It was a huge weekend of big time sports that extends a bit into the next week.
We had the best of both Phoenix like the NASCAR Championship 4 Finale weekend and their NFL team in the Cardinals v Dallas Cowboys following another weekly game of NFL’s Monday Night Football.
We also had more racing but on horses in the annual Melbourne Cup race.
Can’t wait for the cricket season to come just weeks from now with The Ashes at home over five matches between Australia v England.
Then the fun of big time summer sports doesn’t stop there after the Tests are done in early January when we have the annual Australian Open Tennis from Melbourne Park plus the lead-up United Cup tournament at the same time.
Can’t get enough of sports as sometimes everyone including players do need a rest at the right time before they hit the road again once the season is done.
In the meantime, you can look back at last week’s weekly recaps on sports both usual weekend and occasional mid-week editions.
If you can’t get enough of drama, we have GH via Soap Opera from Daytime TV for you here.
Big Event Sports Headline: NASCAR Championship 4 Finale starting with Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin and his 11 team were hoping to finally win that 1st championship yesterday for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Even though it didn’t go his way, he’s still forever a NASCAR legend no matter where he ends up next year or next few years.
That No.11 Toyota Camry? Not too bad amid clutch concerns and his car was badass fast under long green-flag laps.
But on pit road and also the pit box upstairs?
Simply frustrating particularly when William Byron blew his tire late & once they’ve pitted once more, all the hard work had gone undone because they couldn’t be trusted.
Yes, other teams have problems on pit road at times in between stages including the 11 at pressure-cooking championship 4 moments like this in the world of sports.
But going with all four new tires yet again when others made a quick change like the two-tire gamble and with Denny being held up, there’s no way he can recover when it’s just overtime to finish the race.
This is not Daytona nor the Trucks nor F1 as some fans say and if they’re not sure, best if they stay out then?
While Kyle Larson deserves that championship for the second time, it’s going to be another long 12 months for Denny to try again in 2026.
Top 3 Mid-Run Teams
Can’t get enough of these RFK Fords every time they show up Top 10 and sometimes Top 5 with Brad K oh so close in 2nd following the No.6’s team good call to stay out ahead of overtime.
Maybe Denny’s No.11 team should take notes of that then.
Kyle Busch also came out of nowhere on what has been a big Stage 3 for him working through yellows and getting that good result in 5th place.
More happy endings by Josh Berry once again in 7th for Wood Brothers especially with restarts working well in his favour.
Finally, how about a hometown finish for Michael McDowell at Spire? A better overall car would help but loves playing around with strategy & finished 8th.
Xfinity Series
Same Chevy, different Xfinity Series champion this time Jesse Love for Richard Childress Racing.
He had to bide his time from long green flag laps in the first half to crucial pit road battles plus a few odd Stage 3 yellows.
But Jesse’s done enough to keep on fighting and maintain that lead ahead of two JRM cars when Justin Allgaier’s good start faded while Connor Zilisch couldn’t keep up on track and he became champion at the checkered flag.
Top Toyota Supras performance by Aric Almirola in 2nd who just gifted Gibbs that Owners’ Championship and Brandon Jones had an improved late stage to finish 4th.
Last but not least, best Ford goes to Sheldon Creed in 8th for Haas following a good promising 1st half when things may have nosedived throughout Stage 3 but not bad to finish 8th. Interesting to see which of these other teams will be happy to give the Mustangs another go in 2026.
Truck Series
It’s (Corey) Heim time after he’s done it all on what has been a super Championship 4 Trucks night in Phoenix.
He had some challenges particularly pit road but had a top Tundra and right choice of tires to go all the way home.
So close by Ty Majeski almost back-to-back as just couldn’t hold on 1st at “Championship 4” overtime minutes that was so jam-packed based on speed.
Kaden Honeycutt also not far off the pace especially the bold late tire gamble but was nowhere Heim or Majeski while Tyler Ankrum always came in with a long shot.
And Rajah Caruth finished 5th where his No.71 Silverado Truck should be as good as the front runners but has done extremely well on pit road.
He has Chevy’s full support to win those 2nd-tier races going into 2026.
NFL Monday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys v Arizona Cardinals
Much needed win for Arizona this time v Dallas Cowboys following a few close shortcomings in recent weeks.
But hey, Cardinals have finally got it with their 2nd win of the season since the Carolina Panthers back in Round 2.
It was a scoreless opening 15 mins of play before Cardinals scored back-to-back tries in the 2nd quarter followed by a wee bit stretch to hold their lead in the 3rd quarter and then the final 4th till full-time.
Final score was 27-17 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona’s different QB Jacoby Brissett did so well in that playmaking role compared to Kyler Murray a while ago.
Plus, there were plenty of running intensity across the pitch that shook the Cowboys defensive line.
Can’t get enough of Emari Demercado with the way he ran past the gate through tackle busts and run metres written over it.
Same with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson where both of whom communicated well to catch these balls into the safe off Brisbett.
Good recipe to win that game not just making the most out of offence but also defense as all about attacking and winning game time with that Football says Troy Aikman, a former Cowboys QB and current co-commentator with Joe Buck for ESPN and ABC.
Dallas Cowboys
When it comes to Dallas, they know how to assemble that good defensive structure by the way of deflections and interceptions. They were able to steal those moments at times as their best form of attack with 1-2 TDs throughout the game to try and slow the Cardinals down.
Sometimes they were inconsistent, hesitant and touch isolated like CeeDee Lamb having to make up the hard yards himself. Unfortunately, there’s not much effort from anyone else who can step up to provide that support in open play.
That way, more TDs and 1st down playing possession should be won but it’s not the day Dallas wanted after they’ve let their home supporters down.
There’s still some time left for Dallas to create more good moments into winning games as they just need to stick together, so the Cowboys can make up a good fight & stay in the thick of it right from kick-off than out of nowhere.
Special Event Sports Headline: 2025 Melbourne Cup from Flemington
Finally, we will finish off the year of sports weekly recaps with more racing but with horses for courses or Thoroughbreds in the 165th running of the Melbourne Cup from Flemington Racecourse.
The hype was buzzing as always every year whether if it’s rain, hail or shine from Fashions on the Field to betting on the horses like TAB or Sportsbet and drinking a good glass of champagne.
What’s so special about the Melbourne Cup is that if you win, you get to write a slice of their history with that trophy.
The winner today goes to Half Yours alongside Jockey Jamie Melham née Jamie Kah including Trainers Tony and Calvin who runs McEvoy Mitchell Racing.
She’s the second female jockey to have won The Race That Stops The Nation since Michelle Payne back in 2015.
That’s a decade ago and now 10 years later, there’s another one repeating history itself but different female rider this time.
Love that moment when Jamie joined Michelle at the broadcasting panel post-race on Nine being the only two female winning jockeys so far in Melbourne Cup history. How good!!
Not only that, Jamie got away with “The Double” having won the Caulfield Cup race two weeks ago.
Maybe she should try USA’s Triple Crown Events come next year from Kentucky to Preakness and Belmont.
Saw somewhere mid-distance of the 3200m race where Land Legend was way out in front following a good start.
But then that momentum faded by the time the horses entered the final stretch with so many different contenders wanting that ultimate prize so bad.
At the end of the day, Half Yours turned out to be the clear winner ahead of Goodie Two Shoes, Middle Earth & River of Stars.
Congratulations to them with a big windfall coming their way and yes, sure there will be more good days to watch racing at Flemington where you got Oaks Day Thursday and Stakes Day Saturday.
Great job to the Victorian Racing Club for putting up a great show with the annual week-long program once again.
