Category: Sports

Nichols to perform pre-race concert Oct. 5 at Kansas Speedway

Red Bow Records recording artist Joe Nichols will perform a pre-race concert prior to the Hollywood Casino 400, the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, on Oct. 5.

“I look forward to having Joe perform prior to the Hollywood Casino 400,” said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. “I know Joe will put on a great performance for our fans and get them ready for an exciting NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race that afternoon.”

Nichols, whose current hits include “Yeah” and “Sunny and 75,” released his latest studio album in October of last year. Fans are likely familiar with other chart-topping hits of Nichols as well, like “Brokenheartsville,” “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,” and “Gimme That Girl” along with Top Ten hits like “The Impossible,” “What’s A Guy Gotta Do” and “I’ll Wait For You.”

Over his career, he has new artist awards from the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, Billboard, and more. He also has four Grammy nominations, a CMA album of the Year nomination and multiple RIAA platinum and gold albums and singles.

Tickets are currently on sale for the Oct. 3 ARCA Racing Series, the Oct. 4 Kansas Lottery 300 (NASCAR Nationwide Series) and the Oct. 5 Hollywood Casino 400, the fourth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Tickets may be purchased by calling 866-460-RACE (7223) or by logging onto www.kansasspeedway.com.

Parking is free at Kansas Speedway and fans can bring in one 14x14x14-inch soft-sided cooler with food and beverages.

Saints blank T-Bones

St. Paul starting pitcher Drew Gay shut down the T-Bones on Tuesday night with a 5-0 victory at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan.

Gay (5-0) pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up three hits, no runs, two walks and six strikeouts in just his fourth start of the year.

Kansas City didn’t get its first base runner until there was one out in the fifth inning. In the inning, trailing 1-0, Nick Schwaner walked and went to third on a base hit by Bryan Sabatella. On the play, Sabatella went to second base.

Kansas City, however, was unable to score as Gay retired Vladimir Frias and Brian Erie. The next inning, the T-Bones had runners at the corners with one out but couldn’t score after Danny Richar was caught stealing and Matt Padgett struck out.

Kyle DeVore took a tough luck loss for the T-Bones. He threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing only four hits and one run. DeVore (3-5) walked two and struck out seven.

The Saints added four runs in the ninth inning. Keith Brachold homered, Jared McDonald chipped in a two-RBI double and Angelo Songco scored McDonald on a single.

St. Paul’s first run came in the second inning. DeVore hit Saints’ center fielder Evan Bigley with a pitch. Bigley stole second, and would come around to score on a Brachold single.

With the loss, the T-Bones (36-39) drop the third game of this four-game series against St. Paul (43-31). Kansas City will go for a series split Wednesday night at 7:05. Tickets are available by calling the Providence Medical Center Box Office at CommunityAmerica Ballpark at 913-328-5618.

Box score: http://www.pointstreak.com/baseball/boxscoretext.html?gameid=178088
– Story from T-Bones

Sporting KC midfielder Benny Feilhaber voted MLS Player of the Month for July

Benny Feilhaber

Feilhaber is third Sporting KC player to win award in past three months

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Benny Feilhaber was named Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month for July, MLSsoccer.com announced on Tuesday.

“It feels great but it’s a team award in many ways. I’m excited that we’re back in the Supporters’ Shield race and thanks to all the fans for voting,” Feilhaber said.

Feilhaber becomes the third Sporting KC player to win the award in the past three months, following Dom Dwyer in May and Eric Kronberg in June. Sporting Kansas City is now the first team to claim Player of the Month honors in three consecutive months in the league’s 19-year history.

The 29-year-old midfielder led Sporting KC to the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings with a a 4-0-1 record in July. The 13 points gained in the month were more than any other MLS team.

After recovering from a sprained left shoulder suffered on June 6 — and becoming a father on June 26 — Feilhaber played every minute for Sporting Kansas City in the month of July. He earned MLS Player of the Week recognition in Week 19 and earned MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week honors for a second straight time in Week 20.

Feilhaber contributed to both goals in a 2-1 win at the Columbus Crew mid-month, setting up C.J. Sapong for the opening goal in the 42nd minute before scoring the game-winning goal in the 93rd minute. He followed that performance with a superbly taken free kick goal against the LA Galaxy three days later to hand the four-time MLS champions their only loss in the past 11 games.

While outside of MLS play, Feilhaber’s name was again on the scoresheet with an assist against reigning English Premier League Champions Manchester City in an international friendly at Sporting Park on July 23. Feilhaber flighted a perfectly placed pass for Sapong to level the score at 1-1 in the Champions Shield match-up.

Feilhaber currently leads the team with five assists and ranks second among Sporting KC players with four goals in all competition this season. In addition, he has suffered the second most fouls among all MLS players this season (55).

A member of the United States Men’s National Team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Feilhaber is in his fourth MLS season and second with Sporting KC after being acquired in a trade from the New England Revolution in December 2012. The Brazilian-born playmaker contributed the game-winning assists in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and Eastern Conference Championship en route to the 2013 MLS Cup championship.

Today’s honor is Feilhaber’s first career MLS Player of the Month recognition, finishing ahead of Erick Torres (CHV), Bill Hamid (DC), Bradley Wright-Phillips (NY) and Gyasi Zardes (LA). Under a new format in 2014, Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month is determined by the fans via online voting. Five nominees are selected each month by the editorial staff of MLSsoccer.com.
– Story from Sporting KC