By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR

Published: 09:21 BST, 5 July 2026 | Updated: 10:09 BST, 5 July 2026

Andy Burnham has backed calls for football fans to be allowed to booze in the stands at matches.

The PM-in-waiting criticised the ban, which has been in place for England’s top five leagues for more than forty years in a bid to curb hooliganism.

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Mr Burnham makes great play of his fondness for football. An Everton fan, he was a member of the notorious New Labour ‘Demon Eyes’ team alongside the likes of Ed Balls and James Purnell – both now tipped to be part of his Government.

The former Greater Manchester Mayor is expected to stay up tonight to watch England take on Mexico. 

Mr Burnham said in a video ahead of the match: ‘What a golden chance to be in the pub together at 1am on a school night… make the most of it everybody, but mainly let’s hope that England do the job – come on England.’ 

In contrast, Downing Street has suggested Arsenal fan Keir Starmer‘s schedule tomorrow is too busy.    

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Legislation from 1985 means that alcohol cannot be consumed within view of the pitch at most professional men’s football matches. 

But Mr Burnham raised the prospect of that being overturned in a social media post from a rugby league match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium – also the home of Everton FC – yesterday.  

Andy Burnham raised the prospect of the football alcohol ban being overturned in a video posted from a rugby league match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium

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Mr Burnham said there was ‘something wrong’ in fans of other sports being allowed to drink while football fans were not 

Turning the camera to show Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram holding a pint of lager, Mr Burnham said: ‘I’ve only got one question though about this day today… how come these lads can do that in my seat here when we can’t do that at an Everton home game? 

‘There’s something wrong there, we need to take a look at that.’ 

Labour MP for York Outer Luke Charters – a close ally of Mr Burnham – previously called for trials on lifting the restrictions.

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He made a similar argument that spectators at other sports are free to drink, urging a ‘modern approach to a modern game’.

‘You look at fans in Germany and in Italy, they are still able to have a beer while they are cheering on their team,’ he told the Commons last year. 

However, he stressed that family zones should be kept alcohol-free.

Trials of allowing alcohol in view of the pitch have taken place in the women’s game, which is not covered by the ban.

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By ALEX DOYLE – SENIOR SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

Published: 23:11 BST, 4 July 2026 | Updated: 10:18 BST, 5 July 2026

“You always think these tragedies happen to someone else until they happen to you.”

Next week marks one year since Co Down teenager Jaidyn Rice lost her life in a road traffic accident.

Jaidyn died after being hit by a car in Bangor on the night of July 8 2025. The 16-year-old passed away at the scene on the West Circular Road in the Co Down city at about 10:55pm.

Road traffic collisions do not end at the scene. They leave behind shattered families, broken hearts, trauma, unanswered questions and communities forever changed.

For Jaidyn’s loved ones, she was not just another statistic. She was a daughter, step-daughter, sister, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend who was deeply loved.

Since then, her family have been passionately campaigning for safer roads in her memory. ‘Jaidyn’s Law’, which has received unanimous support at Stormont, aims to make drug testing compulsory following serious crashes.

Speaking to Belfast Live ahead of her daughter’s anniversary, her mum Elaine Clarke recalled the events of that fateful night last year when Jaidyn left her home to walk a friend part of the way to her home but never returned.

Elaine told us: “Jaidyn and her friend Poppy had been at the gym, and then they came back and were in my house for a couple of hours. She came down about 10:45 to say that she was walking Poppy halfway home. She left and I had started to get ready for bed. I texted her to say, ‘when you come back in, lock the door behind you’.

“About 15-20 minutes had passed and she hadn’t come back, I thought it was weird because she should be home. I checked her location and she was at Screwfix down the road but her location had stayed there. I assumed that she was standing there talking to her friend. I was ringing and ringing her and she didn’t answer. I texted her and she didn’t answer.

“I got up and was getting ready to go and find her when her friend’s mum called me to say that Poppy had left Jaidyn and headed on home. She had heard a bang and lots of sirens and wanted to let me know because she couldn’t get a hold of Jaidyn. I flew down to where her location was and there were police everywhere.”

Jaidyn’s grandmother, Judith Rice, recalled the moment she discovered what had happened: “I was in bed and I noticed a missed call from Elaine. Next thing she rang again and was hysterical down the phone and I couldn’t make her out.

“A policeman came on the phone and he just asked if I could make my way as quickly as possible, but safely to where they were. I just remember the whole way down the road, I kept praying ‘please make my family be OK, make my family be OK’.

“At first, I thought something really bad had happened to Elaine and that she was hurt. When I got down there, the police took me to where Elaine was, and that’s when I found out it was Jaidyn.”

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Like thousands across Northern Ireland, Jaidyn had been awaiting her GCSE results at the time of her death but tragically it was left for her family to open them instead when they came out a month later. The Year 12 student at Priory College was planning to continue her studies with hopes of going into the army, having been a keen member of the cadets.

Sharing memories of her daughter, Elaine said: “She was very naturally funny and witty.” Judith added: “You used to think sometimes ‘is she being serious?’ because she could keep such a straight face.”

Elaine added: “She loved her eyelashes, her fake tan, make-up and just really girly stuff. Although she was into her cadets and that kind of thing, she was very girly too. She wanted to do her A levels and then go into The Royal Irish Guards as an officer. Once she served her time, she wanted to go into the community youth work.”

Judith says her Jaidyn died, her friends discovered how much faith had played a role in her life: “Some of her friends didn’t realise that she had her Bible from her great nanny Sheila. She always would have highlighted some of the specific paragraphs in her Bible. Of course, Jaidyn had to have a pink Bible!

“I think everybody who truly got the opportunity to be privileged to know Jaidyn saw who she was from the beginning. There was no covers, there was no falseness. You very much took her as you found her. She wouldn’t have put any airs and graces on for you.

“She was such a big prankster too and we always would have turned the pranks onto her. But when you listen to her, she was so well spoken, so polite and so respectful. That will always stand out, she was just so special.

“Something that Jaidyn was good at doing was helping and supporting people. She helped people she didn’t even know. She gave an 80-year-old gentleman CPR at the side of the road. She helped people who were bullied until she got bullied because she was helping and then she took the grief for that.”

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Judith added: “At first, as a family we really struggled (after her death) but it also connected us to people we didn’t know, people we’d never met before in our life. All of a sudden, people were contacting us, they were sharing their stories and being their loved one’s voice in a way.

“All too often we’ve seen things on the news and thought you can really feel for that family but until you’re actually in it, you can’t understand the gravity of it. Never in our lives did we ever expect to be on this path.

“We were never prepared to face what we were facing and for some reason people were reaching out to us and we thought they’re coming to us for a reason. We all have one thing in common, and that was tragedy through a road traffic collision. It became apparent some people felt that their case wasn’t dealt with the same as others – like one rule for one and one rule for another.”

After meeting a number of families who have suffered similar losses and highlighting the need for change, Judith and Elaine have worked tirelessly to establish ‘Jaidyn’s Law’ and bring about a major change to the current legislation around road traffic collisions.

They have called on Stormont to consider making drug testing automatic in collisions involving death or life-changing injuries in memory of the much-loved teenager.

‘Jaidyn’s Law’ seeks to ensure that in the most serious road traffic incidents, no family is ever left questioning the effectiveness of the law. Her legacy is a call for clarity, consistency and protection for every family across Northern Ireland.

Judith explained: “Article 17 under the Road Traffic Act of Northern Ireland at the moment is seen as a grey area and it’s down to an individual police officer to decide at the time and their opinion as to whether to implement that law or not. Jaidyn Law will remove the grey area and it will take it out of one person’s personal decision.

“Behind every single road traffic collision whether it’s a victim who has survived or a family who are grieving their loved ones, their life has no value. Something has to change.”

A 30-year-old man has previously appeared in court charged with causing the death of Jaidyn by dangerous driving. Jamie McCartney also faces charges of driving without a licence or insurance.

Over the past year, Elaine and Judith have attended regular court sittings alongside other family members and Jaidyn’s close friends. But Elaine says their experience to date of the criminal justice system has offered little comfort in the midst of their grief.

“There should have been a lot of things done that weren’t done. Families are having to fight for their rights and you shouldn’t have to do that. But unless the victims or the families take the fight, you’re pushed aside and forgot about,” she added.

Next Wednesday evening, July 8, family and friends will gather one year on at the spot where Jaidyn died for a vigil, filling the roadside with pink flags carrying personal messages to ‘remember her sparkle, look to the stars, and ensure that she is never forgotten’.

One year later, despite the unimaginable heartbreak her family lives with every day, they say very little has changed.

Judith says: “Vehicles continue to speed along this road as though it is a race track. Four schools use this junction daily, and children, families and members of our community remain at risk every single day. The event is not only about remembering Jaidyn but also standing together and saying that enough is enough.

“As a family, we have tried to create a memorial that reflects who Jaidyn was and the things she loved most. This evening is about celebrating her life, honouring her memory, and ensuring that her legacy continues to make a difference.”

Bangor Protestant Boys Flute Band will leave the top of the Clandeboye Road at approximately 7:45pm and make their way to Jaidyn’s memorial site, where they will play a selection of songs in her honour. Throughout the evening there will be tributes from Jaidyn’s family, sharing memories of the beautiful person she was and the impact she continues to have on all who knew and loved her.

Every person attending will be given a small pink or white flag on which they can write a personal message, memory, prayer or tribute to Jaidyn before placing it into the ground.

Judith said: “We never imagined that we would find ourselves walking this path. You always think these tragedies happen to someone else until they happen to you. Whilst we cannot change what happened to Jaidyn, we’re determined that her death will not be in vain.”

Elaine added: “She continues to make us proud, even in death. She fought for honesty, justice and fairness. She believed in people being treated fairly and equally. She could teach a lot of adults a thing or two.”

More details of the ‘Memorial Vigil for Jaidyn Rice – One Year On’ this coming Wednesday, July 8 are available here.

Video: Justin Kernoghan

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The incident was reported at Eccles Youth Centre on Gladstone Road on the afternoon of June 20, with police officers now appealing to the public for help.

Officers have released an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with their investigation into the incident.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: “We would like to speak to this man as we believe he can help with our investigation into a suspected religiously aggravated harassment at Eccles Youth Centre on 20 June 2026 at around 2.11pm.”

The incident was reported at Eccles Youth Centre (Image: GMP)

The image they have released shows a man in glasses wearing a dark blue top and light blue trousers, with black shoes carrying a large bag.

No further details have been released about the alleged incident at Eccles Youth Centre last month at this stage, but officers have urged anyone who may know anything to come forward.

Anyone with any information can contact the police by calling 101 or via the Live Chat function on GMP’s website, quoting log 2850 of 22/06/2026.

Alternatively, members of the public can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce had camera crews following them around their spectacular wedding to film a documentary, insiders have claimed.

The superstar couple, both 36, tied the knot in front of around 1,000 family members, friends and A-list celebrities during an extravagant celebration at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

The couple are yet to release any photos or footage of their big day, whilst details from guests have been trickling through amid the NDAs and tight security surrounding the event.

But it’s thought the bride was keen to capture every moment of her dream day.   

According to sources, there will be a documentary about the wedding, with the rumours intensifying after signs reading ‘No parking’ for a ‘film shoot’ were spotted around MSG from Wednesday. 

The film will cover everything from the planning stage to the day itself, it’s claimed, with the insider adding to The Sun US that the finished film will be sent to guests as part of a ‘thank you for coming’ present package. 

In another clue, Taylor invited Disney execs Bob Iger, Dana Walden, and David Greenbaum to the wedding. The star has an existing relationship with Disney as the studio’s streaming service, Disney+, released her documentary projects The End of an Era and Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.

Another major media figure in attendance was AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron, who worked with Taylor to release her 2023 concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which took £195 million worldwide. 

Some Swifties have speculated though that pop superstar Taylor was more likely to have captured footage for a future music video, rather than reveal all in a documentary. 

On Reddit one top comment pointed out: ‘Taylor has used family photos and clips over the years so may have put up the notice so that she could choose to use photos or video clips down the line if she wants to.’

‘Maybe a short clip makes it into a YouTube short or maybe one day she writes a song about this time in her life and she wants to include footage from the wedding.’

AMC boss Aron was among the first to spill some details about the wedding. Just hours after the lavish festivities wrapped, he shared an unusually detailed account of the ceremony in a since-deleted post on X. 

According to Aron, the couple exchanged vows that were ‘long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing.’

‘Then the vows. Long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing explorations by each as to how they met, why they want to be with each other for all eternity, the promises they made in joining their much-beloved two whole families (Kelce’s and Swift’s) as one, and committing to their new mutual life together,’ he wrote.

The superstar couple tied the knot in front of around 1,000 family members, friends and A-list celebrities during an extravagant celebration at Madison Square Garden on Friday 

AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron, who worked with Taylor to release her 2023 concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, was a guest

Aron said the ceremony took place inside a transformed Madison Square Garden that ‘did not look like Madison Square Garden,’ with the venue draped in ‘peach and white’ and decorated with oversized photos of the bride and groom from childhood through their teenage years.

According to Aron, Kelce looked ‘handsome’ in a white tuxedo while Swift stunned in a white wedding gown with a long veiled train before an officiant who was ‘warm and welcoming, funny and eloquent’ led the ceremony.

After the couple sealed their marriage with what Aron described as a ‘sweep you off your feet kiss,’ guests moved into an elaborate ‘Secret Garden’-themed reception featuring five-story illuminated trees, an A-list crowd, lavish food and drink and plenty of music.

He ended his post by calling the ceremony ‘real, pure, true joy’ and declaring that, in a world filled with conflict and division, the couple’s wedding proved ‘that love conquers all.’

Aron wasn’t the only guest to let slip some wedding details in the hours after the event.

The morning after the lavish bash, country star Maren Morris gave fans a peek inside the festivities by sharing a series of glamorous Instagram snaps from the wedding, including one unexpected keepsake.

Tucked at the end of the carousel was a custom handkerchief gifted to guests as a wedding favor – and Swifties were quick to spot a subtle nod to the singer’s music.

The personalized memento featured the couple’s bespoke wedding logo, made up of two intertwined Ts framed by hearts, alongside the wedding date, July 3, 2026, and the location, New York City.

The morning after the lavish bash, country star Maren Morris gave fans a peek inside the festivities by sharing a series of glamorous Instagram snaps from the wedding, including one unexpected keepsake

But the sweetest touch was embroidered in one corner: the opening lyric from Swift’s 2014 hit Blank Space – ‘So it’s gonna be forever…’

Morris even nodded to the newlyweds in her caption, borrowing a famous line from Swift’s 2008 hit Love Story as she wrote: ‘Baby just say yes.’

But the custom handkerchief wasn’t the only lavish keepsake guests received during the wedding weekend.

Those invited to Thursday night’s intimate rehearsal dinner – attended by around 100 of the couple’s closest family members and friends – also left with an extravagant gift.

Guests were spotted carrying mysterious velvet boxes embossed with the couple’s intertwined ‘TT’ monogram wrapped in two hearts – the same logo featured on the handkerchief.

Inside, according to Page Six, was a champagne flute adorned with real diamonds.

The outlet also reported that each box included a frayed fabric card printed with what appeared to be the garden from Swift and Kelce’s now-famous engagement photos.

Thirty years since it’s founding, The Ulster Baseball and Softball Club now has two baseball teams and a softball team

Thirty years after a group of American immigrants introduced baseball to Belfast, the city’s only baseball club is celebrating a milestone anniversary while looking firmly to the future.

The Ulster Baseball and Softball Club has grown from its roots as a home away from home for homesick players into a diverse organisation bringing together people from across the world through America’s national pastime.

Today, the club fields the North Stars in Division One of Baseball Ireland, the Buccaneers development team in Division Two and the Belfast Angels softball side in Softball Ulster’s Division B. Players regularly travel across Ireland for fixtures, with away trips taking them to places including Dublin, Bray, Ashbourne and Portmarnock as they compete against clubs from across the island.

The anniversary falls during a year of transition for the club, as the North Stars adapt to life in the top flight after promotion. General manager Mark Lorimer says the ambition is not only to establish the senior side but to continue developing new players and ensure baseball continues to grow in Northern Ireland.

“So the North Stars themselves this year were 30 years old, and between the teams within the club, obviously, we have the North Stars playing in Division One in Baseball Ireland. We have our development squad with the Buccaneers,” he said.

“It’s made up of a mixture of experience plus new people to the sport. I played for the Buccaneers myself. They play in Division 2, which is the old B-League in Baseball Ireland.

“And then we have the Belfast Angels, and they currently play in Division B within Softball Ulster.”

The club’s fixtures see players travelling the length of Ireland throughout the season, although arrangements are sometimes made to ease the burden of the longest journeys. While Cork has teams competing in the leagues, both clubs meet in Dublin rather than making the full cross-country trip.

Mark added: “In the leagues themselves between the two divisions, there are 14 teams. Some clubs still have multiple teams within a club, but we’d be travelling on the baseball side of things.

“We’d be travelling as far as Dublin, Bray, Ashbourne, and Portmarnock. We used to travel to Clones, but that team sadly folded.

“But we do have teams as far down as Cork, but the arrangement between us and Cork, obviously, with the logistics, they meet us in Dublin. We travel to Dublin, and the two teams play off in one of the fields down there.”

For Ballymena man Mark, baseball has been part of his life since a cross-community trip to the United States as a teenager. A visit to see the Boston Red Sox left a lasting impression, but it was only after the coronavirus > Covid pandemic that he discovered Belfast had its own baseball club and decided to give it a try.

“I first fell in love with baseball back in 1994. I was 15. I was part of a cross-community group of Protestant and Catholic kids who were taken to America as part of a YMCA trip.

“My first taste of American sports was actually basketball. I’m not the stature for that. So I’ve seen the Boston Celtics play live, and then I’ve seen the Red Sox, but the whole American version of sports was a lot different to what we experienced, playing football and rugby.

“There seems to be a full day out, whereas our games traditionally last about 90 minutes or 80 minutes. I don’t mean it’s over then. There’s a wee bit of a party before and after, but in the American side of things, it’s a whole day out for a family, it’s a family affair.”

That sense of community is something he believes has become one of the club’s greatest strengths. While the sport may have been established by American and Canadian expats missing home, today’s membership reflects a much broader mix of backgrounds and nationalities.

Mark said: “when I first got involved with this club, I didn’t know anybody. It was just after COVID, and I thought I’d reach out and try something new.

“I’d just passed 40 years of age. I’m now 47. I’ve seen the North Stars on Facebook. I couldn’t believe they actually had baseball in Ireland, never mind Belfast.

“I reached out to the club. I was asked to come down to one of the training sessions, but I actually fell in love with the people first. But to get to play the sport that you actually have an understanding and love for is fantastic.”

He added: “The club and the sport itself was set up with a lot of expats living in Northern Ireland, just maybe a bit homesick, wanted to emulate some of that sport over here. That was 30 years ago.

“We have a lot of North Americans between the USA and Canada. We have a lot of Venezuelans, expats as well.

“We have English, we have Welsh, we’ve got Scots, we’ve got Irish ourselves, north and south. So there are people from everywhere that have really just jumped on board with what is America’s pastime, really.”

The club has also enjoyed success on the field in recent years. The North Stars earned promotion after back-to-back league pennants, while the Angels and the club’s youth teams have also collected silverware.

Mark continued: “We have been quite successful in both sports. The North Stars, when we were back in Division B for the last three years, we’ve continually made the playoffs, on the final games and went to the final third game.

“We just couldn’t get over that hurdle, but we were successful enough when Aodhán [Hamill] was captain, where we won the pennant, which is basically winning the league before you got to the playoff stage. We won that back-to-back for two seasons.

“On the softball side of it, we’ve been quite successful as well. The Angels won the B-League back in 2023, and our Little League team, the Badgers, won the All-Ireland, where they went 10 games undefeated and took the title.”

Looking ahead, the focus is on consolidating the North Stars’ place in Division One while continuing to grow participation across all levels of the club. Training takes place every Tuesday and Thursday evening at Hydebank Playing Fields, with new players encouraged to get involved regardless of previous experience.

Mark said: “This year’s basically a transition for us. We’re wanting to basically establish the North Stars back in Division One in Baseball Ireland. It’s a hard learning curve. It’s the level above.

“That gives our Buccaneers the space to develop a wee bit further. Where we were maybe one of the bigger fish in a smaller pond, now we’ve moved up. It’s now over to them to try and grow the sport at the next level down.

“So we train here every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30 till finish. You could reach out to us through the various social media apps, Instagram, Facebook, and when people see us down here, we’re more than approachable.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

England‘s bid to end 60 years of hurt on the global stage continues after beating DR Congo in their first World Cup knockout-stage clash.

The Three Lions topped Group L but had to really battle to progress, falling behind early and toiling for some time until captain Harry Kane struck twice.

Co-hosts Mexico now await them in the high-altitude cauldron of the Estadio Azteca for a blockbuster last-16 tie. Mexico impressed in a dominant 2-0 win against fellow dark horses Ecuador on Tuesday night and will be relish the chance to down one of the tournament’s biggest hitters.

If they overcome that serious test of resolve, Brazil would likely be their quarter-final opponent going off Fifa ranking – though the Selecao must put a stop to Erling Haaland’s free-scoring Norway to progress to the last-eight.

England would then expect to face Argentina, following a flawless group-stage campaign inspired by Lionel Messi, in the semi-finals – if all goes as predicted.

Argentina face World Cup surprise package Cape Verde in the round of 32, though the tiny African island country would need to pull off their biggest shock yet to eliminate the holders. Egypt or Australia await in the last-16 before crossing paths with one of Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia or Ghana in the quarters.

If England can get all the way, they’d share the final with top-ranked Spain – though La Roja will also have to produce some statement results to get there. They face Austria in the round of 32 but will likely come up against Portugal in the last-16, before potentially meeting hosts USA in the quarter-finals. Then in the semi-finals, a mammoth tie against France is expected to take place, which many think could prove the unofficial final of the two best teams on the planet.

England’s possible route to World Cup final:

Group fixtures

17 June: England 4-2 Croatia | AT&T Stadium, Arlington

23 June: England 0-0 Ghana | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough

27 June: England 2-0 Panama | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Round of 32

1 July: England 2-1 DR Congo | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Round of 16

5 July: England vs Mexico | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Quarter-final

11 July: England vs Brazil / Norway | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Semi-final

15 July: England vs Argentina / Egypt / Switzerland / Colombia or Ghana | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Final

19 July: England vs Spain / Portugal / USA / Belgium / Canada / Morocco / Paraguay / France | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — It has been seven years since NASCAR last raced at Chicagoland Speedway. Seven years of Midwest heat, rain and snow covering the aging asphalt at the 1.5-mile track. That last weekend also was before NASCAR moved into its Next Gen cars.

The Cup Series returns to Chicagoland on Sunday, and what was old is new again.

“It is definitely like learning a new racetrack,” Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe said.

NASCAR ran 19 Cup races on the D-shaped oval in Joliet — about 50 miles southwest of downtown Chicago — from 2001 to 2019. It tried to build interest in the event in a crowded market, even making Chicagoland the opening race of the 2011 playoffs. But the race struggled with attendance before NASCAR pulled out.

NASCAR raced on a street course in downtown Chicago on the first weekend in July each of the previous three years. The future of that concept is in question; it could return in 2027 on a different weekend.

In the meantime, Chicagoland Speedway is back.

“I would say from a character standpoint, this is the closest thing we have to Homestead or maybe Darlington,” Richard Childress Racing driver Austin Dillon said. “But mile-and-a-half wise, this thing has a lot of character, so I love it and I think it’s going to put on a great show for TV.”

Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson participated in two days of tire testing at the facility in April. But the drivers largely stayed in one line lower on the track. As rubber accumulates on the asphalt this weekend, Hamlin and company could begin to explore the higher lines.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that a test racetrack and a race weekend track are two vastly different things,” said Hamlin, who has the pole position for Sunday’s race. “So, lots of unknowns.”

The biggest unknown is the Next Gen car, which debuted in 2022. Chicagoland Speedway is rough and bumpy, and the Next Gen cars do not like rough and bumpy.

But Brad Keselowski thinks that might be a good thing.

“It should be interesting to see the car-versus-track combination,” Keselowski said, “because the fact that the car hates the track could actually be really good for the racing, as it opens up different grooves and makes you do different things to try to accommodate that as a driver or as a team with the car setup.”

Special paint scheme for Bubba Wallace’s car

Bubba Wallace is driving a “Space Jam”-themed car in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Looney Tunes movie. Wallace also attended an event at Navy Pier paying tribute to the movie in the runup to the race.

Wallace drives the No. 23 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by Michael Jordan, one of the stars of the 1996 movie.

“I just remember watching that like on repeat and so to have that connection and be representing the Looney Tunes, Warner Brothers, ‘Space Jam,’” Wallace said, “you know just everything that that movie provided as a kid, to be reliving that is super cool. So appreciate all the parties involved. It was a great event at Navy Pier. Had a great turnout, met a lot of new fans.”

Christopher Bell is on the mend after his wrist injury

Christopher Bell is wearing a splint instead of a cast as he continues his recovery after breaking his left wrist in a crash at Michigan on June 7. The 31-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished fifth last weekend at Sonoma.

“I think it’s pretty much on schedule,” Bell said. “The goal was to be out of the cast for Chicago, and I don’t have a cast on my arm anymore, so that’s really good. … I can wear a normal firesuit, which is nice, and I can wear close to my normal glove, which is nicer, but my mobility of my wrist is still the same as it would be in a cast.”

No. 100 for Carson Hocevar

Carson Hocevar is making his 100th career Cup Series start. He made his Cup debut in 2023 and got his first win at Talladega on April 26.

“I mean, you just kind of blink and you’re at 100, right?” he said. “And you know I’m going to blink twice and be at 200. … I’m just glad I have a win in the win column before a hundred.”

Alex Bowman looking to turn around his season at Chicagoland

The last time NASCAR raced at Chicagoland Speedway, Alex Bowman held off Kyle Larson for his first career Cup Series win in 2019. He also picked up a victory on the street course in downtown Chicago in 2024.

Bowman has struggled so far this season, but he is one of just 14 drivers to win on a 1.5-mile track in the Next Gen era.

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

Wales travel to Argentina full of confidence after claiming a 39-24 victory over Fiji.

Steve Tandy’s side survived an early onslaught by the Pacific Islanders to get their Nations Championship campaign off to a winning start.

They now head to South America before a daunting trip to face the world champions.

Here are your winners and losers.

Jac Morgan

The outstanding openside produced a performance of relentless industry and intelligence, underlining his importance to Wales with a display that fully justified his player-of-the-match award.

Morgan finished as the game’s leading tackler with 17, while his influence at the breakdown repeatedly disrupted Fiji’s attacking rhythm.

His work over the ball slowed the visitors’ ruck speed at crucial moments, and he also demonstrated his eye for the try-line by crossing twice in a complete all-round performance.

There was an added significance to the occasion. Remarkably, this was Morgan’s first Test victory since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, making his display all the more timely as Wales seek to build momentum.

He will be a key player for Wales over the coming weeks.

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Steve Tandy

The 46-year-old inherited arguably the most demanding job in international rugby, taking charge of a Wales side whose confidence and standing had been badly eroded during the latter stages of Warren Gatland’s second spell in charge.

The early months have been predictably difficult, but there are now tangible signs of progress.

Wales remain some distance from the world’s leading nations, yet their trajectory is finally beginning to point in the right direction.

Not so long ago, they might have buckled under the sustained pressure of Fiji’s second-half assault.

Instead, they showed a resilience and composure that have too often been absent in recent seasons, finding a way to withstand the onslaught and close out the victory.

Tandy appears to have settled on a game plan that suits the players at his disposal.

The return of only two Test wins since his appointment underlines the scale of the rebuilding job, but results alone do not tell the full story.

But the structure is becoming clearer, the performances more cohesive and, for the first time in some while, Wales have genuine reason to believe they are moving in the right direction.

For that, Tandy deserves considerable credit.

Adam Beard

The 30-year-old was a favourite of Gatland’s but lost his place in Wales’ starting XV after a poor performance against France during the Six Nations.

That must have been a bitter pill to swallow but Dafydd Jenkins’ injury has catapulted Beard back into the starting XV.

He was excellent at Cardiff City Stadium and played a central role in Wales’ victory.

Beard was outstanding in the tight with the Montpellier lock highly influential at the lineout and the maul – two areas where Wales achieved dominance.

The former Ospreys second-row also made 13 tackles and won two turnovers.

Given the scale of the challenges that await against Argentina and the world champion Springboks, Beard’s importance will only grow.

Wales will need his authority at the line-out, his physicality and his experience if they are to match two of the most formidable packs in world rugby.

The Wales scrum

Wales took Fiji to the cleaners at scrum time.

Rhys Carré is better known for his ability around the park but he made mincemeat of the Fiji scrum.

Dillon Lewis is another player who wins more plaudits for his work around the park but he scrummaged very well.

Both replacement props Nicky Smith and Ben Warren also went well in this area, while credit must also go to both hookers Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias.

Wales will face a much sterner challenge over the next couple of weekends but this was promising.

Aaron Wainwright

Wainwright’s development over the past 12 months has elevated him into the upper echelon of international No 8s, and this was another compelling demonstration of his all-round quality.

The Leicester Tigers forward was consistently effective with ball in hand, repeatedly generating valuable post-contact metres, while his physicality and relentless work-rate ensured he remained an influential presence throughout.

Had the British & Irish Lions been touring this summer, Wainwright would have been difficult to overlook.

On current form, he would have been on that plane.

Losers

The crowd

The fixture may have been promoted as a home game for Fiji, but staging it in the Welsh capital inevitably invited scrutiny of the attendance.

A crowd of just 16,456 in a stadium capable of holding 33,280 represented a disappointing turnout for the inaugural match of a new tournament.

While Fiji oversaw the promotion, the sparse attendance also reflected the broader malaise that has settled over Welsh rugby after several difficult years.

There are signs that Tandy is beginning to steer Wales in a more encouraging direction and sustained improvement on the field should, in time, rekindle interest.

But the empty seats served as a reminder of the scale of the challenge facing the game in Wales.

WRU

It would be refreshing if Welsh rugby could enjoy a week in which the focus remained solely on events on the field.

Instead, the build-up to this fixture was overshadowed by yet another public dispute between the Welsh Rugby Union and the players, this time over match fees.

Although an agreement was eventually reached, the fact the issue remained unresolved until the week of a Test match reflected poorly on all concerned.

The matter was settled in time for Wales to produce an encouraging result, but these distractions have become an all-too-familiar backdrop to the national side.

If Welsh rugby is to rebuild its standing, such disputes need to be resolved long before they threaten to dominate the agenda.

Louis Rees-Zammit

He ended up on the winning side but it must have been a frustrating afternoon for the Wales wing.

The ball hardly came Rees-Zammit’s way and Wales were unable to get the Bristol Bears flyer into the game.

He also had a difficult afternoon up against the sensational Salesi Rayasi and Jiuta Wainiqolo.

But class is permanent and Rees-Zammit will bounce back this summer.