BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Keeping a dynasty seems even more challenging than creating one. Just ask Hall of Fame car owner Rick Hendrick.The NASCAR titan has fielded 11 Sprint Cup champions over the past 21 years, won 242 Sprint Cup races and just two seasons ago had all four of his star drivers- Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne -- in the 16-team championship chase.These days, Johnson is Hendricks only surefire contender locked into the chase, although hes got others knocking on the door. Hendrick understands its a time of transition for his proud, powerful organization.You sign guys and you cant believe that Jimmie Johnson, or Dale or Jeff Gordon are 40 years old, Hendrick said. But time moves on.And brings change.Gordon retired last year, although he has driven the past four races for Earnhardt, who is recovering from a concussion that has put his playoffs in doubt. Chase Elliott, Gordons replacement, stands 12th in points and is a good bet to keep his spot in the chase. Kahne, at 17th, needs a victory to guarantee moving on.I think everybodys looking for that next superstar, Hendrick said. And if youre not willing to invest in the future, then youre going to be in a bind when the time comes.Hendrick took steps toward that last week, signing 18-year-old truck series leader William Byron to race Xfinity cars next season. In Hendricks eyes, Byron is that budding star wholl keep the organization chasing checkered flags for a long time.Byron raced trucks for Kyle Busch Motorsports and looked to have a future at Joe Gibbs Racing, the current power player in NASCAR. But with Busch, the defending Sprint Cup champion, Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin all in their 30s (the fourth member is 44-year-old Matt Kenseth), there may not be room for advancement at JGR.David Wilson, president and general manager, Toyota Racing Development, USA, said Byron was a talent they hated to lose. I dont think we were anticipating the next step this soon, he said. I dont think William was anticipating it this soon.Dont fret for Toyota, which is developing several young drivers. Xfinity driver Erik Jones will advance to Sprint Cup with Toyota team Furniture Row Racing next year.Daniel Suarez, a 24-year-old JGR driver, was part of NASCAR Next and its Drive for Diversity program. He became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR race when he took the Xfinity race at Michigan two months.All, though, will have to wait their time. The JGR quartet -- think of the Golden State Warriors on wheels -- have won 10 of 23 races this season and are all locked into the playoffs for a championship run.Edwards, the groups newest member, said the level of cooperation between very competitive teams and drivers keeps all of them sharp.Yeah, were running really well, but its not one thing, its a very good foundation of teamwork and it all starts with Coach Gibbs, Edwards said. Its cool to be a part of it.Roush Fenway Racing, with 135 Sprint Cup wins and two championships, has also dealt with changes in recent years and the need to find young talent. Once a perennial title contender, the organization that featured 2003 title winner Kenseth and Edwards is crossing its fingers looking for one chase entry.Former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, 25, stands 15th in points, but would get knocked out if race winners Tony Stewart and Chris Buescher both maintain their spots inside the top 30 in points.Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the 28-year-old whos 19th in points, was second Sunday to Kevin Harvick at Bristol Motor Speedway, the highest finish for a Roush Fenway driver this season. Stenhouse said although no one at RFR is satisfied with this years results, he thinks strides have been made in returning to the top.We passed some cars that were running (well) and leading laps throughout the race, Stenhouse said.Buescher, 25, was last years Xfinity champion and is on an extended run in Front Rows affiliation with Roush Fenway. His win at Pocono last month put him in playoff position and he moved up to No. 30 -- the required placing to make the Chase -- with his fifth place at Bristol. A few more strong showings at Michigan, Darlington and Richmond the next few weeks and Buescher will be racing for a title in his first full Sprint Cup season.From the Ford camp side, we know weve got a little bit of work to do yet, and we all know whos been dominant at all these tracks this year, Buescher said. And were working to get ahead of that group. Tracy McGrady Jersey . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. DeJuan Blair Jersey . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. https://www.cheapspurs.com/1316j-quinndary-weatherspoon-jersey-spurs.html . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Manu Ginobili Jersey . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. Drew Eubanks Jersey . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. William Pike has been described as being as reliable as a bank ATM: Back whatever he is on and collect. In Saturdays Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) in Perth, Western Australias premier jockey may validate the confidence of so many punters across the country yet again when he partners Perfect Reflection in the first feature of the citys Summer Racing Carnival at Perth.Now into the fourth month of the 2016-17 season, Pikes strike rate of 29.4 percent is as good as any jockey anywhere would imagine. Convert that to a run-rate and he would be knocking on the door of the Australian cricket team. For now, though, a second win in one of Perths toughest and most competitive races is where his mind is at with this $5.50 equal favourite.Im very much looking forward to riding her; she won the main lead-up race, the Lee Steere Classic [1400m, Group 2 on Nov. 5], and that was very good, Pike told ESPN of the four-year-old mares most recent performance.At the mile, I think it will be even better for her. And Ive got lucky with the [No. 2] barrier, too.The tougher Group 1 company may present another challenge, but the Grant and Alana Williams-trained mare stood up well enough to her first task at Group 3 level in Melbourne in February. Her third placing, beaten less than a length by Dont Doubt Mamma (twice a winner in Melbourne during the Spring Carnival) in The Vanity over 1400 metres at Flemington shouldnt be discounted.A blip on her record came when she finished well down the track in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (Flemington, 1600m) in March, but Pike says that it also shouldnt detract from assessing where she is currently at in her preparation.She went to Melbourne at the end of her campaign last time so it isnt fair to compare her then and now. She is a different horse now. With six Western Australian Derby trophies to his name, together with two Perth Cups, Pikes dominance of WA racing is most significantly stamped by his eight jockey premierships across the state.Pike broke a long-standing premiership record in the 2015-16 season with 118 winners in the Perth metropolitan area and more than 200 throughout Western Australia. Hes come a long way over a 16-year career, actually and figuratively.He grew up in the old gold mining town of Coolgardie, 550 kilometres east of Perth. Just as distant is his lineage to Hall of Fame jockey Jim Pike; the legendary rider of Phar Lap and a one- or two-degree relative of Williams grandfather. That association is more of a coincidence as a careeer in the racing saddle was never really on the radar for Willie.dddddddddddd.Not at all. My side of the family had nothing to do with racing. Id never been to a racecourse before I came to Perth and started my riding apprenticeship, the 30-year-old said.My uncle saw that I had always liked horses having done pony club and all of that sort of stuff and one day he said I want you to come and meet this person I know, referring to trainer Jack Cockell in Mundijong, situated 90 minutes south of Perth, and who became the WA champions mentor.The winners have kept rolling in. A riding-treble at Belmont last June was followed by a sextet of victories at Kalgoorlie in September. It all adds up to a list of profitable outings that any financial adviser would be more than proud of.But does being such a punters pal add to the pressure for an athlete still well in his prime, and did the prospect of smashing the local record result from a well laid plan?It did sort of just happen but a fair way out I still had my doubts, Pike said of his much lauded previous season. You have those patches where your form isnt so good, and at one point I was worried that I wouldnt even reach 100 [winners]. Somehow is then snowballed.Then they started saying that I was a chance to break the record. I didnt think that was going to happen but then I ended up putting a good margin on it. I did sort of just happen but definitely in between there are a lot of doubts.It all came about because I was able to stay out of the Stewards Room and from the ambulance, basically.Perhaps Pikes reliability emanates more from his attitude to race riding overall rather than just singling himself as a big race performer?Ive always just gone out and done my best no matter what the race is. My preparation for this Railway coming up is no different to any other that Ive ridden in. I want to win every race I go win, but I treat it like every other race just the same.I just want to do my best. I dont feel it [pressure] but sometimes when I go out on a short-priced horse -- and you know that its short because Im on it -- I feel like I want to do well for the punters, but it doesnt always happen.This Railway is a very hard race to win even if you have a good horse, and Im still going to need luck.Good luck, too, Willie. No doubt therell be plenty of others on the other side of the fence riding with you. ' ' '