DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Tyler Reddick will start from the pole in the Southern 500 after lightning canceled qualifying at Darlington Raceway on Saturday.
Reddick won a season-high five times this season, including the Darlington race in March, and starts NASCAR's playoffs as the No. 3 seed behind regular-season champion Denny Hamlin and 2023 Cup champion Ryan Blaney at No. 2.
Reddick welcomed the qualifying rainout, knowing how well he and his Trackhouse Racing No. 45 Toyota ran in the spring, calling it a “best-case scenario."
“With how we ran last spring, we're rock solid and expect more of the same tomorrow,” he said.
Daniel Suarez, also in the 16-field playoffs, starts on the front row next to Reddick.
Chase drivers Ryan Preece and Hamlin are third and fourth on the grid.
The others competing in the 10-race Chase are Austin Cindric (sixth), Chase Briscoe (seventh), Christopher Bell (11th), Joey Logano (13th), Bubba Wallace (17th), Chase Elliott (18th), William Byron (20th), Blaney (24th), Kyle Larson (25th), Ty Gibbs (28th), Carson Hocevar (34th) and Chris Buescher (35th).
The field was set by NASCAR metrics, with 70% determined from last week's Daytona results and 30% based on owner's points.
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Tyler Reddick (45) leads the pack on the first lap of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
DUBLIN (AP) — Katie Taylor closed out her remarkable career with a dominant victory over previously undefeated Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans at Croke Park on Saturday.
The Irish boxer who won an Olympic gold medal and headlined at Madison Square Garden got her final career wish — to fight at Ireland’s sporting cathedral.
The 40-year-old Taylor dominated her French opponent over 10 rounds for a unanimous decision victory to retire as the undisputed champion at 140 pounds.
Taylor (26-1) added the vacant WBC super lightweight title to her WBO, WBA and IBF belts. The judges' scores were 100-90, 100-90 and 98-91. Pili's record is 12-1 with the loss.
In April 2022, Taylor beat Amanda Serrano at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in what was the first women’s boxing match to headline the arena. The pair have fought three times in total, with Taylor victorious each time, most recently in 2025.
Taylor won gold at the 2012 London Games.
Muhammad Ali touched down in the Emerald Isle in July 1972 for a 12-round non-title fight against Alvin “Blue” Lewis. It took place 16 months after Ali lost to Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden.
Ali stopped Lewis in the 11th round in front of an estimated 20,000 fans.
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Ireland's Katie Taylor celebrates after beating Flora Pili of France in their super lightweight world title fight in Dublin, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
A general view of Croke Park in Dublin as Ireland's Katie Taylor Flora Pili of France compete during their super lightweight world title fight, on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Ireland's Katie Taylor, right, and Flora Pili of France exchange blows during their super lightweight world title fight in Dublin, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Ireland's Katie Taylor celebrates after beating Flora Pili of France in their super lightweight world title fight in Dublin, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Ireland's Katie Taylor celebrates after beating Flora Pili of France in their super lightweight world title fight in Dublin, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)
Katie Taylor, center left, and Flora Pili attend the weigh-in at Trinity College Dublin, Friday Sept. 4, 2026. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)
Katie Taylor attends the weigh-in at Trinity College Dublin, Friday Sept. 4, 2026. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)
