Brisbane begins work on the 2032 Olympics main stadium at Victoria Park after protesters moved

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Protesters have been moved along and excavation machinery has been moved in as work on the main stadium for the 2032 Olympics got under way Monday, almost five years after Brisbane was awarded rights to the Summer Games.

The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority took ownership of the inner city Victoria Park site from the Brisbane City Council at midnight, and temporary perimeter fencing was erected ahead of construction on the 3.6 billion Australian dollar ($2.6 billion) Brisbane Olympics main stadium.

There was a heavy security presence again Monday, days after Queensland state police arrested five people and council staff began dismantling protest camp sites on the parklands.

A small group of activists was relocated from inside to outside the perimeter fencing in the parklands just after midnight.

Queensland state Premier David Crisafulli turned the first sod, and said the public had been urging his government to “get on with it.”

“It’s game on — we have a plan to deliver for the 2032 Games and beyond, and today, we get cracking on delivering it,” he told a news conference. “Victoria Park will be the beating sport, cultural and green heart of Brisbane, and a place all Queenslanders can be proud of.”

Crisafulli said he respected the rights of protesters to have a say, but not between “excavators and bulldozers.”

Indigenous and environment groups have protested the construction of a major stadium in the heritage-listed park close to downtown Brisbane, saying the green space and culturally significant sites would be lost for future generations in the state capital.

Crisafulli said after construction, more than two-thirds of Victoria Park would be green public space.

Hundreds of protesters had gathered at the site on Sunday afternoon but with dozens of police at the park entrance and patrolling the area early Monday, it was a quiet start on a cool but sunny first winter morning in Australia.

Save Victoria Park organiser Andrea Lunt told Australian Associated Press that protesters were considering their next steps.

“This space with its heritage and its history is such a special asset for Brisbane,” she said. “We’re not an anti-Olympics group, but we don’t support the Olympics in its current form."

The International Olympic Committee last year backed the Queensland government’s 2032 venue plan after several false starts, saying the Brisbane Games were “on the right path.”

Queensland state won the bid to host the 2032 Games and has backing from Australia's government for the construction of venues.

The state government last year exempted Victoria Park from heritage, environmental and planning laws, and has converted it to freehold land. Indigenous, heritage and environmental groups have challenged the construction plans.

Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said he had received 10 applications seeking to protect a significant Aboriginal site “under threat of injury or desecration” at the park.

Watt said he has declined some applications but is still considering others.

He told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio that cultural heritage declarations were not designed to stop the project, but instead to set out what must be done “to preserve or protect an area from being injured in some way or desecrated in some way."

Five people were arrested Friday after protesters were taken by surprise in camps set up at the site that until Sunday was home to a golf driving range, a popular wedding and events venue, and open parklands.

The five were taken into custody for obstructing and assaulting police officers, a police spokesperson said, adding that one of those arrested was later released without charge.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Protestors stand near a line of police as a camp site is dismantled at the construction site of the Brisbane Olympics Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, May 29, 2026. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP)

Police at the entry to Victoria Park as preparatory earthworks get underway for the 2032 Olympic Stadium in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, June 1, 2026. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP)

Earthmoving machinery is seen being brought into Victoria Park for preparatory earthworks at the site of the 2032 Olympic Stadium at Brisbane's Victoria Park, Australia, Monday, June 1, 2026. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP)

Protesters camp just outside the security fencing for the 2032 Olympic Stadium site at Brisbane's Victoria Park, Australia, Monday, June 1, 2026. (AP Photo/John Pye)

Protesters react at the site of the 2032 Olympic Stadium at Brisbane's Victoria Park, Australia, Monday, June 1, 2026. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP)

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Denny Hamlin outraced Christopher Bell over the last four laps after a final restart Sunday night to win the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Hamlin won for the second time this year and 62nd of his career on a night where he jumped the start off the pole. That penalty put him at the back of the field.

“Man, what an unbelievable day,” Hamlin said. “Starting first, going to last and back to first.”

The 45-year-old Hamlin raced his way to the front for the thrilling win that had his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Bell and Chase Briscoe making it three-wide before Hamlin took the lead down the backstretch to win by 0.115 seconds in his No. 11 Toyota.

Hamlin, who won at Las Vegas and also the All-Star race at Dover, pulled within 97 points of Tyler Reddick in the season standings. Reddick finished sixth.

The race started 80 minutes late after rain delayed NASCAR’s Cup Series for a second straight week. The wait was worth it with a record 31 lead changes among a record 15 leaders. The race also featured 12 cautions at the 1.33-mile, D-shaped oval that is NASCAR’s largest concrete track.

Bell finished second for a second straight race ahead of Briscoe. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fourth, and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

“I had the best car on the race track ... and we had the lead on the restart,” Bell said. “I got a great push from Denny on the restart, and I didn’t win the race.”

Ryan Blaney, trying to repeat as champ at this track, led the restart trying to hold off AJ Allmendinger on a one-lap shootout for the first stage. Allmendinger took the lead on the backstretch, then held off Kyle Larson to take stage one for his first stage victory since 2024.

Suarez took the second stage after staying out during a caution and took the lead on the restart on lap 182. Then Corey Heim drove his No. 67 Toyota into the back of Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 Ford, sending him backward into the Turn 1 wall. That brought out the seventh caution with Cole Custer spinning out in the crash.

Rookie Connor Zilisch had the right rotor explode on his No. 88 Chevrolet sending him into the wall and smashing the right side on Turn 1 of lap 72. Zilisch got the Trackhouse Racing car into the garage with some flames coming out from under the right tire, which was stuck and nearly sideway.

He had been running 24th after starting 38th on the last row.

Trackhouse teammate Ross Chastain had his own rotor issue on lap 82 sending him into the wall between Turns 1 and 2. Michael McDowell spun trying to avoid Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet. Zilisch called the rotor problems a surprise when both he and Chastain had been moving up.

“Just unfortunate circumstances,” Zilisch said. “Yeah, we’ll learn from it.”

Van Gisbergen is the third member of Trackhouse Racing. His crew told him not to worry with his No. 97 Chevrolet running a completely different brake package. Ryan Preece went to the garage with no water in his No. 60 Ford, and his crew found a piece of rotor broken off into the radiator before he got back on the track.

Then Allmendinger, who was third, had the rotor spark and flame before his No. 16 Chevrolet hit the Turn 1 wall on lap 173 — with 12 laps left in Stage 2.

Chris Buescher was running 17th with 12 laps left when his right rotor went as he entered Turn 3.

The series will be at Michigan International Speedway next week where Hamlin will be trying to win for a second straight year.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Austin Dillon (3) spins out during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Denny Hamlin celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Crew members work on Connor Zilisch's car after a wreck during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

A member of Cody Ware's pit crew works on a tire during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Denny Hamlin speeds around the track during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Denny Hamlin celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Denny Hamlin celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Ross Chastain, left, talks with Ryan Blaney, right, before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Crews wait out the rain before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)

Josh Berry waits out the rain before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/Camden Hall)