DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Gary Gregor Jersey . -- Denny Hamlin won a race of attrition Saturday night, beating just seven other cars to the finish of the exhibition Sprint Unlimited. Only eight cars were running at the end of the 75-lap showcase at Daytona International Speedway on a bizarre night that saw Ricky Stenhouse Jr. end girlfriend Danica Patricks race and the Chevrolet pace car catch fire. "When you think youve seen it all, then you see that. Its never-ending," second-place finisher Brad Keselowski said about the pace car fire. "I thought it was race car. Someone said it was the pace car, and I couldnt help but start laughing." It was Hamlin who got the last laugh, winning the opening race of Speedweeks for the second time in his career. The victory proved that Hamlin has finally fully recovered from the fractured vertebra that cost him five races last season and caused him to struggle for months after his return. But he closed out the year with a victory -- his only win of 2013 -- in the season finale, and made that momentum last over the off-season. "The best car won, thats for sure," he said. "Were two in a row now." The third and final segment was a 20-lap sprint to the finish, and it had the second fewest number of drivers taking the checkered flag in event history. Only seven drivers finished the 1981 race. Hamlin charged to the front right before he took the white flag by diving to the inside and sailing past the few cars on the track. He then drove away in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. "That was survival of the fittest for sure," said Hamlin, also the winner as a rookie in 2006. "With three to go, we were at the tail end of a very small pack. Its really hard to get runs, but this car was phenomenal. You saw it those last couple of laps." This years race had a heavy fan involvement as sponsor Sprint allowed fans to vote for various aspects of the race. Among them was the starting order, how the segments were split and how the cars lined up in the final segment. But it was mostly for naught as half the 18-car field was knocked out six laps into the second segment when Matt Kenseth cut across the front of Joey Logano. It triggered a nine-car accident on the frontstretch -- including Stenhouses dramatic late hit into the side of Patricks car. "I got hit by my boyfriend. What a bummer," Patrick said. Stenhouse took blame for ending Patricks race. He had difficulty seeing in front of him because his hood was badly crumpled when he hit the back of Kurt Busch. "I just drilled her," Stenhouse said. "I didnt see anything from the time it started to the time it ended. Talking to Danica, I drilled her when she was pretty much sitting still. I couldnt see, couldnt turn." The accident left debris and mangled sheet metal all over the frontstretch and brought the race to a stop for just over 11 minutes. It ended the night for Tony Stewart, who was racing for the first time since he broke his right leg in an August sprint car crash, and teammates Patrick and Kurt Busch. Kevin Harvick, driving the fourth Stewart-Haas Racing entry in the field, seemed to have a Chevrolet capable of contending for the win but suffered serious damage that dropped him well off the pace. Stewart said he felt physically fine after the hard hit, which left his car turned nose-first into the wall. Jeff Gordons car was stuck behind Stewarts with its rear wheels raised by the front of Buschs car. "I was a little nervous ... but it doesnt feel bad at all," Stewart said. "I dont have any pain. Well see when the adrenaline wears off. But so far, everything feels really good. Im pretty happy with it." Kenseth, whose changing of lanes triggered the accident, said he had no idea Logano was on his inside when he moved. "Honestly, I had no idea anybody was inside of me," Kenseth said. "I feel bad all of those cars got wrecked." Suns Jerseys China .Y. -- Syracuses streak lives on -- barely. Joe Johnson Jersey . - The Mavericks built a 12-point lead with 2:50 to play, gave away all but two points of it, and still managed to hang on.Premier League sides Leicester, Liverpool and Chelsea will be among a very powerful line-up for the 2016 International Champions Cup. Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic will also be among the 10-strong field for the transatlantic event, which will serve as a tasty appetiser ahead of the 2016-17 European campaign.Some of the continents biggest clubs round out the competitors in the form of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and AC Milan. Celtic Park will play host to the tournaments opening game, and current Premier League leaders Leicester will be the visitors on July 23.Leicesters invitation is an acknowledgement of their superb campaign and they will go on to play PSG in Los Angeles on July 30 and Barcelona at the Friends Arena in Stockholm (August 3). The Aviva Stadium will host an enticing clash between Celtic and Barcelona Following the Leicester match, Celtic will play Barcelona at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (July 30) and Inter on August 13 (venue to be confirmed).Liverpool will open their campaign against Chelsea at the Rose Bowl in California on July 28 before going on to play AC Milan in Santa Clara (July 31) and Barcelona (August 6 - European venue to be confirmed).Chelseas final two matches are agaainst Real Madrid (July 30 - United States venue to be confirmed) and AC Milan (August 3 - US Bank Stadium, Minnesota). Shawn Marion Jersey. Liverpool and Chelsea will face each other at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena The participating teams and fixtures were announced at a press conference in New York on Tuesday.Leicester chief executive Susan Whelan said: An invitation to participate in the International Champions Cup highlights the significant impression the club is making on an international audience. We are delighted to be involved in this years competition.The ICC is a great opportunity to compete with some of Europes leading clubs and to further promote the club, and the city of Leicester, around the world.Charlie Stillitano, the chairman of event organisers Relevant Sports, said: This is the best roster of teams in ICC history and having them start their 2016-2017 campaign playing against each other will be a treat for both fans and the players.Games will be played in two continents but the event is officially billed as the North America edition of the International Champions Cup.Manchester City have previously announced they will play in a concurrent version of the tournament in China, with Tottenham featuring in the Australian event. ' ' '
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Gary Gregor Jersey . -- Denny Hamlin won a race of attrition Saturday night, beating just seven other cars to the finish of the exhibition Sprint Unlimited. Only eight cars were running at the end of the 75-lap showcase at Daytona International Speedway on a bizarre night that saw Ricky Stenhouse Jr. end girlfriend Danica Patricks race and the Chevrolet pace car catch fire. "When you think youve seen it all, then you see that. Its never-ending," second-place finisher Brad Keselowski said about the pace car fire. "I thought it was race car. Someone said it was the pace car, and I couldnt help but start laughing." It was Hamlin who got the last laugh, winning the opening race of Speedweeks for the second time in his career. The victory proved that Hamlin has finally fully recovered from the fractured vertebra that cost him five races last season and caused him to struggle for months after his return. But he closed out the year with a victory -- his only win of 2013 -- in the season finale, and made that momentum last over the off-season. "The best car won, thats for sure," he said. "Were two in a row now." The third and final segment was a 20-lap sprint to the finish, and it had the second fewest number of drivers taking the checkered flag in event history. Only seven drivers finished the 1981 race. Hamlin charged to the front right before he took the white flag by diving to the inside and sailing past the few cars on the track. He then drove away in his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. "That was survival of the fittest for sure," said Hamlin, also the winner as a rookie in 2006. "With three to go, we were at the tail end of a very small pack. Its really hard to get runs, but this car was phenomenal. You saw it those last couple of laps." This years race had a heavy fan involvement as sponsor Sprint allowed fans to vote for various aspects of the race. Among them was the starting order, how the segments were split and how the cars lined up in the final segment. But it was mostly for naught as half the 18-car field was knocked out six laps into the second segment when Matt Kenseth cut across the front of Joey Logano. It triggered a nine-car accident on the frontstretch -- including Stenhouses dramatic late hit into the side of Patricks car. "I got hit by my boyfriend. What a bummer," Patrick said. Stenhouse took blame for ending Patricks race. He had difficulty seeing in front of him because his hood was badly crumpled when he hit the back of Kurt Busch. "I just drilled her," Stenhouse said. "I didnt see anything from the time it started to the time it ended. Talking to Danica, I drilled her when she was pretty much sitting still. I couldnt see, couldnt turn." The accident left debris and mangled sheet metal all over the frontstretch and brought the race to a stop for just over 11 minutes. It ended the night for Tony Stewart, who was racing for the first time since he broke his right leg in an August sprint car crash, and teammates Patrick and Kurt Busch. Kevin Harvick, driving the fourth Stewart-Haas Racing entry in the field, seemed to have a Chevrolet capable of contending for the win but suffered serious damage that dropped him well off the pace. Stewart said he felt physically fine after the hard hit, which left his car turned nose-first into the wall. Jeff Gordons car was stuck behind Stewarts with its rear wheels raised by the front of Buschs car. "I was a little nervous ... but it doesnt feel bad at all," Stewart said. "I dont have any pain. Well see when the adrenaline wears off. But so far, everything feels really good. Im pretty happy with it." Kenseth, whose changing of lanes triggered the accident, said he had no idea Logano was on his inside when he moved. "Honestly, I had no idea anybody was inside of me," Kenseth said. "I feel bad all of those cars got wrecked." Suns Jerseys China .Y. -- Syracuses streak lives on -- barely. Joe Johnson Jersey . - The Mavericks built a 12-point lead with 2:50 to play, gave away all but two points of it, and still managed to hang on.Premier League sides Leicester, Liverpool and Chelsea will be among a very powerful line-up for the 2016 International Champions Cup. Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic will also be among the 10-strong field for the transatlantic event, which will serve as a tasty appetiser ahead of the 2016-17 European campaign.Some of the continents biggest clubs round out the competitors in the form of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter and AC Milan. Celtic Park will play host to the tournaments opening game, and current Premier League leaders Leicester will be the visitors on July 23.Leicesters invitation is an acknowledgement of their superb campaign and they will go on to play PSG in Los Angeles on July 30 and Barcelona at the Friends Arena in Stockholm (August 3). The Aviva Stadium will host an enticing clash between Celtic and Barcelona Following the Leicester match, Celtic will play Barcelona at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (July 30) and Inter on August 13 (venue to be confirmed).Liverpool will open their campaign against Chelsea at the Rose Bowl in California on July 28 before going on to play AC Milan in Santa Clara (July 31) and Barcelona (August 6 - European venue to be confirmed).Chelseas final two matches are agaainst Real Madrid (July 30 - United States venue to be confirmed) and AC Milan (August 3 - US Bank Stadium, Minnesota). Shawn Marion Jersey. Liverpool and Chelsea will face each other at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena The participating teams and fixtures were announced at a press conference in New York on Tuesday.Leicester chief executive Susan Whelan said: An invitation to participate in the International Champions Cup highlights the significant impression the club is making on an international audience. We are delighted to be involved in this years competition.The ICC is a great opportunity to compete with some of Europes leading clubs and to further promote the club, and the city of Leicester, around the world.Charlie Stillitano, the chairman of event organisers Relevant Sports, said: This is the best roster of teams in ICC history and having them start their 2016-2017 campaign playing against each other will be a treat for both fans and the players.Games will be played in two continents but the event is officially billed as the North America edition of the International Champions Cup.Manchester City have previously announced they will play in a concurrent version of the tournament in China, with Tottenham featuring in the Australian event. ' ' '