DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Given a break or two here or there, Martin Truex Jr. believes hed have a monster season. He is pretty thrilled about the one hes had so far, anyway.Truex capped a standout summer season with his first Southern 500 victory at Darlington Raceway on Sunday night. He had started things with a dominant, record-setting win at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.Im just humbled, he said.He knows, though, it couldve been even bigger.Truex was a breath away from taking the Daytona 500 over Denny Hamlin to start the season, and had seven other top 10s this year.With the team we have and the way weve been running, we could honestly be sitting here with seven, eight, nine wins, Truex said. With that said, weve got two (victories) and I really feel like weve got a legitimate shot at this championship.Truex will certainly be a strong contender when the 10-race Chase for a Championship starts at Chicagoland Speedway in two weeks. He reached the final race in Homestead last year among the last four standing and thinks everyone in the program has worked to improve their chances.Its been a good season, but it definitely could be a great season, he said.It was Truexs fifth career win and the second time his single-car Furniture Row Racing team has taken the checkered flag at the track Too Tough To Tame.Crew chief Cole Pearn guided Regan Smith to victory lane here in 2011. Then, the team was a novelty, a fun, fish-out-of-water tale of the little team that won a big race.Now, tiny Furniture Row is poised for a significant run as NASCARs best.To win two crown jewel races like this in one season is something youll never forget for sure, Pearn said. Youve got to take the highs when theyre here and then get back to work.---Things learned from the Southern 500.CHASE CHATTER: With one race left before NASCARs playoffs, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray remain the final three winless drivers who would qualify for the 16-team field. Ryan Newman is the first driver out, seven points behind McMurray heading to Richmond next Saturday night.SMOKE WILL BE MISSED: Tony Stewart will leave Sprint Cup without a victory at Darlington after finished 35th on Sunday night when his engine overheated and he went behind the wall. He was asked to the NASCAR hauler after spinning Brian Scott earlier in the race and when asked what happened, said simply, He wrecked.A TASTE OF SUCCESS: Kyle Larson nearly made it two straight wins before finishing third Sunday. The young driver, who earned his first Sprint Cup win last week at Michigan, led 45 laps and was out front with 38 laps to go. All in all, it was good to be a contender two weeks in a row, he said.THROWBACK CITY: The Southern 500s second straight throwback-themed weekend again looked like a success. The nostalgic paint schemes like the Matt Kenseths Tide Ride or Kevin Harvicks Busch Beer car thrilled fans and competitors both. Plus, drivers and teams took things deeper this year with vintage crew uniforms and crazy costumes. This is such a fun weekend with the throwback stuff, Larson said.DALE JR. COMEBACK: Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke at Darlington Raceway about three hours before the Southern 500 -- and two days after announcing ongoing recovery from a concussion had ended his season -- pledging that he intends to return to the Sprint Cup Series next February at the Daytona 500. Earnhardt said, at 41, his heart is still in racing and he believes hes as good as hes ever been behind the wheel. Doctors told him back during a previous concussion in 2012 hed return to form and Earnhardt says hes been told that once more. Earnhardt has heard others wonder if it is better for him to walk away instead of coming back. The sports most popular driver said hes got unfinished business to complete.Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap . The 18th player to shoot 60 on the tour, Jamieson settled for par on the final hole when his 15-foot birdie chip grazed the edge of the hole and stayed out. After opening with rounds of 66 and 73 to make the cut by a stroke, he had 11 birdies in the bogey-free round. Stitched Jerseys Wholesale . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. http://www.cheapnfljerseyswholesale.com/ . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. Wholesale Jerseys For Sale . World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia won the gold medal with 237.71 points, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch followed at 208.45 and Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia were third at 187. NFL Store Online . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it.There is really no reason for a college football fan to stray from a screen after Thanksgiving dinner no matter what those stores touting Black Friday sales say. From College Football Playoff implications to divisional titles to the Hesiman Trophy to plain ol bragging rights, there is so much on the line this weekend.A quick rundown of some of the clear-cut items to be decided:- Four Big Ten games have division title implications- Two ACC games can determine the Coastal Division.- Both Pac-12 divisions will be decided in two games, including a North championship game.- Both the Mid-American Conference and Mountain West will determine their division winners as the two conferences compete for a New Years Six bowl bid.The College Football Playoff race could be thrown into chaos or fall nicely into place.Put it this way: No. 1 Alabama plays No. 16 Auburn on Saturday and it is not even among the five most important games being played this weekend.Thats a good weekend.The picks:THANKS FOR FOOTBALLNo. 25 LSU (minus 5 +) at No. 22 Texas A&MCoach Ed Orgeron gets one more chance to prove he is more than just a caretaker at LSU, though at this point he is probably no more than a fallback option ... LSU 27-20.BLACK FRIDAYNo. 6 Washington (minus 5 +) at No. 23 Washington StateRarely have both teams entered the Apple Cup with so much at stake. The winner goes to the Pac-12 championship game ... WASHINGTON STATE 33-28.Toledo (plus 9 +) at No. 14 Western MichiganThe Rockets are more than capable of keeping the Broncos from rowing that boat to the Cotton Bowl ... WESTERN MICHIGAN 28-24.No. 17 Nebraska (plus 3) at IowaThe Cornhuskers can still win the Big Ten West with a victory and Wisconsin loss ... NEBRASKA 20-17.No. 18 Houston (off) at MemphisTigers QB Riley Fergusons status is uncertain ... HOUSTON 31-24.No. 20 Boise State (minus 10) at Air ForceThe Broncos need a victory and a Wyoming loss to win the Mountain Division of the Mountain West and keep New Years Six bowl hopes alive ... BOISE STATE 35-28.SUPER SATURDAYNo. 16 Auburn (plus 17 +) at No. 1 AlabamaThe Iron Bowl is ALWAYS meaningful ... ALABAMA 28-13.No. 3 Michigan (plus 6 +) at No. 2 Ohio StateThe Wolverines win the Big Ten East with a victory. The Buckeyes need a victory and a Penn State loss to reach the conference title game, but just a victory might be good enough to get them in the playoff ...OHIO STATE 21-13.South Carolina (plus 23 +) at No. 4 ClemsonAn upset by the Gamecocks could crush their rivals playoff hopess .dddddddddddd. CLEMSON 31-17.Minnesota (plus 14 +) at No. 5 WisconsinThe Badgers win the Big Ten West with a victory. No help necessary ... WISCONSIN 27-17Michigan State (plus 13) at No. 8 Penn StateThe Nittany Lions need a victory and a Michigan loss to reach the Big Ten title games as East champs. This seems like too much too soon for Penn State ... MICHIGAN STATE 24-21.No. 21 Utah (plus 10 +) at No. 9 ColoradoThe Buffaloes win the Pac-12 South with a victory to continue the best turnaround season in college football ... COLORADO 31-19.Kentucky (plus 24) at No. 11 LouisvilleCardinals QB Lamar Jackson could use a big game to firm up that Heisman lead before he cedes the stage to contenders moving on to championship week ... LOUISVILLE 54-37.Notre Dame (plus 16 +) at No. 12 Southern CaliforniaThe Trojans have become the ultimate playoff dark horse ... USC 35-14, BEST BET.No. 13 Florida (plus 6) at No. 15 Florida StateThe Seminoles have won three straight and five of six in the series ... FLORIDA STATE 28-24.No. 19 West Virginia (minus 7) at Iowa StateThe Cyclones taking some steps forward in first season under Matt Campbell ... IOWA STATE 33-30, UPSET SPECIAL.No. 24 Tennessee (minus 7 +) at VanderbiltIf things fall right with some other SEC teams, the Volunteers could land in the Sugar Bowl. But they have to beat Vandy ... TENNESSEE 35-24.TWITTER REQUESTSOregon (minus 3) at Oregon State -- (at)Schrock-And-AweMark Helfrichs last chance to convince Oregon to keep him; if the decision has not already been made. Ducks have won eight straight Civil War games ... OREGON STATE 35-30.Purdue (plus 20) at Indiana -- (at)nashman92Must take advantage of any chance you get to mention that Indianas Big Ten teams play for the Old Oaken Bucket ... INDIANA 45-21.UCF (plus 9 +) at USF -- (at)biblicalexThe Bulls can still win the American Athletic Conference East with a victory in the I-4 rivalry and Temple loss to East Carolina ... USF 42-28.Kansas (plus 27 +) at Kansas State -- (at)rdcramerWildcats coach Bill Snyder goes for victory No. 200; Jayhawks go for two consecutive wins for the first time since 2011 ... KANSAS STATE 48-17.----Record: Last week 16-8 straight; 9-15 vs. points.Season: 179-77; 114-137-3.Upset specials: 4-8.Best bets: 3-9.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '
