Charles scores 16 as Valkyries conclude regular-season home schedule with 70-57 win over Seattle

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kaila Charles had 16 points, matched her career high with 12 rebounds and made four steals, Tiffany Hayes scored 10 points a night before her 37th birthday, and the Golden State Valkyries concluded their regular-season home schedule by beating the Seattle Storm 70-57 on Saturday night for a sixth straight win.

Rookie Juste Jocyte and Laeticia Amihere each added 11 points off the bench for the Valkyries (31-11), who are in second place behind Minnesota. The team said Jocyte sustained a left leg injury.

The Valkyries wrapped up a 17-5 home record with another sold-out crowd of 18,064, bringing the second-season attendance total to 397,408 — with a full house for every game at Chase Center over a second straight year.

It’s the only franchise in WNBA history to sell out every home game over its first two seasons.

Seattle (8-34), finishing up one of the worst seasons in team history, lost its third in a row and sixth of seven. Rookie Flau'jae Johnson had 17 points to lead the Storm.

Golden State coach Natalie Nakase again rested her stars who are just back from the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

The Valkyries again were without star Gabby Williams and top reserve Janelle Salaun, both of whom played for the French team that lost to the U.S. 97-79 in the World Cup final on Sunday in Berlin. Nakase was an assistant for the U.S.

Valkyries forward Cecilia Zandalasini also sat out again Saturday with an illness after she played for Italy in the World Cup.

Golden State missed six of its first seven 3-point tries and wound up 9 for 26 from long range. Kayla Thornton finished the game 0 of 6, including four 3s, but grabbed six rebounds.

Storm: Visit Las Vegas on Sunday to complete a road back-to-back.

Valkyries: Visit Portland on Tuesday night.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Seattle Storm guard-forward Taylor Thierry (3) shoots against Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (22) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes, left, blocks a shot attempt by Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga (14) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Seattle Storm guard Flau'jae Johnson, right, shoots against Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton, middle, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Seattle Storm guard Flau'jae Johnson, right, reaches for the ball over Golden State Valkyries guard-forward Kaila Charles (6) during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Valkyries guard Juste Jocyte (4) is congratulated by center Kiah Stokes (41) after scoring during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Joey Logano led the final seven laps Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway after seizing the lead from Carson Hocevar, who overshadowed the winner despite finishing third.

Hocevar, a brash 23-year-old who has earned the ire of veterans with his aggressive driving, traded punches in the pits with Ryan Blaney after they were involved in an incident while racing for second with 41 laps left where Hocevar wrecked Blaney's car from behind.

Hocevar stopped his car after finishing third and was greeted by a shove from Blaney. Hocevar responded by swinging twice at Blaney, who fell to the pavement, got up and threw a punch at Hocevar before they were separated by their crews.

Logano started from the pole position and led 93 laps to move into third place in the points standings.

Kyle Larson finished second to move into the Chase lead by a point over Denny Hamlin.

Christopher Bell was fourth, followed by Ty Gibbs, who led 120 laps before finishing fifth.

Gibbs was driving a No. 54 Toyota that sported a paint scheme honoring the late Kyle Busch, who had a record 23 wins in NASCAR national series at Bristol.

It was among multiple tributes to the Richard Childress Racing driver who died in May.

Fans waved yellow towels on the 18th lap in honor of Busch, who won two Cup Series championships in the No. 18 Toyota. His widow, Samantha, addressed the crowd before the race.

“Bristol was always so special to Kyle,” Samantha Busch said. “He loved racing under the lights, the energy of this place, and most of all, the fans. For 20 years, this sport was our life. It’s where we raised our babies and made some of our very best memories. I never imagined we’d be standing here without him. But looking out at all of you reminds me that we aren’t walking this alone.”

In its federal lawsuit that accuses Spire Motorsports of cheating by using stolen intellectual property, Joe Gibbs Racing filed a motion Thursday claiming that Spire and chief motorsports officer Chris Gabehart violated a temporary restraining order and should be held in contempt. A federal judge ruled in March that Gabehart can work for Spire but not in the competition director role he was in while with Joe Gibbs Racing last season.

Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson responded to the motion in a statement Friday night. “JGR does not get to control what other race teams do through court cases,” Dickerson said. “JGR does not own tire pressures, JGR does not own the people who work in this industry, and JGR does not own Spire. Spire looks forward to responding to JGR’s motion in court. To be clear, months of discovery have shown that Spire Motorsports has done nothing wrong.”

The NASCAR Cup Series will begin a stretch of three consecutive races on 1.5-mile ovals with Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Sept. 27. Tyler Reddick won the April 19 race at the track in Kansas City, Kansas.

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

A fan holds up a yellow towel on the 18th lap to honor the late Kyle Busch during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Joey Logano (22) leads Austin Cindric (2) and Alex Bowman during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Ty Gibbs (54), in the throwback M&M's car honoring the late Kyle Busch, leads Ryan Preece and Connor Zilisch during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)