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The new BMW 8 Series has arrived, so to get the lowdown on what to expect from the new range-topping model, we speak to its global product manager, Sarah Lessmann. What was the key goal in developing the 8 Series? “The most important information is this: we have a sports car set-up. When we announced the 8 Series, everyone thought it would be a ‘son of’ the 7 Series, like the 4 Series is based on the 3 Series, but that wasn’t the way BMW had the idea of doing a sports car.” The BMW 8 Series is back – and it’s coming for Porsche Was it important to make the car close to the 8 Series Concept? “That’s something we’re very proud of. Normally concept vehicles are quite removed, but on this car there are only a few design details we had to change for legal requirements, such as flattening the shark nose grille a bit.” Why does the interior differ from other BMW models? “With the 8 Series, BMW gets back to the driver orientation: the driver is the centre, and anything around their ‘workspace’ is set up to make them comfortable behind the wheel.”

Cristiano Ronaldo bagged a hat-trick in Portugal's first 2018 FIFA World Cup match, a 3-3 draw against Iberian rivals Spain on Friday. Diego Costa also scored a brace. The Real Madrid man converted an early penalty, but Spain hit back through Costa. Ronaldo struck again just before half-time, courtesy of a blunder from David de Gea, but Costa and Nacho Fernandez―who gave away the early penalty―were on point after the break. A Spanish win seemed inevitable, but Ronaldo completed his hat-trick late with a wonderful free-kick. Here are the key takeaways from this match. Ronaldo played one of his best-ever outings in his national shirt on Friday, and it went well beyond the three goals. The Real striker was a constant nuisance on the counter and even did his defensive duties for large stretches of the match, putting a lot of pressure on Nacho. It speaks to his considerable talent that Portugal were able to salvage a draw against a dominant Spanish side. Apart from a solid start and strong finish, the Portuguese were thoroughly outplayed by La Roja, and it's hard to point at another individual who actually put in a great performance. With an in-form Ronaldo, Portugal will always be a threat, but far more is needed from the rest of the team. It takes four wins in the knockout stages to win a world title, and the Selecao can't rely on their star man to bail them out every time. Portugal certainly have the talent, and if Joao Moutinho or Bernardo Silva can step up their level, there's no reason they can't win the whole thing. Hierro's Big Decisions Pay Off Fernando Hierro's first XI would always be closely scrutinised, as the former Real Madrid man had little time to assess his squad after replacing Julen Lopetegui on Wednesday. He opted to take few risks, playing Costa ahead of Iago Aspas at striker and putting Real's Nacho in at right-back. A natural centre-back, he was a bit of an odd fit, but as explained by AS' Robbie Dunne, he was seen as perhaps a safer option than Real Sociedad's Alvaro Odriozola: The much faster Odriozola would likely have done a better job keeping up with Ronaldo in the first half, and Nacho's supposed superior defensive ability was in serious doubt after he brought down his Los Blancos team-mate after just minutes, giving away a silly penalty. But if Hierro's choices seemed wrong after 15 minutes had been played, both Costa and Nacho turned things around. The former scored twice after a slow and sloppy start, and Nacho gave La Roja the lead with a thunderous strike after the break. Costa's ability to hold up play made all the difference against the reliable but static duo of Pepe and Jose Fonte, and Nacho's aerial ability served the Spaniards well on both sides of the pitch. For a caretaker manager who only got the job days ago, Hierro surely made some impressive decisions. De Gea Needs to Block Out Noise after Another Error Manchester United stopper De Gea may have the reputation of one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but a number of errors have crept into his game this season. He had high-profile blunders at the club level―his mistake against Sevilla comes to mind―but things have escalated since the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

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Eid mubarak to all muslims.

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Why we're running it: To get fully familiar with the dynamic successes and foibles of an alluring driver’s car. And to see if the UK public can ‘get’ the idea of a truly desirable Kia Life with a Kia Stinger GT S: Month 2 There's no escaping the appeal of the V6 engine - 23rd May 2018 Having had a go in the cooking petrol and diesel versions of the Stinger in recent weeks, it was great to finally get back behind the wheel of our GT S long-termer. While those more sensible models maintain the rear-driven handling balance and stylish looks of their V6-engined range-mate, without that 365bhp powerplant under their bonnets they feel a bit, well, pedestrian. Mileage: 5505 Back to the top If you don’t want to know the score, look away now: Kia Stinger nil, pothole two - 9th May 2018 How many British drivers have found out how costly and inconvenient a meeting of 19in alloy wheel and ominously deep pothole can be over the past six weeks? It must be in the thousands – and two Autocar road testers are certainly among their number. It was one particular pothole found by m’colleague Matt Prior late at night on his way home from the airport that befell the nearside of our long-term Kia Stinger GT S recently. The pothole had been cut out for repair but left unfinished – and, Matt reported, made him very glad he hadn’t taken the motorbike to Heathrow on that occasion. The meeting burst the car’s front nearside tyre, and so Matt spent a goodly chunk of Easter holiday time that should have been dedicated to chocolate egg consumption sourcing a particularly elusive Continental ContiSportContact 5 tyre on a bank holiday weekend. Bless him, he succeeded, though, and returned the car to the office the following Tuesday sorted. Or so he thought. A few days later, however, yours truly stopped to buy fuel on a Friday night commute home to find a bubble blister the size of a tennis ball in the sidewall of the Stinger’s nearside rear tyre, having already been somewhat perturbed by a slight but detectable wobble emanating from the car’s front axle under braking. All was clearly not well. So I sourced the car’s second replacement tyre in a week and booked in to my nearest fitter, which was inundated with demand already from people, many of whom had probably been similarly unlucky with potholes, and so couldn’t squeeze the car in for three days. When the fitting was finally done, having taken the opportunity to have both nearside wheels rebalanced, I discovered the source of the wobble on that front axle: a front rim sufficiently altered by its run-in with a Northamptonshire crater that it needed 125g of balance ballast strategically sticking to it – and it still doesn’t feel quite right on the car, even after that. Good news? There’s no warped disc, as I suspected there might be when last I wrote. The nice bloke at the fitters even let me check that much for myself. Either way, the inevitable main dealer service appointment will now have to made, I fear – and I worry it’ll be expensive; because Kia’s seven-year warranty might be good, but I doubt it extends to cover the fallout of shoddy road repairs. Replacement 19in rims can’t be cheap, can they? And I’m also told (by the same nice chap at the fitters, since you ask) that I should get the tracking checked by Kia while I’m at it. “Don’t leave it too long,” he said. “Bad tracking gets set in its ways and becomes harder to fix with use. It’s a bit like breaking in a new shoe with the tongue out of place. After that, you know that tongue will never sit straight on the bridge of your foot, where it should, no matter how many times you adjust it.” Somebody give that man a TV show on Discovery. In better news, I’ve come across the function, buried a couple of menus inside the trip computer, to deactivate the dreaded ‘welcome chimes’ the car plays as you enter and exit. They make it sound like a 10-year-old Windows laptop computer. Although they’re minutely different ditties, they’re about as ‘welcome’ – by the time your 99th rendition comes around, at any rate – as a jab in the ear with a cotton wool bud. Suffice it to say I’ve disabled them for the foreseeable – or at least until just before the next time I see fit to lend the car to Mr Prior for an airport run. Love it: BRIGHT PAINTWORK The recent sunshine really makes the paintwork zing. I’m currently too afraid to look directly at it for fear of retina damage. But in a good way. Loathe it: LIMITED SET-UP CHOICES No ‘custom’ driving mode. Sorry, Kia: ‘smart’ isn’t the same thing if you want to pick steering, damping and powertrain maps à la carte.

The MMA world will have to wait to learn the fate of Conor McGregor. On Thursday in New York City, McGregor, associate Cian Cowley, and their legal team appeared at a courthouse in Brooklyn to address the charges stemming from their chaotic actions at the Barclays Center this past April. The appearance was brief as McGregor and Cowley’s team informed the court that they plan to negotiate a plea. With that, the session was dismissed and the next hearing, where McGregor and Cowley’s team are expected to enter the actual plea, was announced for July 26. RELATED Video: Conor McGregor’s arrival, departure from Brooklyn courthouse Afterwards, a member of the legal team read a statement from McGregor: “I regret my actions that led to today. I understand the seriousness of this matter and I’m hopeful this will get worked out. Thank you, everyone.” MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani spoke to McGregor’s manager Audie Attar, who would not discuss the details of the plea agreement. “Today we’re here to focus on court, we’re not going to focus on any future plans until we handle this matter,” Attar said. ”Right now we’re in good negotiations with the district attorney, so we’re going to focus on that and we’ll focus on the future later.” Attar added that he hopes McGregor’s legal situation will be resolved on July 26. McGregor, Cowley, and teammates invaded the Barclays Center loading area on April 5 after the conclusion of the UFC 223 media day. The men started banging on the UFC fighter bus, which was transporting the athletes back to the hotel. In the mayhem, McGregor picked up a dolly and tossed it at the bus, shattering a window and sending glass into the face and onto the body of some fighters. The attack was reportedly in retaliation for Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team cornering McGregor’s teammate Artem Lobov at the hotel one day earlier. Lobov was scheduled to be on the card and Nurmagomedov, McGregor’s rival, was set to headline it. As a result of McGregor throwing the dolly into the glass, Michael Chiesa was left bloodied and he had to withdraw from his planned fight against Anthony Pettis. Ray Borg got glass in his eye and he was deemed medically unfit to face Brandon Moreno on the card. And Lobov was pulled by the UFC from his scheduled bout with Alex Caceres due to his involvement with McGregor. McGregor and Cowley both turned themselves into the New York Police Department later that night. They were released on $50,000 and $25,000 bond, respectively, and allowed to travel back to Ireland. On April 6, McGregor was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief, while Cowley received one count of assault and one count of criminal mischief. McGregor has not fought in the UFC since he became lightweight champion with a win over Eddie Alvarez in November 2016 at Madison Square Garden. UFC president Dana White plans to meet with McGregor on Monday. Previously, White has said that McGregor will fight next against Nurmagomedov, who became lightweight champ with a win over late fill-in Al Iaquinta at UFC 223. Last year, McGregor did not fight in MMA, at all, concentrating on getting and then preparing for a blockbuster boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather beat McGregor by TKO in the 10th round, but McGregor has said that he pocketed in the neighborhood of $100 million. Mayweather vs. McGregor was the second biggest pay-per-view card of all time, behind Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao.

Elliot Schrage, the high-profile exec who heads Facebook’s public policy and communications efforts, is leaving the company after a decade at the social media giant, according to a company spokesperson. Schrage, who joined Facebook from Google where he held a similar position running global communications and public affairs, will stay on at the social networking giant for a time to help hire his replacement. He’ll then serve as an advisor to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg. In his tenure at Facebook — Schrage just celebrated his 10-year “Faceversary“ in May — he has became one of the most influential voices inside the company, working closely with top executives like Sandberg and Zuckerberg, often traveling with them on international trips. “After more than a decade at Facebook, I’ve decided it’s time to start a new chapter in my life,“ Schrage said in a statement to Recode. “Leading policy and communications for hyper growth technology companies is a joy — but it’s also intense and leaves little room for much else. Mark, Sheryl and I have been discussing this for a while.“ This is so, according to many sources, who said Schrage has been contemplating a departure for a while. Still, a spate of recent controversies around the mismanagement of the massive platform has weighed on the company and some have justifiably criticized Facebook’s slow and overly cautious response to the crisis. Schrage has been the point person on that response. Most recently, for example, Schrage has been a key player in coordinating Facebook’s response to the company‘s Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, which has included lots of apologizing by Zuckerberg and a promise from the company to “take a broader view of our responsibility.” When Zuckerberg testified before Congress in April, Schrage was sitting in the hearing room. While Facebook was initially slow to respond to the scandal, it has since been relentless in pushing its messaging and making a number of moves to open up its platform and be more transparent about the huge amount of data it has collected. Schrage has been pushing internally for Facebook to be more open with outsiders and came up with the idea for Facebook’s ”Hard Questions” blog series. He has also been overseeing Facebook’s recently formed independent elections commission. Still, the breadth of Facebook’s reach and questions of how much data it collects continues to be a big issue for the company and how well it communicates that externally will be critical. Numerous media reports continue to focus on how it shares user information with outside partners and how well — or badly — it monitors its platform. The upcoming midterm elections will a a big test for Facebook, too, especially after the 2016 election in which trolls tied to the Russian government used Facebook‘s platform to try and sway voters. RELATED Facebook is full of could-be CEOs — but no one ever leaves Schrage’s departure is notable not only because he’s influential inside Facebook but because top executives hardly ever leave the company. Facebook just finished a major reorg for its product and engineering teams, but Schrage’s team was also restructured. Longtime VP of Communications Caryn Marooney split her job running all of Facebook’s communications, keeping the product communications responsibilities and giving corporate comms to Rachel Whetstone, another former Googler and, more recently, head of comms at Uber. Schrage will help look for his own replacement, and Facebook plans to search externally to bring someone in. In the meantime, Facebook has Marooney and Whetstone running the communications team, and VP of Global Public Policy Joel Kaplan, who was also in the congressional testimonies and by Zuckerberg’s side in Brussels last month, to run the policy side. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg also shared a statement with Recode. Elliot is one of the most creative and strategic people I have worked with. He’s been instrumental in building our policy and communications teams as well as pushing many of our key initiatives — including the recent publication of our community standards, data about our effectiveness enforcing those standards and the creation of an independent election commission. Mark and I look forward to his ongoing advice over the years ahead.

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Thirty-two teams are competing in Russia for the 2018 World Cup, including defending champion Germany. Brazil is favored to win the World Cup, but France came ready to play with a team loaded with talent, and Portugal fans are confident Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo will lead them to victory. Iceland, too, has emerged as a 2018 fan favorite as the tiny Nordic nation qualified for the tournament for the first time in its history. From the teams that could win it all to those that barely made the tournament, read on for a look at the teams to watch. Defending World Cup champion Germany is trying to be the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back trophies. Germany is ranked No. 1 by FIFA. Coached by Joachim Löw, Germany finished third at the 2010 World Cup and made it to the semifinals at the Euro 2012 before winning the 2014 World Cup. Captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had missed much of this season with a foot fracture but said he feels “very good” ahead of the World Cup. Germany has made 18 World Cup appearances and has won four titles. Germany plays Mexico in its first match and is based in Moscow for the tournament. Brazil hosted the 2014 World Cup and lost to Germany, the eventual winner, in a devastating semifinal that ended 1-7. The country is ranked No. 2 by FIFA ahead of the tournament and favored to win the championship. Captain Neymar da Silva Santos Junior -- or Neymar -- is one of the tournament’s biggest stars. At 26 years old, Neymar recently suffered from a broken foot -- putting him out of the game for about three months -- but the forward’s readmittance on the team has made Brazil an even greater force to be reckoned with. ALL THE TIMES THAT QUALIFIED FOR THE 2018 WORLD CUP Brazil has made 20 World Cup appearances and has won five titles. It will have its base in Sochi despite playing no games near the Black Sea resort. Coached by Adenor Leonardo Bachi, called “Tite,” its first match will be played against Switzerland. Fans of Egypt’s team have their fingers crossed for Mohamed Salah’s return from a shoulder injury. On Monday, the team doctor said a final decision on Salah’s return has not yet been reached and floated the possibility of him starting from the bench. Ranked No. 45, Egypt has only made two World Cup appearances, winning none of them. This year’s World Cup is the first in 28 years that Egypt even qualified for. In 1934 and 1990, Egypt didn’t advance past the opening round. Based in Grozny, Egypt will take on Uruguay for its first match of the 2018 tournament. The team is expected to make history, however, with its goalkeeper; at 45 years old, Essam el-Hadary could become the oldest player to ever compete at a World Cup For the first time in 36 years, Peru is back to the World Cup, this time with Argentine coach Ricardo Gareca, who has history with the team. In 1986, Gareca played for Argentina and scored a goal that ended Peru’s qualification chances. Ranked No. 11, Peru has won no World Cup titles but has made four appearances. Peru’s first match will be against Denmark. For Argentina fans, it’s all about Lionel Messi, the 30-year-old star Barcelona forward. And this year’s tournament could be Messi’s last chance to secure that coveted FIFA trophy. Coached by Jorge Sampaoli, Argentina is ranked fifth by FIFA. The team has made it to the World Cup 16 times, winning two titles, the last of which was in 1986. For the 2018 tournament, Argentina is based in Moscow and will play Iceland for its first match. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2018 WORLD CUP Argentina has faced a series of setbacks that could hinder its bid for glory. Usual goalkeeper Sergio Romero was left off the squad due to a knee injury and midfielder Manuel Lanzini was dropped from the roster after rupturing his ACL during team training in Russia. Likewise, midfielder Lucas Biglia and striker Sergio Aguero have suffered recent injuries, and defender Javier Mascherano, 34, is coming to the end of his career. In the lead up to the 2018 World Cup, Uruguay, coached by Oscar Tabarez, finished second behind Brazil and automatically qualifying for the tournament. Fans are also hoping striker Luiz Suarez can keep his mouth closed -- literally. In 2014, Suarez was expelled from the tournament after he bit an Italian player. Suarez has said he knows he has “a debt to repay” to his country and wants to “try to show a good image” at this year’s tournament. Ranked No. 14, Uruguay has appeared in 12 World Cups and won two titles. Uruguay is based in Nizhny Novgorod and plays Egypt in its first match of this year’s tournament. According to Sporting News, it has made it past the group round in four of the last five tournaments. Ranked No. 7, coach Didier Deschamps has a bevy of talented players with the France team, especially when it comes to forwards. Because of all that talent, fans are hoping France will at least make it to the semi-finals this year. It has Raphael Varane on defense, Paul Pogba in midfield and Hugo Lloris at the goal. And Deschamps’ contract doesn’t expire until 2020. WORLD CUP HAS DIVISIVE LEGACY FOR RUSSIA’S ENVIRONMENT France has won one World Cup and has appeared in the tournament 14 times. In 1998, France both hosted and won the World Cup. Based in Moscow, France takes on Australia for its first match of the 2018 contest. Coming into the tournament at No. 4, Portugal won the Euro in 2016 and has Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time FIFA world player of the year, in its corner. And by sitting out some less meaningful matches, Ronaldo has had plenty of rest in preparation of the World Cup. Coached by Fernando Santos, Portugal will play Spain in its first match of tournament. In all, the team has made six appearances at the World Cup, winning none. In Russia this year, Portugal is based in Moscow. It’s the 2018 World Cup Cinderella team as the Nordic nation heads to the tournament. Iceland has never been to the World Cup and is the smallest nation ever to qualify for the tournament with a po[CENSORED]tion of just 330,000. Its fans are passionate and celebrate the team with gigantic Viking thunderclaps. Iceland made its first appearance at the European Championship two years ago where it made it all the way to the quarterfinals. At the tournament, Iceland shocked fans with its defeat of England.

The MS-RT R-Spec Transit Custom is certainly unlike any other Transit we’ve ever come across. Based on Ford’s regular Transit Custom - the best-selling van so far in 2018 - the R-Spec takes that winning formula of car-like handling, a punchy diesel engine and serious load-lugging capacity and, erm, adds to it. Rather significantly. Before we delve into those additions, though, let’s talk about the company responsible for bringing the R-Spec Transit Custom into existence. Based in south Wales, MS-RT is a collaboration between Van-Sport and motorsport icon Malcolm Wilson that specialises in turning regular Ford commercial vehicles - Rangers and Transits in particular - into something else entirely. That something else, in the case of the R-Spec, is a van that resembles the sort of vehicle Darth Vader might use to move house. MS-RT has fitted it with an extreme bodykit it says is inspired by those fixed to the cars run by Wilson’s Ford-backed M-Sport rally team, as well as 20in OZ Racing alloys shod in 255/40-section Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S rubber. It’s a menacing-looking thing, particularly when finished in black. That’s not to say the changes made to the R-Spec are purely cosmetic. Eibach springs lower its ride height, while the standard 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ecoblue diesel engine has been tuned to produce 205bhp and 359lb ft of torque. MS-RT has also equipped the R-Spec with uprated brakes, as well cosseting bucket seats up front. There’s a twin sports-exhaust system, too, to ensure you’ll hear the R-Spec coming long before you see it. It really is that loud. Driving the R-Spec Transit Custom is certainly a novel experience. It’s also one that - unfortunately - wears thin after an extended period at the wheel. This is down to the fact that it’s a van - so it’s never going to be the most comfortable vehicle to drive long distance – and the rumble from that exhaust. Don’t get us wrong, that rumble certainly sounds cool when you first start the van up. It’s brash, attention-grabbing and almost reminiscent of the noise an older Subaru Impreza WRX would’ve made. Only louder. Trundling around town is an entertaining undertaking, if only because you can really enjoy the sound this van makes under partial throttle, as well as the shocked looks cast towards the van by anyone you drive past. Get the R-Spec up to motorway cruising speeds, though, and the sound doesn’t exactly go away. Volume-wise, it doesn’t quite sit on the edge of being deafening, but it did leave this tester with a bit of a headache after a blast down to Beachy Head and back. Luckily, there is a smartphone app you can download to alter how much noise the exhaust makes, so we’d advise getting that if you’re planning on forking out the £35,995 (excluding VAT and RFL) required to get your hands on one. Ride-wise, the R-Spec isn’t particularly stellar, feeling a touch brittle - although not particularly nervous - over rough surfaces. Ensuring the three rear seats are occupied and the cargo area full (it has a capacity of 3.5 cubic metres) will no doubt go some way to settling things down. The cabin is decently insulated against wind noise, though, but there is a degree of road roar from those 20in alloy wheels. The steering is decently weighty and reasonably communicative, although considering the R-Spec’s slab-sided shape and tall centre of gravity it’s never really going to be the sort of vehicle for taking on a particularly challenging stretch of British B-road. Still, if the mood takes you, you will find there’s a commendable amount of grip at the front axle, while the brakes provide plenty of stopping power. Of course, body roll will never quite be eliminated in a vehicle shaped as such, although the Eibach lowering springs do an amicable job of keeping the van reasonably in check. The tweaks to the 2.0-litre Ford Ecoblue diesel engine are particularly welcome. The added poke the Steinbauer tuning box provides means overtaking manoeuvres are dispatched with ease, while the six-speed automatic transmission is responsive enough when you need to call on the 208bhp and 358lb ft of torque. If you have taken a look at the R-Spec Transit Custom and immediately come to the decision that your regular Transit just isn’t quite thuggish enough, then you’ll need to move quickly to get your hands on one. It’s a limited-run model launched to celebrate MS-RT’s second anniversary and only 50 will be built. Compared with the regular short-wheelbase double-cab-in-van Transit Custom that it’s based on, it’s fairly reasonably priced, too; excluding VAT, it’s a shade under £3,600 more expensive than the top-flight Sport variant. For the money, you get air conditioning, custom seats, a rear-view camera, a DAB radio, satellite navigation and smartphone connectivity via USB and Bluetooth, although all are housed within Ford’s now outdated Sync infotainment system. As far as fuel economy is concerned, we saw an indicated average of 27.9mpg during our time with the R-Spec. The Transit Custom’s sales figures already speak volumes for the van’s success in the UK. And while the R-Spec does have its flaws, there’s no denying that it’s a fresh take on Britain’s best-selling van. It might not be to everyone’s tastes, but the fact that it exists at all is to be celebrated. MS-RT R-Spec Transit Custom Where East Sussex, UK Price £35,995 excl VAT and RFL; On sale now; Engine 4 cyls, 1995cc, turbocharged diesel; Power 208bhp at 3850rpm; Torque 358lb ft at 2430rpm; Gearbox 6-spd automatic; Kerb weight Not stated; Top speed 92.8mph; 0-62mph Not stated; Fuel economy 27.9mpg (test); CO2 Not stated; Rivals Renault Master, Vauxhall Combo, Nissan NV300

When the Warriors took to the streets of Oakland a year ago to celebrate their championship, Draymond Green marked the occasion by donning a “Quickie” t-shirt featuring the logo from the Cavs arena. There’s a long history of sartorial beef between the Warriors and the Cavs, and highlights from the other side of the aisle include LeBron’s Ultimate Warrior shirt and rude Halloween party decorations. Naturally, Green was not about to let today’s parade go by without getting his jokes off. LeBron still has a chance to own Green like he did last year, and if he wants to, he’s got plenty to mock him for. In other Warriors news, Nick Young appears to be enjoying his first championship J.R. Smith style.

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Paul Newman came to racing later in life, but once there, he kept at it. In the 20-something years he drove, he piloted a wide range of road cars, everything from Datsuns to a Trans-Am Oldsmobile. Ten of Newman’s cars made their public debuts at the annual San Marino Motor Classic Sunday, from his original Triumph TR6 to the Porsche 935 he co-drove to first in class and second overall at Le Mans in 1979. The cars belong to podcaster, carpenter, drywall specialist and all-around hilarious funnyman Adam Carolla. Carolla made a documentary about Newman’s racing career and has also produced other racing films. His latest focuses on the driving career of Willy T. Ribbs and is titled “Uppity.” “He wanted that title, I didn’t,” Carolla said at the show. Carolla didn’t originally set out to collect Newman race cars. “I just wanted something fun and fast,” he said. “I was into Nissans, then I found out Newman was into Nissans.” So he started buying them. Pretty soon he had a garage full, including racing suits and helmets from the po[CENSORED]r actor/racer. The “Adam Carolla’s Paul Newman Collection presented by Passport Transport” was parked on the west end of the big lawn of Lacy Park. Passport Transport stepped in at the last minute to haul the cars to the show for free. For his part, Carolla expressed the trepidation any collector feels putting his own cars in front of the public for the first time. “I just want to say one thing, the ten Newman cars here, if I see one goddam shift knob unscrewed I will hunt you down and get you.” Read more: http://autoweek.com/article/events/ten-paul-newmans-race-cars-make-public-debut-together-2018-san-marino-motor-classic#ixzz5IAXSWLXt On the opposite side of Lacy Park’s enormous lawn were the Ferraris of local collector David Lee. The centerpiece of his collection -- at least on this day at this show -- was a Dino he had modified extensively. The biggest change, apart from interior and exterior styling details, was that Lee swapped out the Dino’s original six-cylinder for a 3.6-liter V8. Lee is the latest in a new line of enthusiasts to modify sports cars, including Porsche shop Emory Motorsports, and Singer, the latter a “boutique restoration shop.” Running rings around these two collections, literally if not figuratively, were the rest of the 350 or so cars that made up this year’s San Marino Motor Classic. This show is dedicated to diversity. If it wasn’t on the field in San Marino, you probably didn’t want to see it. The classic and collectible show in the tony LA suburb of San Marino, a town that was monied when Beverly Hills was still orange groves, threw open its gates (well, one gate) to welcome the eighth annual San Marino Motor Classic. From the Classic Car Club of America’s Duesenbergs, Packards and Cords, to real Bugattis from The Mullin and from everybody’s favorite car guy Bruce Meyer, there was something for everyone. Read more: http://autoweek.com/article/events/ten-paul-newmans-race-cars-make-public-debut-together-2018-san-marino-motor-classic#ixzz5IAXaJrob Officially, there were 331 cars listed, but with sponsor cars and a few latecomers the number was likely over 350. These ranged from the LaSalles, Auburns and grand old Lincolns of the CCCA, to Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis, to American muscle cars and Tri-Five Chevies to a class for Bantam and American Austin. The weather was perfect -- tickets were only 25 bucks if you bought them in advance -- and there were even 12 food trucks parked on Lacy Park’s west ring road. In eight years of the Motor Classic, it has raised over $1.6 million for charity, and that’s before counting this year’s receipts. This is a fine concours, on its way to becoming an event on par with the best in the country. Put it on your list of shows to see in 2019 and beyond. Read more: http://autoweek.com/article/events/ten-paul-newmans-race-cars-make-public-debut-together-2018-san-marino-motor-classic#ixzz5IAXfWfp8

Undlin is of course referring to the Eagles Week 11 37-9 win over the Cowboys. In that game, the Eagles went down 9-7 at half, only to storm back and score 30 consecutive points. The Cowboys offense totaled 99 yards on 5 drives in the 2nd half, including a Dak Prescott interception and a Prescott fumble that went the opposite way for a touchdown. The Eagles had no issues moving the ball after the 1st half, amassing 268 yards and three consecutive touchdown drives. But it wasn’t just the box score that points to the Cowboys tapping out. Showing himself to be the anti-Pederson, head coach Jason Garrett punted on 4th down twice in the 3rd quarter. The first punt came with the Cowboys down 15-9 from the Eagles 39-yard line on 4th and 10. Shortly after, the Cowboys trailed by 14 points and elected to punt on a 4th and 2 from their own 45-yard line. Down 37-9 and with a few minutes remaining in the 4th, Prescott was pulled for Cooper Rush, and the Cowboys would punt again at the 2-minute warning. The white flag was officially being waved. This isn’t the first time the Cowboys accused of quitting during the 2017 season. In a Week 2 42-17 meltdown loss suffered at the hands of the otherwise toothless Denver Broncos, Ezekiel Elliot rushed for 8 yards on 9 carries, compiling a miserable 13 touch, 22 yard output. His frustration climaxed after two late interceptions. Elliott failed to chase the ball on both plays and on one occasion sulked with his hands on his hips while play continued for several seconds.For the Cowboys to turn around their fortunes in 2017, they’ll have to be mentally tougher on a team and on an individual basis. Dorothy may be able to click her heels three times to go back to Kansas, but Jason Garrett clapping three times won’t give the Tin Man his heart back.

DOTHAN, Ala. — Heading into the midterm elections, President Trump has become a one-man litmus test in some of his party’s primaries, imperiling incumbents in races where policy issues seem to matter less to voters than personal loyalty to the president. Perhaps nowhere has this been seen more acutely than in Alabama’s Second Congressional District, where Republican voters face a peculiar choice in a runoff: A congresswoman who condemned Mr. Trump but has since voted nearly in lock step with him, or a challenger who was once a Democrat who supported Nancy Pelosi, but now sounds much like the president. “It’s like a lot of elections: Which is the best of a bad choice?” said Brandon Shoupe, a Republican and county commissioner in southeast Alabama who has not endorsed either the incumbent, Martha Roby, or her runoff rival, Bobby Bright. “You’ve got an unpo[CENSORED]r flavor of Republican currently holding the office, and then you’ve got a former Democrat that’s running.” But the unusual pairing barely fazed many Republican voters. Indeed, Linda Lane-Overton, who lives in Alabama’s Wiregrass region, said she had comfortably arrived at a two-part test for making her decision. “We have to look at both candidates and feel sure that our vote will be for the candidate that can win the election in November — and be loyal to our president,” she said on Thursday. The fact that an incumbent like Ms. Roby has been forced into a runoff by questions of personal fealty illustrates the potency of the issue in this year’s Republican primaries. Another test of just how dangerous it can be for a Republican lawmaker to cross Mr. Trump looms on Tuesday. Republican voters in a South Carolina district will decide whether they want to nominate Representative Mark Sanford for another term or replace him with Katie Arrington, a state lawmaker who has made Mr. Sanford’s criticisms of the president the centerpiece of her insurgent campaign. Mr. Sanford has spent nearly $400,000 on advertising in recent months to try to hold on to his Charleston-based district, airing a commercial in which he says, “Overwhelmingly, I’ve voted with the president.” “We’re at an interesting inflection point in American politics,” he said in an interview. “If somehow dissent from your own party becomes viewed as a bad thing, then we’re not really vetting and challenging ideas in the way the founding fathers intended.” Broadening his argument, Mr. Sanford said America was meant to be “a nation of laws, not men” and that “we weren’t a cult of personality.” Mr. Sanford said he recognizes that Republicans in his district, which Mr. Trump carried by 14 points, want him to line up with the president, and cited a survey saying that he had voted with Mr. Trump in Congress 89 percent of the time. “I love my brother and sister, but I don’t agree with them 89 percent of the time,” he said. Still, his opponent, Ms. Arrington, has made extensive use of clips of Mr. Sanford taking aim at Mr. Trump. She argued in a debate this month that “our first job is to listen to the captain” and that “Mark Sanford has spent the better part of two years bashing our captain.” Ms. Roby, by contrast, has not staked out a position of anything approaching regular dissent; she essentially opposed Mr. Trump in public only for a short period near the end of the 2016 presidential campaign, over his personal behavior. After a recording surfaced of Mr. Trump making vulgar comments about women, she said he was “unacceptable as a candidate for president” and urged him to step aside. “When she came out against Trump, the people down here in this part of the state — oh my God, they hate it,” said Will Matthews, a Republican lawyer in Ozark. “She showed her true colors to kowtow to the traditional Republican Party people.” On Election Day, Mr. Trump easily carried the Second District, but Ms. Roby won re-election with only 49 percent of the vote; two years earlier, she had taken about two-thirds. Things only seem to have gotten worse for her since then. Facing better prepared opposition than the last-minute write-in campaign her critics mounted in 2016, Ms. Roby managed to attract just 39 percent of the vote in the five-way Republican primary last week, necessitating a runoff on July 17. Her primary performance, dismal for a four-term incumbent, stemmed from a political reality of the Trump era: Republican primaries often draw voters with enormous, and largely unquestioning, affection for the president. Recognizing that reality, Republican candidates for the United States Senate in Mississippi have been jockeying over who is the most faithful to Mr. Trump — a striking echo of a Senate race last year in Alabama. Ms. Roby’s district, covering all or part of 15 counties, was ripe for just such a contest, with voters scattered from Montgomery’s northern suburbs down Highway 231 toward the peanut farms around Dothan, near the Florida border. Indeed, the danger for Ms. Roby, especially in a part of the Second District known for its conservatism as well as the texture of its grass, was clear almost immediately after she questioned Mr. Trump’s fitness.

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