IJR News

Hamlin seeks Brickyard win to complete Grand Slam

Denny Hamlin is chasing the NASCAR Grand Slam by winning the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, a feat accomplished by only four drivers, with his best IMS results being third place on multiple occasions and his 23XI team victory at Indianapolis complicating his personal pursuit. While leading the Cup Series standings and enjoying a strong season, Hamlin has yet to win at IMS, making the Brickyard 400 the last major hurdle in his Hall of Fame–caliber career.

Bubba Wallace Denny Hamlin

Jul 27, 2026

Columbus YouTubers Sentenced in Deer Poaching Case

Two Columbus YouTubers known as Creek Kings Outdoors, William Bethel and Justin Booth, pleaded guilty to 40 counts of poaching related to illegal deer hunts in Ohio, receiving about $29,000 in restitution, near $7,800 in fines, nine days in jail, five years of probation, and bans from Metro Parks and hunting privileges for five years. The case, built on a year-long cross-agency investigation and use of social-media video evidence, highlights enforcement efforts to protect deer-management programs and park safety in Ohio.

Jul 27, 2026

Motorsports

Brickyard 400 Prize, In-Season Finale

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hosting a multi-series race weekend, with NASCAR Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at IMS and the Craftsman Truck Series at nearby IRP, with qualifying orders and schedule details published. The Indy 500 delivered the closest finish in its 110-year history with Felix Rosenqvist narrowly beating David Malukas, while Ford sealed an all-Ford final in the NASCAR In-Season Challenge.

Denny Hamlin Todd Gilliland

Jul 27, 2026

AI

Korean Firms Seal $950B AI Memory Deals

Samsung Electro-Mechanics is expanding long-term contracts for AI server MLCCs, with recent deals around 300–450 billion won for 2027 delivery as it posts continued growth in AI infrastructure components and maintains a market share above 40%. The push toward sustained, large-scale supply agreements reflects a broader industry shift from short-term orders, with the company' s stock and strategic position responding to the robust demand from global AI data centers.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics

Jul 27, 2026

Hocevar nets 2026 Brickyard 400 pole; Spire sweeps

Carson Hocevar won the Brickyard 400 pole, giving Spire Motorsports a front-row sweep with teammate Daniel Suárez second and a speed of 186.598 mph, marking his third career pole. The result comes amid momentum for Spire and a separate legal clash with Joe Gibbs Racing over alleged data theft as the field lines up for Sunday's race, with Denny Hamlin in the top five and Tyler Reddick and Ty Gibbs just behind.

Denny Hamlin Carson Hocevar

Jul 26, 2026

Comic-Con Showcases Global Cosplay Amid Heat

San Diego Comic-Con showcases cosplayers who invest months and about $400 on outfits like Toothless, blending theater, music, and dance to bring characters to life. Attendees stress confidence and heat management, while on-site repair volunteers like Bryan Mero provide free, essential costume fixes to keep the creativity flowing.

San Diego Comic-Con International How to Train Your Dragon

Jul 26, 2026

Markets

AMD price targets raised after Advancing AI event

Analysts are increasingly bullish on AMD after the Advancing AI 2026 event, with targets raised across firms including UBS to $730, Jefferies to $640, and Benchmark/Jefferies noting leadership in AI hardware and partnerships with Anthropic and OpenAI. While sentiment is upbeat and AI momentum appears strong, valuation remains elevated with high P/E ratios and some reports cite substantial insider selling, signaling tempered risk awareness.

Jul 26, 2026

DNC

Boelter Sentenced in Minnesota Political Killings

Vance Boelter pleaded guilty to six federal charges for the politically motivated shootings that killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and seriously wounded a state senator and his wife; prosecutors seek two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years, with sentencing set for Thursday. Separate state charges remain pending, and authorities emphasize the attacks as a targeted assault on Minnesota’s lawmakers and democratic institutions.

John Hoffman Melissa Hortman

Jul 26, 2026

NASCAR

Hocevar Captures Brickyard 400 Pole

"Brickyard 400" weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway faces weather risk that could cancel Saturday Cup Series qualifying, with the starting lineup then set by the metric based on owner standings and recent results, while coverage highlights the race's 2.5-mile oval, TNT's 2:00 p.m. ET start, and expected broadcast details. The event also features full-entry weekends for the Truck and Cup series, notes on Garage 66’s part-time lineup and DNFs, and expert lineup and fantasy guidance for Bubba Wallace, Christopher Bell, and Kyle Larson ahead of a busy Brickyard slate.

Bubba Wallace

Jul 26, 2026

Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets nears Kirill Marchenko trade, Canadiens among teams

Columbus is reportedly close to trading Kirill Marchenko, with terms being negotiated as the winger sits between two teams in a move that would send a top-six scorer who tallied 27 goals and 40 assists last season, while entering the final year of his contract. The Montreal Canadiens loom as a primary suitor among several others, including the Rangers, Penguins, Panthers, Oilers and Leafs, as discussions accelerate despite earlier assurances he would remain with the Blue Jackets.

Don Waddell Kirill Marchenko

Jul 26, 2026

AI

Genesis Mission launched by White House with partners

Microsoft is committing $60 million to the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission to accelerate AI-enabled scientific research across 17 national laboratories, funding $40 million in Azure compute and AI credits and $20 million for engineering enablement, while launching SPARK to coordinate efforts between Microsoft and DOE. The Genesis Mission, launched by President Trump in 2025 as part of a broader federal push to create an AI Discovery Platform that doubles US research productivity within a decade, has drawn participation from major tech giants and is designed to integrate AI, data, and computing across federal labs.

United States Donald Trump

Jul 25, 2026

Bell tops Brickyard 400 practice; Toyota sweeps

Christopher Bell anchored a Toyota sweep of the top five in Brickyard 400 practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a 183.512 mph lap, signaling strong pace ahead of Sunday’s race. The session also featured incidents including Bubba Wallace and Shane van Gisbergen hitting the walls, Austin Cindric losing power, and other adjustments as teams prepare for qualifying.

Bubba Wallace John Hunter Nemechek

Jul 25, 2026

AI

OpenAI Plans $20–$30B Savannah Data Center

OpenAI plans a roughly $20 billion data center campus in Effingham County, Georgia, powered by 3.2 gigawatts from Georgia Power and delivered in phases from 2028 to 2032, with total costs potentially exceeding $30 billion as the company seeks financing partners. The project includes a 50% property tax abatement for 15 years, up to 1 GW of flexible demand response, an $80 million community fund, and about 400 long-term jobs, but has drawn concerns over public input and environmental impacts.

OpenAI Georgia

Jul 25, 2026

Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2026 Finalists

The Siena International Photo Awards festival wrapped three competitions—Siena, Creative Photo Awards, and Drone Photo Awards—with about 40,000 submissions from 163 countries, and winners will be announced October 10, 2026. In the Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest, nearly 4,000 submissions from 769 photographers across 66 countries have finalists across nine categories, with prizes including £10,000 for the overall winner and £1,500 per category, and the winning images will be displayed at London’s National Maritime Museum on September 17.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year Royal Observatory

Jul 24, 2026

Markets

HCA Healthcare Reports Strong Q2 Earnings, Revenue Rise

HCA Healthcare reported Q2 revenue of $20.23 billion, up 8.7% year over year, with net income of $1.699 billion and diluted EPS of $7.62, while adjusted EBITDA rose to $4.027 billion and the company kept its 2026 EPS guidance at $28.70–$30.50 as it cited higher uninsured volumes and lower surgical activity; the stock rose about 1.3%. Analysts pared their targets after softer Q2 results and guidance, with Wells Fargo trimming to $369 and Barclays to $402, while noting a need for stronger organic growth later in 2026.

United Kingdom Wells Fargo

Jul 24, 2026

Markets

Sapphire Foods India swings to ₹14 crore profit

Sapphire Foods India swung to profit in the April-June quarter, reporting 140.4 million rupees in net profit as revenue rose to about 8.91 billion rupees, helped by aggressive 99-rupee meal promotions that lifted same-store sales for both KFC and Pizza Hut. The company also posted improved margins and reiterated its ongoing merger discussions with Devyani International, with Q1 FY27 showing a strong bounce back from losses in the prior year.

India KFC