SI:CYMI | NASCAR Loses a Legend

A sad day for race fans across the globe.

Patrick Andres Good morning everyone. This is Patrick Andres from Sports Illustrated, here with your daily rundown of what you might have missed and what’s coming next in the world of sports. Forward this to your friend with strong opinions on Uncrustables and Uncrustable-like sandwiches, not unlike the NFL Players Association.   Recommended by  The headlines … Matthew O'Haren/Imagn Images KYLE BUSCH 1985-2026: Kyle Busch, one of the greatest drivers in the history of stock-car racing and its winningest across all three major NASCAR series, died Thursday at the age of 41 mere hours after news broke of his hospitalization with a severe illness. … It’s worth taking a beat to acknowledge the sheer breadth of Busch’s accomplishments: two NASCAR Cup championships, a Nationwide Series championship, the all-time wins record in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series, and an amusing cameo in Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky.  SILLY SEASON: The Knicks blew Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals open in the third quarter to down the Cavaliers 109-93, and are well-positioned for their first conference title since 1999. … As always in the NBA, there was plenty of news under the hood to accompany that, starting with Lakers forward LeBron James’s first indication of a free-agency decision timeline. … Ryan Phillips offered updates on the coaching carousel, with looks at the Bulls, Mavericks and Trail Blazers. … Liam McKeone offered some perspective on what the Clippers might ultimately do with forward Kawhi Leonard. … In other realms of basketball, Florida fans welcomed the return of center Rueben Chinyelu. REELIN’ IN THE YEARS: Extensions reigned across the NFL Thursday, none more newsworthy than quarterback Matthew Stafford’s new deal with the Rams. … More surprising was the Giants electing to keep general manager Joe Schoen around for the long haul. … Linebacker Jack Campbell’s new deal with the Lions prompted Mike Kadlick to dive into Detroit’s formerly maligned 2023 draft class. … It wasn’t an extension per se, but here’s a look at quarterback Aaron Rodgers’s final NFL contract with the Steelers. … Elsewhere in the NFL: happy 30th to Bills quarterback Josh Allen! BEST OF THE REST: Staying outside the major team sports, Madison Williams prepped you for the imminent French Open. … She also zoomed in on Italy’s Jannik Sinner, the best player in the world and prohibitive favorite in the men’s tennis bracket. … Another transcendent global talent, Dodgers designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani, broke a record held by legendary Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson. … To the south, Kyle Koster explored Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr.’s pesky home run drought.  Join Verducci's View Newsletter MLB insights and analysis delivered by Tom Verducci, offering a mix of expert commentary, inside angles and thoughtful perspectives on baseball’s biggest storylines. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE   Recommended by  Feed refresher … Candice Ward/Imagn Images Some videos for your viewing pleasure ... DID THEY JUST BECOME BEST FRIENDS?: Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza discussed his team’s clever schedule release with SI. SCORING SPREE: Ex-Knicks forward Latrell Sprewell, meanwhile, had nothing but praise for New York guard Jalen Brunson in the wake of his unreal Game 1. Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. Click to subscribe! 📺 What we’re watching this weekend ... MLB: Dodgers @ Brewers—Saturday, 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox To quote Charles Barkley, two words: the second- and third-best teams in the National League, must-see TV. NASCAR: Coca-Cola 600—Sunday, 5 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Expect a heavy day as NASCAR pays tribute to Busch, who won this race in 2018. NBA: Thunder @ Spurs Game 3—Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC A mesmerizing Western Conference finals shifts to San Antonio, where the Spurs will look to replicate their Game 1 magic in a battle of beat-up squads. Knicks @ Cavaliers Game 3—Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN New York is a win away from a chokehold on the Eastern Conference finals, but Cleveland has lost just once on its home court this postseason. NHL: Golden Knights @ Avalanche Game 2—Friday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Vegas is eyeing a 2–0 lead as it searches for a second Stanley Cup in four years. Canadiens @ Hurricanes Game 2—Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, TNT Everything that could go wrong did for goalie Frederik Andersen and a well-rested Carolina team Thursday, and Montreal, too, is a win from heading home up 2–0. That’s all for today. Have fun watching sports.   Recommended by  We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 625 Broadway, 10th floor New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI:CYMI newsletter. You can unsubscribe here . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the SI:CYMI newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). 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