Unser Chat » Regan Smith on standby should the four-time

CONCORD, N.C. -- Sprint Cup points leader Jeff Gordon cut short his practice because of back spasms and the No. 24 team has Regan Smith on standby should the four-time champion not be able to run the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night. Gordon went just 11 laps Saturday before he told his crew he couldnt continue. He left out of a side door of his hauler and was escorted out of the track to get treatment. Crew chief Alan Gustafson said the team would not run the car in the final practice session and instead will get it ready for Sundays race. "Ive had some spasms in the past, but this one, it was a little bit different," said the 42-year-old Gordon. "And so I just want to really be cautious and take care of it. It doesnt do me any good to be in the car right now." Gustafson said the plan was for Gordon to start the longest event in NASCAR. Should the pain be too much, then Smith would take over the Hendrick Motorsports car. Gustafson said Gordon felt back pain after qualifying Thursday night and had hoped things would improve before Saturdays practice sessions. But "after the first run, we talked about it and it was pretty detrimental to him physically to continue," Gustafson said. Gordon said on Twitter he planned to rest and "be ready for 600 miles 2moro." The four-time series champion is having one of the steadiest starts of his career with eight top-10 finishes in the first 11 races. Gordon moved into the points lead following a second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in early April and hes stayed out front ever since. He cemented his place in the Sprint Cups championship Chase two weeks ago with a victory at Kansas Speedway. Gordon will start 27th and hope his back holds out for 400 laps around the 1.5-mile race track. "Luckily, we had a good 11 laps there and weve got our teammates and information that were going to be able to gather from them," Gordon said. "Its all coming together very fast right now." Gordon has had back spasms in the past and even considered retiring because of the severe pain. Regular treatment has kept the pain mostly in check and Gustafson hopes that will be the case again for Sunday. Doctors "will get him in the best condition he can and get him ready to run tomorrow," Gustafson said. This weeks race marks the 20th anniversary of Gordons first Sprint Cup victory. His crew chief then, Ray Evernham, said Gordon is much tougher than some believe and has raced through illness and pain before. "We won the Southern 500 (at Darlington) when he started throwing up halfway" through the race, said Evernham, currently working for Hendrick Motorsports. Evernham said Gordon believes his car is ready and is being smart by not hurting himself further by practicing. "Hell do everything he needs to do to get to feeling good and I know him and tomorrow night in that car, he may need some help getting out of it, but when hes in it, hes going to be at 100 per cent," Evernham said. Minkah Fitzpatrick Youth Jersey .com) - Jeff Teague finished with a game-high 26 points and eight assists as the Atlanta Hawks held off the Utah Jazz, 98-92, on Friday. Reshad Jones Jersey . Cleveland has won the first two of this set and has won six straight games since losing back-to-back tilts to open the year. Seattle, on the other hand, has now lost six in a row following consecutive wins to kick off its campaign. http://www.authenticdolphinspro.com/Bob-griese-dolphins-jersey/ . A better question yet may be this: How many times has the same player been involved in both? Morneau hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning and helped the Colorado Rockies turn the third triple play in team history as they beat the San Diego Padres 8-6 on Sunday. Bob Griese Youth Jersey . Not because it was right, but because referees werent allowed to determine it was wrong. Durham Smythe Jersey . -- Falcons running back Steven Jackson, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury, is expected to practice on Wednesday. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Michael Brantley gets to head home celebrating a game-winning hit instead of dwelling on a rare error. Brantley atoned for a dropped fly ball by hitting a two-run single in the ninth inning off new Oakland closer Jim Johnson that helped the Cleveland Indians salvage a split of a day-night doubleheader with a 6-4 win over the Athletics in the nightcap Wednesday. "Its just a never-die attitude, never quit, always picking each other up and always fighting to the end," Brantley said. "What we did tonight was fun. It was special, and hopefully well use that momentum to keep going." Scott Kazmir (1-0) pitched 7 1-3 scoreless innings against his former team in his Oakland debut to help the As win the opener 6-1. They appeared to be on their way to a sweep when they took a 4-3 lead into the ninth with help from Brantleys dropped fly ball. But Johnson allowed back-to-back singles to Ryan Raburn and Nick Swisher to open the inning. After a one-out walk to Carlos Santana loaded the bases, Brantley grounded a single to right field to give the Indians the lead. "Any time you can win a game its always great, but especially in a doubleheader," said Mike Aviles, who homered earlier in the game. "Last thing you want to do is get on that plane after losing two." David Murphy added a sacrifice fly to end Johnsons night to a chorus of boos. Johnson also allowed two runs in the ninth inning to take the loss on opening night and is 0-7 with a 7.94 ERA in 17 games against the Indians. More importantly for As fans he has lost twice since taking over from Grant Balfour as closer. "We should be 3-0 and I take responsibility," Johnson said. "But if I sulk or pout its not going to do anyone any good. I have to be better." Cody Allen (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and John Axford got three outs for his second save. The As had taken the lead when Brantley dropped a fly ball in left-centre that allowed Josh Donaldson to reach second and ended a club-record streak of 247 games in the outfield without an error. "They both called it at the same time," manager Terry Francona said. "Probably the most conscientious guy on the field is kicking himself. For him to get a hit like thaat was really great.dddddddddddd" Donaldson later scored on Brandon Moss single that made it 4-3. The teams played the earliest doubleheader in baseball history following the first rainout in Oakland since May 5, 1998, on Tuesday night. The previous earliest doubleheader came on April 7 in 1971, 74 and 96, according to STATS. Kazmir started the day off on the right note for Oakland, allowing three hits and no walks in 7 1-3 scoreless innings. He signed a $22 million, two-year contract in the off-season to replace All-Star Bartolo Colon in the rotation. Kazmirs importance in the rotation only grew when projected opening day starter Jarrod Parker was lost to a season-ending elbow injury and starter A.J. Griffin opened the season on the disabled list. "You always want to make that good first impression and thats what he did," catcher Derek Norris said. "If he had any type of pressure on his shoulders to do something good I think thats pretty much eliminated." Alberto Callaspo hit a two-run homer for the Athletics. Corey Kluber (0-1) failed to make it out of the fourth inning and lost for the first time in 13 starts since June 27. He gave up five runs and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings. He was hurt by a nearly five-minute replay delay in the second inning. The disputed play came with runners on first and third and one out when Josh Donaldson hit a grounder to third. Carlos Santana threw home and umpire Mark Wegner ruled that Gomes tagged Norris before he touched home. As manager Bob Melvin challenged the call but the ruling stood after a review of about 4 minutes, 45 seconds, because there was no conclusive evidence to overturn it. Kluber allowed an RBI single to Lowrie after the delay to fall behind 3-0. "By that point it was apparent I was searching and I dont think that had anything to do with it," Kluber said. "That being said, I thought it took way too long. It took away from the flow of the game and thats what they are trying to avoid." NOTES: Brantleys previous error came on June 3, 2012, against Minnesota. ... The Indians won a replay challenge in the second game when replay showed Nick Punto missed the tag on Aviles on a steal attempt of second base. Cleveland failed to score after the challenge. ' ' '