone, with a turn of phrase all his own.”

Since 2005, he had become a consultant on RMC, where he commented on football news.

“His passion came through in his trademark Marseille accent and in a very direct rapport with listeners,” RMC said. “A freedom of tone that kept the language of the supporters, while sharing their questions and emotions. He was particularly successful in remaining approachable and warm, while still being demanding on substance.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Coach of Montpellier Rolland Courbis reacts during the French League One soccer match Nice against Montpellier, Friday, Dec. 18, 2015, in Nice stadium, southeastern France. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau, file)