(Charlotte--NC)  Chase Elliot won the Alsco Uniforms 500 last night in Charlotte. 

Nascar now goes to Bristol Tennessee. No race tomorrow, but the Food City 500 from Bristol has a 1-30 Broadcast start on Sunday, here on WPXN.  The Xfinity race, the Cheddars 300  , is scheduled for Monday starting at 5-30 on WPXN.

(New York-cf)-- Electronic Arts, the NFL, and the NFLPA have agreed to a deal to keep the Madden Franchise until the 2026 season. The contract between EA and the NFL was set to expire in 2021. Both sides reaching an agreement on the contract means that the Madden franchise will be the exclusive game of the NFL. 

(Boston-cf)-- The postponed Boston Marathon has officially been canceled for the first time in the event’s history. The cancelation ends a 124 year streak for the marathon, and will be replaced by a virtual event for each participant that verifies they ran the distance, will receive a finishers medal. 

(New York-cf)-- Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goddell thinks that NFL coaches could return to facilities next week. Ticket offices, retail shops, and others can reopen that comply with local health guidelines. 

(Urbana-cf)-- Outside of the depth in the quarterback room for the Fighting Illini, the running back room has the most upside. Offensive Coordinator Rod Smith describes the loss of Reggie Corbin and Dre Brown, but describes the upside with Mike Epstien and Ra'von Bonner… 

Fighting Illini Offensive Coordinator Rod Smith. 

(Buckley-cf)-- Three teams will sit out of the 2020 Eastern Illinois Baseball League this season, Game 7, El Paso, and Gifford-Flatville. That leaves the Paxton Swedes, Buckley Dutchmasters, and Royal Giants. EI League secretary Trent Eshleman gives a little insight to what play could look like this season… 

 Eshleman thinks that the league could be under way around the July 4th holiday… 

EI Baseball League Secretary Trent Eshleman. Be sure to follow @1049wpxn on Twitter for the latest information on EI Baseball. 

Sunday on WPXN its the Food City 500 Cup series race from Bristol with  a 1-30 Broadcast start  The the Cheddars 300 Xfinity race , is scheduled for Monday starting at 5-30 on WPXN.

NASCAR

Persistent rain associated with Tropical Depression Bertha postponed the Alsco Uniforms 500 NASCAR race until tonight. The postponement also forced NASCAR officials to move the next NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway from Saturday to Monday. 

Tonight on WPXN it’s NASCAR Cup Series racing with the Alsco Uniforms 500 from Charlotte with a 6pm broadcast start.

NHL

The NHL will abandon the rest of the regular season and go straight into the playoffs with 24 teams instead of 16 if it is able to resume play, according to commissioner Gary Bettman. While the players and the NHL have agreed on a format, the NHL Players' Association has not formally approved any actual return to finish the season. The league and the NHLPA also must still figure out health and safety protocols and solve other issues, including where to play.

Tonight on WPXN its NASCAR Cup Series racing with the Alsco Uniforms 500 from Charlotte with a 6pm broadcast start.

Turner Sports said the Sunday telecast of “The Match: Champions for Charity" attracted an average of 5.8 million viewers across four of its networks. Turner says it was the most-watched golf telecast in cable TV history. Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning won with a 1 stroke victory over Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady. The match raised $20 million for COVID-19 relief funds.

CONCORD, N.C. -- Kyle Busch normally celebrates his victories by climbing on top of his race car and bowing to the crowd.But with no fans in attendance at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday night due to the coronavirus pandemic, Busch passed on the tradition after driving past Austin Cindric on the final lap of overtime to claim his 97th career Xfinity Series win.

Tonight on WPXN its NASCAR Live. Get the latest news in NASCAR from 6-7.

The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday voted to allow athletes in football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball to resume voluntary on-campus workouts, beginning June 1. The move lifts a prohibition that has been in place since March, when the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a variety of actions shuttering college sports, including the cancellation of the NCAA basketball tournaments. The status of voluntary on-campus activities in other sports will be determined through email votes that will be taken over the remainder of this week.

Sunday on WPXN its the Coca Cola 600 from Charlotte Motor Speedway. The longest race of the year begins at 4pm on Sunday.

 (Undated-jm) -- The future of the Sangamon Valley Conference is up in the air after 3 more schools voted to leave the conference following the next school year. Watseka High School Athletic Director Barry Bauer announced this morning Watseka, Iroquois West and Cissna Park will leave the Sangamon Valley Conference after the 2020-2021 school year. They will join the Vermilion Valley Conference in 2021. Paxton Buckley Loda voted earlier this year to leave the Sangamon Valley Conference for the Illini Prairie Conference.

(Darlington--)   After a rain delay…NASCAR got back on track at Darlington and with the threat of more rain in the area…drivers turned up the pressure. MRN had all the drama…

Denny Hamlin scores his second win of the season at Darlington. Next up for Nascar is a Xfinity race this morning at 11. Its the Toyota 200 from Darlington. The Coca Cola 600 from the Performance Racing Network is set for Sunday afternoon at 4-30.   

(WPXN-cf)-- The University of Illinois Men’s Basketball program missed on an opportunity to add more depth at the wing position. Chaundee Brown, a Wake Forest Transfer, committed to the Michigan Wolverines yesterday afternoon.  

(Urbana-cf)-- Fighting Illini Football Head Coach Lovie Smith hired a new Director of High School Operations Tuesday Afternoon. Ashton Washington will be the first female on Lovie Smith’s staff. Washington was previously employed by the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks as a business and game day specialist. The Houston Texas native has a strong reputation in the state with high school players, coaches, and parents. 

(Chicago-cf)-- “The Last Dance” Documentary on Micheal Jordan and the 90’s Chicago Bulls captivated sports fans for the last 5 weeks. Horace Grant, former Chicago Bull big man was interviewed by ESPN 1000 in Chicago and stated “Lie, Lie, Lie.. If MJ had a grudge with me, let’s settle this like men.” After it was revealed in the show that Grant leaked information to Sam Smith, author of the “Jordan Rules” revealing a dark light on the basketball superstar. 

(Darlington-cf)-- Kevin Harvick took home the checkered flag this past Sunday, and looks to do it again tonight at Darlington. Harvick thinks that the extended break due to COVID-19 helped him stay fresh, and get into better shape for the season… 

Nascar Driver Kevin Harvick. Nascar has pushed race time up 90 minutes to 4pm due to the Tropical Storm Aurthur that is threatening the Carolinas. 

(Undated--jc)  Due to weather concerns, Nascar has moved up today’s broadcast from Darlington. Our coverage of the Toyota 500 on WPXN begins at 4 this afternoon with the race to start around 5.

The Xfinity race was also postponed last night. The Toyota 200 will air on WPXN at 11 am on Thursday.  More racing from Nascar is set for Sunday afternoon with the Coca Cola 600 at 4-30 on Sunday. 

(New York-cf)-- Wearing a mask or a facial covering has become the new normal with the COVID-19 pandemic. NFL engineers, and other sports equipment manufacturers are working to develop a mask with N95 material that may be a “recommendation for players to wear” when the NFL kicks off in September. The mask is being designed to cover the entire facemask of a player's helmet much like the visors currently worn on many NFL players today. 

(Chicago-cf)-- The NBA Draft lottery originally scheduled to take place tonight in Chicago has been  postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Other than the cancellation of the event, it will likely look the same when it does return. The Draft Lottery determines the order the teams will make their draft selections. 

(Urbana-cf)-- University of Illinois Fighting Illini Offensive Coordinator Rod Smith knows that his offense needs to work on pass protection whether that's the quarterback holding on the ball, or the line not holding the pocket… 

Smith thinks pass protection will improve entering this season, with a veteran offensive line… 

Fighting Illini Offensive Coordinator Rod Smith. 

Tonight on WPXN its Xfinity racing from Darlington with a 6:30pm start time.

NASCAR returned to action on Sunday afternoon at the Darlington Raceway in the Real Heroes 400!   The Motor Racing Network had flag to flag coverage of all the excitement.

 The win was Kevin Harvick’s 50th in the NASCAR Cup Series.   He’ll have a chance to make it 51 this Wednesday as NASCAR returns to Darlington.   MRN will have coverage starting at 5:30pm. Hear the race live on WPXN. WPXN will also carry Tuesdays Xfinity race from Darlington. Race time Tuesday night is 6-30.

Tonight on WPXN its Fast Talk. Get the latest news in NASCAR from 6-7.

(Urbana-cf)-- Illinois is back at it on the transfer market adding former Louisville Defensive Back TreSean Smith to the roster. Smith, a grad transfer adds more experience in the defensive backfield allowing Head Coach Lovie Smith to run a three safety set. Illinois also received a commitment from 3- star Florida Linebacker Trevor Moffitt yesterday afternoon. 

(Chicago-cf)-- The USA Today released Win/Loss predictions today for each team for the upcoming NFL season. The Chicago Bears were predicted to finish 3-13 on the year. The Bears have the 6th easiest schedule of all 30 teams in the NFL. 

(Tennessee-cf)-- Ryan Newman was involved in that very ugly crash at Daytona to start the Nascar season this year that sent him to the hospital for some time. Newman told ESPN yesterday “he feels like walking is a miracle” after he was able to walk out of the hospital with his children days later. He will be watching the race at Darlington this weekend with his family at home. 

(Darlington-cf)-- NASCAR goes green this weekend at Darlington after more than 90 days off. Nascar Driver Matt Kenseth has had success in the past at Darlington, and he hopes the film from last year will translate to this year… 

Nascar Driver Matt Kenseth 

Saturday morning we will have our Live Action Auction, bid buy and save starting at 8 am on WPXN. 

Sunday we have the return of live sports as NASCAR will go green in Darlington. The Race has a 1:30 start time on WPXN. 

(Indianapolis-cf)-- The NCAA has extended the deadline indefinitely for players to withdraw from the NBA draft. Until last night, the deadline for any athlete entering the 2020 NBA draft to withdraw was June 3rd. The COVID-19 Pandemic has changed that deadline for at least this season. David Gavitt the NCAA Senior Vice President stated: “with the health and well-being of our student-athletes in mind, along with their ability to make the most informed decisions during this uncertain time.” 

(New York-cf)-- Joe Buck of Fox Sports, known famously for Thursday Night Football, and the World Series, said yesterday that FOX is planning on pumping in crowd noise for this year’s broadcasts if there aren’t fans allowed in NFL stadiums. Buck stated “It’s pretty much a done deal. I think whoever is going to be at that control is going to have to be really good at their job and be realistic with how a crowd would react depending on what just happened on the field.” 

(New York-cf)-- Ever pay attention to the game ball during NBA games? It’s about to change. The NBA’s contract with Spalding who has been the official game ball since 1983 is set to expire at the end of this season. Wilson will now be the game ball for all NBA games and events. The ball will consist of the same leather and other materials as the Spaulding balls for the NBA and NBAPA. 

(BLOOMINGTON-dg)-The IHSA is embarking on a three day social media campaign from May 14-16 to celebrate the end of the 2019-2020 school year amidst the significant impact COVID-19 has placed on Illinois High School Association teams and students. America’s Original March Madness came to a sudden conclusion this year, as the 2020 IHSA Boys Basketball State Finals were unable to be played, and the spring sports eventually suffered the same fate. The IHSA encourages all high school teams, coaches, parents, fans, and athletes to post pictures and share memories from their high school sports experiences on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

(CHAMPAIGN-dg) The University of Illinois announced its 2019-20 Freshmen of the year. Mia Takekawa (gymnastics) and Kofi Cockburn (basketball) have been named winners of the annual award, presented to the top male and female freshman competing for the Fighting Illini.

(CHAMPAIGN-dg)- Seven University of Illinois Athletic programs earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards, the NCAA announced Tuesday. The teams were Men’s Golf, Women’s Cross Country, Women’s Golf, Women’s Gymnastics, Women’s Tennis, Women’s Soccer, and Baseball.

(NFL-cf)-- There’s just over 100 days until the NFL season will kick off, and Patrick Mahomes opens up the preseason favorite to win this year’s NFL MVP at 4 to 1. If Mahomes were to win, this would be the second MVP in just three seasons. 

(Urbana-cf)-- The University of Illinois Fighting Illini Football Coaching Staff have not stopped on the recruiting trail amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lovie Smith and company are adding much-needed depth to the defensive line with a commit from Defensive End Ryheem Craig(RA-HEEM).  Craig is a 3 star North Carolina native for the class of 2021. 

(Paxton-cf)-- The 2020 SVC All-Academic Teams have been released. The athletes to win the honor for PBL this season are-- Emily Adwell, Mackenzie Bruns, Savanna Davis, Jolee Hastings, Braden Muchmore, Morgan Schroder, Anna Wolken, Danielle Allen, Dalton Busboom, Carson Dudley, Kirsten Jensen, Curtis Phillips, Gracie Smith, Gunner Belt, Benjamin Busby, Sindralynn Gerdes, Kirra Lantz, Abbie Schmidt, Trey VanWinkle, Autumn Bruens, Luke Cowan, Tate Graham, Amanda Muhl, Drake Schrodt, and Cody Winter. For the full list of each SVC school visit svcillinois.com.

Tonight on WPXN its NASCAR Live. Get the latest news in NASCAR from 6-7.

Major League Baseball appears to have successfully handled the first wave of the new coronavirus. Just 0.7% of MLB employees tested positive for antibodies to COVID-19. Results were based on about 5,600 completed records from employees of 26 clubs. Samples were obtained on April 14 and 15. The start of the baseball season has been delayed because of the virus outbreak. There is no timetable for when the season might begin.

Tonight on WPXN its’ Fast Talk. Get the latest news in NASCAR from 6-7.

UNDATED (AP) — It is less than four months before the scheduled kickoff of the college football season. Not one of the 14 schools in the Big Ten Conference can say for sure they will have students back on campus this fall. That is a crucial step for sports. The most resolute about having students back has been Purdue President Mitch Daniels. He says he expects students will be back on campus “in typical numbers.” No other school has gone even that far. 

The televised match involving Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and two of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks is raising $10 million for COVID-19 relief. Turner Sports is producing the May 24 event that will be simulcast on its networks, including TNT and TBS. Woods and Peyton Manning will take on Mickelson and Tom Brady at Medalist Golf Club.

Sunday on WPXN NASCAR will be rebroadcasting the 2014 STP 500 from Martinsville Speedway. You can catch the action from noon til 3pm.

The NBA says some players can voluntarily work out at their team practice facilities starting on Friday, with some very specific conditions and only in places where local and state governments have signed off on such openings. But it’s unclear how many — if any — players will be back on the floor when the league ban gets lifted. 

The NFL has set protocols for reopening team facilities and has told the 32 teams to have them in place by May 15. The first phase to deal with the coronavirus pandemic would involve a limited number of non-player personnel. That number initially would be 50% of the non-player employees and up to a total of 75 on any single day being approved to be at the facility. But state or local regulations could require a lower number.

All but one of the 14 schools in the Southeastern Conference have indicated they plan to reopen their campuses for the fall semester, a step widely believed to be needed to resume football and other sports. Vanderbilt is the only school that hasn’t announced its plans for the fall.

Sunday on WPXN NASCAR will have a rebroadcast of the 2014 STP 500 from Martinsville Speedway. Race will run from noon til 3pm.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With live sports mostly postponed by the coronavirus, The ESPYS will shift focus from honoring athletic accomplishments to celebrating acts of heroism and humanitarian aid during the pandemic. ESPN said Tuesday its annual awards show will air June 21, about a month earlier than its usual July date. Details of the two-hour show are still being worked out, but it will be produced rather than air live, the cable network said.

The Chicago Bears have signed wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. to a one-year contract. A 13-year veteran who has played in Super Bowls with San Francisco and Carolina, Ginn caught 30 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns with New Orleans last season.

Tonight on WPXN is Nascar Live from 6pm to 7pm

Nascar racing is set to re-start on Sunday May 17th. 

Then its a special Illini Spring Football program with Illini Football Coach Lovie Smith. The Illini Spring Football program starts at 7 tonight on WPXN.

(Chicago-cf)-- The Chicago Bears declined QB Mitchell Trubisky’s 5th-year option on Saturday afternoon. Trubisky was the second overall pick in the 2017 draft. Chicago Bears GM Ryan Pace openly stated “there will be a quarterback competition” earlier this year after signing Nick Foles. 

(Urbana-cf)-- Fighting Illini Head Coach Lovie Smith and Staff landed another recruit for the 2021 class. Prince Green, a 6-2 190 pound Defensive Back From Georgia Committed to Illinois last night on Twitter.

Tonight on WPXN Fast Talk. The Latest News of Nascar from 6pm to 7pm

(Williamsport-cf)-- The Little League World Series is the latest to cancel its tournament due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the league released on Thursday afternoon. This is the first time the event has been canceled since its inception in 1947. 

(Urbana-cf)-- The University of Illinois added more help on the offensive line yesterday, getting a commitment from Mississippi State transfer Brevyn(BREV-IN) Jones. Jones a redshirt Freshman is a 6’4” 290-pound offensive tackle with four years of eligibility remaining. 

(Darlington-cf)-- NASCAR will go back under green May 17th. This will start a very packed schedule of races with 7 being completed in 11 days. 4 of those races run at Darlington will be Cup Series races. The races will also be broadcast on WPXN. 

(New York-cf)-- Will there be football on Saturdays this fall? With the uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools could remain online only for the upcoming fall semester. The NFL, however, is looking into changing up the schedule this year to include Saturday games while there would be no college football. 

(WPXN-cf)-- On this day in sports history, May 1st, 1883, the first National League baseball game was played in Philadelphia. The Providence Greys beat the Philadelphia Quakers 4-3. 

Sunday on WPXN is Nascar Vintage Racing. Its the 2016 Triple A 400 from Dover. Do you remember who wins the race? The race has a noon start time on WPXN.