Winning the Indianapolis 500 often takes the right mix of aggressiveness and patience. For those who keep trying to win the race, they learn with every run. So when someone asks who has the best chance to become a first-time winner, the first thought goes to those with experience. That had a big influence on this list of the 10 drivers most likely to win their first Indy 500 this weekend. There are only nine winners in the race and 24 drivers are looking for their first win. Long shots (in alphabetical order): Jacob Abel, Marcus Armstrong, Caio Collet, Louis Foster, Romain Grosjean, Jack Harvey, Dennis Hauger, Katherine Legge, Christian Rasmussen, Sting Ray Robb, Mick Schumacher, Nolan Siegel, Kyffin Simpson and Rinus VeeKay Here are the 10 drivers that I believe have a chance to get their first Indy 500 win, along with their odds. 10. Graham RahalRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing No. 15 Honda80/1 (bet $10 to win $810 total) Rahal has just three top 10s in 18 starts in this race and has led only eight laps in his last seven starts. But if things fall into his hands, he won’t necessarily fumble it. 9. Ed CarpenterECR No. 33 Chevrolet40/1 (bet $10 to win $410 total) This will be Carpenter’s 23rd start. He led 65 laps in 2018 when he won the pole for the third time in this race. He hasn’t finished better than 15th since 2021. But he knows how to handle the car well at max speed and shouldn’t let the pressure get to him. 8. Christian LundgaardArrow McLaren No. 7 Chevrolet40/1 (bet $10 to win $410 total) In one race with Arrow McLaren, Lundgaard started eighth and finished seventh. He has strong support and resources at Arrow McLaren and his nerves of steel will help if he finds himself near the front at the end. 7. Conor DalyDreyer & Reinbold Racing No. 23 Chevrolet15/2 (bet $10 to win $85 total) Daly has led laps in four of the last five Indy 500s with a best finish of sixth in 2022. The fact he hasn’t raced at all this year makes one wonder if he can go 200 laps without an error. He certainly could make it exciting. 6. Kyle KirkwoodAndretti Global No. 27 Honda30/1 (bet $10 to win $310 total) Kirkwood has one top-15 finish (a seventh in 2024) in his four career Indy 500 starts. He hasn’t been great at Indy but he does have six career victories and clearly knows how to win. 5. Felix RosenqvistMeyer Shank Racing No. 60 Honda12/1 (bet $10 to win $130 total) Rosenqvist has had incredible qualifying speed at Indy but that hasn’t translated into being in the mix deep into the race. He’s only been running at the finish once in the last three years. If he is near the front, he has a shot. 4. Santino FerrucciA.J. Foyt Racing No. 14 Chevrolet11/1 (bet $10 to win $120 total) The fact that Ferrucci has finished top 10 in all his Indy 500s shows he’s someone who can’t be counted out. And the fact that he’s been known to make a daring move can’t be overstated because daring moves can win the 500. 3. David MalukasTeam Penske No. 12 Chevrolet8/1 (bet $10 to win $90 total) He’s got the speed and he’s got the car. But he only has three Indy 500s worth of experience. And he’s never won an INDYCAR race. A first win at the 500 wouldn’t be unprecedented. 2. Scott McLaughlinTeam Penske No. 3 Chevrolet10/1 (bet $10 to win $90 total) McLaughlin has the experience of being on the pole at Indianapolis. He has the experience of leading 66 laps in 2024. He has won races in INDYCAR. He drives for Penske. What’s not to like? 1. Pato O’WardArrow McLaren No. 5 Chevrolet6/1 (bet $10 to win $70 total) Of all the drivers in the field who have come close and haven’t won it, O’Ward would be the one that most would point to as having the most heartbreak at Indy. He’s been passed in the final laps a couple of times and watched a potential victory slip away. If he wins, it would be no surprise. And it would be a heck of a celebration.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
The Chicks singer is back in political controversy territory after posting a fiery anti-Trump message that included a brutal censored insult and references to January 6. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
The Chicks singer is back in political controversy territory after posting a fiery anti-Trump message that included a brutal censored insult and references to January 6. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Texas Roadhouse is one of the most popular casual restaurant chains, but there’s always room for improvement. Follow these tips for ordering the best steak.
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We have troubling news to report from the world of reality TV today.
90 Day Fiance star Jenny Slatten has revealed that she’s been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The reality star shared the devastating update alongside husband Sumit Singh ahead of their return to 90 Day: The Last Resort, which premieres next month.
Jenny Slatten revealed today that she’s battling a terminal illness. (TLC/YouTube)
According to Jenny and Sumit, the first warning signs appeared back in December 2024.
Sumit said Jenny first choked “badly” while drinking water before later experiencing migraines and increasing difficulty swallowing pills.
At first, the couple assumed it was some sort of infection, and briefly thought medication had improved her condition. But things eventually took a more frightening turn when Jenny’s speech noticeably slowed.
“That’s when we knew something was wrong,” Jenny recalled in an interview with People.
Fans may have been among the first people to suspect something serious was happening.
During a December 2025 90 Day Fiance holiday event in New York, viewers noticed changes in Jenny’s speech and began voicing concern online.
While Sumit initially believed exhaustion from travel was to blame, one commenter suggested ALS, prompting him to research the disease himself.
“And then I find out that these symptoms she was having — this is what it looks like,” Sumit said.
The realization carried an especially painful weight for Jenny because her father died from ALS more than a decade ago.
After returning to India, where the couple currently lives, Jenny sought multiple medical opinions before doctors ultimately confirmed the diagnosis.
“We cried and held each other,” Jenny said of the moment they learned the truth. She admitted the diagnosis has left both of them feeling “scared” about what lies ahead.
There is at least one small piece of encouraging news.
According to Sumit, doctors have told them the progression of Jenny’s ALS appears to be “slow.” The couple is now exploring treatment options, possible medications, and genetic testing, which may help determine whether Jenny qualifies for therapies designed to slow the disease’s progression.
“Right now we’re just looking and searching,” Jenny explained, adding that by sharing her story publicly, she hopes “maybe somebody will come forward with something” that could help.
In the wake of the devastating diagnosis, Jenny is asking that fans help her preserve her sense of normalcy.
“I don’t want to be treated any different,” she said. “Let’s just live our life as we have been while we can.”
But as Jenny faces the biggest challenge of her life, Sumit says his longtime partner has his full love and support.
“Honestly, I never felt this much love, or I can love anyone this much,” Sumit says.
“I used to … live for myself. But from [the] last so many years, I feel like doing [things] for someone who you love gives you happiness, I think that’s what love is. And that’s why we do things for each other, and that’s what make each other happy.”
“And we’re happy that we’re together,” Jenny added.
We wish Jenny and Sumit all the best as they face this next challenge together.
American Idol winner Hannah Harper has announced plans for her String Cheese Tour and is also set to make her Grand Ole Opry debut this summer.
Just days after being crowned the winner of American Idol, Harper shared an emotional statement announcing the milestone moment, which is set for June 2 at the Grand Ole Opry alongside American Idol judge, Grand Ole Opry member, and country superstar Carrie Underwood, as well as newly crowned ACM Female Artist of the Year Avery Anna.
“AHHHHH!!!! I truly don’t know if this will ever feel real… On June 2nd, I get to debut at the Grand Ole Opry,” Harper began. “What an overwhelming honor it is to step into that circle that carries so much history, legacy, and heart within country music.”
Photo Courtesy of Hannah Harper
She went on to reflect on how she has dreamed of this moment for as long as she can remember, sharing her gratitude for everything unfolding in her life.
“As a little girl, this was one of those dreams that felt far too big to even speak out loud. Yet somehow, the Lord has continued to write a story bigger than anything I could have imagined for myself. There truly couldn’t be a more meaningful place to step into this next chapter than the Grand Ole Opry,” she wrote.
While speaking with Country Now ahead of her American Idol crowning moment, Harper revealed that performing at the Opry was one of her biggest post-show goals.
Photo Courtesy Hannah Harper
“The Opry is the goal. After that, I can just quit,” she joked. “The Opry is, I mean, that’s the biggest stage in country music in my eyes, the most honored, and it would just make my whole life to get to perform on that stage. That would be a huge honor, but that is definitely the goal.”
Along with her Opry debut, Harper also unveiled plans for her String Cheese Tour, which kicks off with her Opry performance and runs through November 14, with dates scheduled across the U.S.
“Check the dates and see if we’re headed to your neck of the woods!! We seriously cannot wait to see y’all out on the road this year,” she shared.
Hannah Harper String Cheese Tour
Hannah Harper captured the hearts of millions on American Idol with her audition performance of her original song “String Cheese,” which details emotions she felt after the birth of her first son. Throughout the season, she continued to impress both judges and fans with standout performances of country classics and fan favorites.
If you’ve ever spotted green price tags at Costco and wondered what they’re for, look no further. We have the answers to all your color-coded questions.
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Alaska’s lieutenant governor maintains an office at the state Capitol in Juneau on the same floor as the governor. (Photo by James Brooks for Northern Journal)
Matt Heilala, a Republican and a podiatrist, says he’s running to be the next governor of Alaska, and he’s put up real cash to back it up: He’s invested more than $1 million of his own money in his campaign.
But officially, Heilala isn’t a candidate. And he won’t be until he’s found someone to join his ticket as a candidate for lieutenant governor. That’s because state law requires a running mate before filing an official declaration of candidacy for governor.
With the June 1 filing deadline looming, Heilala is not alone. Of 18 candidates who say they’re seeking to succeed GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who is termed out, just five have announced running mates — leaving more than a dozen candidates with just two more weeks to find one.
Heilala said that at one point, he’d secured a “high-profile” Republican who initially agreed to join the ticket before backing out weeks later, just before an announcement. Others have volunteered who just haven’t been the right fit — one who, Heilala said, was “kind of lazy,” and another with “kind of a sordid background as a politician.”
Heilala, who’s never held elected office, said he’s looking for a running mate with “new and young energy.” But, he added, it’s been hard to find someone who will settle for the $140,000 lieutenant governor salary, when people in their 30s and 40s are in their “prime earning years.”
“They come back and say, ‘You know what? This would be a $50,000 to $70,000 pay cut for me,’” Heilala said. “You don’t want someone as a running mate where the worst-case scenario is that we win.”
The job of Alaska’s lieutenant governor involves supervising the agency that runs state elections and regulating use of the state seal; they also finish out a four-year term if a governor resigns or dies.
The state seal. (Photo by James Brooks for Northern Journal)
The current matchmaking process is a relatively new development in Alaska politics. It’s an artifact of a successful 2020 citizens initiative that redesigned state-level elections to include a nonpartisan primary, plus the use of ranked choice voting in the general election.
Prior to that initiative, gubernatorial and lieutenant governor candidates ran in separate party primaries, with the winners merging their campaigns for the general. The 2022 gubernatorial election was the first in which candidates paired up before the primary — but with Dunleavy seeking re-election, the field was far smaller, without much jockeying for running mates.
This time, 12 Republican candidates have said they’re running, plus three Democrats and three independents.
None of the Democratic candidates — former state Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, former state Sen. Tom Begich and current state Sen. Matt Claman — have announced a running mate.
On the Republican side, longtime political operative and activist Bernadette Wilson, one of the party’s frontrunners, picked former state Sen. Mike Shower as her running mate in September.
Former state Sen. Click Bishop recently announced that he’s running with Greta Schuerch, an independent who works in a leadership position for the company that runs Red Dog, one of Alaska’s largest mines. Former state Sen. Shelley Hughes last month said that she’d picked a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, Blake Gettys, as her running mate.
But several other top GOP candidates, like former attorney general Treg Taylor, former revenue commissioner Adam Crum and current Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, have yet to announce their selections.
At this point, with so many candidates in the race, recruiting is “tricky,” said Suzanne Downing, a conservative political writer who’s highlighted the running mate-less candidates on her website.
“Anybody who’s qualified for that job and smart enough is probably going to say, ‘Gee, 18 people in the race,’” Downing said. “It’s a big risk for anybody to put their name in the hat.”
One Republican who found himself on the end of multiple recruiting efforts was Rick Whitbeck, a former vice chairman of the state party who recently left a job as state director for U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III.
“I got three calls in less than three weeks,” Whitbeck said in a phone interview. By calling him, he quipped, the gubernatorial hopefuls were “going deep into their bag of candidates.”
The calls were exploratory more than they were outright job offers, Whitbeck said.
“You know, ‘What do you think my chances are? What do you think you could add to the ticket?’” he said. “They were good conversations — I would say they were serious, but I don’t think they were looking for an answer or offering the position outright.”
Whitbeck ended up taking a job with a trawl fisheries nonprofit, leaving the GOP lieutenant governor recruiting pool even smaller.
With two weeks to go, political observers say that one logical outcome is for some of the running mate-less candidates to combine their campaigns.
“In both parties there are credible, capable candidates who, if they pair up before June 1, can probably strengthen their ticket,” said Mead Treadwell, who served as lieutenant governor under Republican Sean Parnell between 2010 and 2014. “I would say that’s the race right now, for combinations that can consolidate votes.”
Meda DeWitt, a traditional Tlingit healer who’s running for governor as an independent, said she’s been asked by “a few of the other candidates” to be their running mate. DeWitt says she’s amenable to the idea, but her allies don’t want her to take a back seat, she said.
“People who are around me, who are advising me, who are supporters and have their ears to the ground say there’s a good buzz around me being an Alaska Native person at the top of the ticket,” DeWitt said. “They would not have the same excitement if it was same old, same old at the top of the ticket.”
DeWitt said her own recruitment process is ongoing.
Her “shining star” pick for a running mate had work commitments they couldn’t abandon, she said. In a meeting with her advisors last week, they together picked three other top options whom DeWitt now plans to ask.
“What I’m looking for isn’t just an appendage,” she said. “What I’m looking for is someone who can actually be a teammate who can dig in, because there’s so much work to do.”
Heilala acknowledged having his own conversations about merging his campaign with other gubernatorial candidates — including one he said he had with Taylor, the former attorney general. But after a discussion about becoming Taylor’s lieutenant governor running mate, Heilala’s own advisors thought he would make the better gubernatorial candidate, he said.
“I hate to use phraseology, but I’m the change agent. I’m not the status quo guy. And I bring a very different skill set,” Heilala said. “I can’t be coaching them along from the backseat with things that I bring to the table.”
A spokesman for Taylor, Evan Lee, responded to an interview request about lieutenant governor recruitment and Heilala’s comments with a prepared statement saying that “we’re excited about the momentum behind the campaign and the team coming together for the fall.”
“We’ll share more on the ticket in due course,” Lee said. “Right now, Treg is focused on the fundamentals of winning a statewide race: communicating a clear message, raising the resources to compete, and earning voters’ trust across Alaska.”
Begich, one of the leading Democrats in the race, said he’s also been asked by another candidate about his interest in merging tickets and running as lieutenant governor. His answer: “I’m not looking for any job. I’m looking for this job.”
Begich said that after direct conversations with five different people, he’s chosen a running mate. He’ll reveal their identity, he added, in an announcement May 27th.
Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@gmail.com or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Herz. Subscribe at this link.
Charly Reynolds has stepped into a new era of her musical journey, one led by intention, honest storytelling and a growing confidence. That shift is already showing up in her newest releases, including the playful “Stir the Pot” and the deeply personal “House to Come Home to.”
The latter of the two tracks dropped last fall and finds Reynolds reflecting on her personal journey with navigating her parents’ divorce. The song opens with her painting a picture of finding out the news at six years old and trying to come to terms with the fact that she will forever have the daunting task of choosing which house to go home to.
Charly Reynolds; Photo by Madelyn Hanson
“That idea kind of came to me in the fall and just about my dad moving to North Carolina, which makes it a little harder going back home because now there’s two different states to go home to. And it can be hard as a child of divorce to just make everyone happy. And you kind of have this feeling like you have to make everyone happy all the time and be equal time and that can be hard,” she admitted to Country Now.
With the help of co-writers Melody Federer and Dirty Rice, “House To Come Home To” came to life and quickly became one of Reynolds’ favorites.
“I think it’s something that is so hard to write about sometimes. And there’s not a lot of songs for divorce. RaeLynn’s ‘Love Triangle’ was always like my go-to growing up. I mean that song, if I want to cry, that’s the song I’m putting on. And so I kind of wanted my own story and my own song of that, and that’s where it came from.”
Charly Reynolds; House To Come Home To
The Florida native shifted gears when she dropped “Stir The Pot,” offering a more playful lighthearted energy inspired by the unscripted reality show, The Real Housewives. With a buoyancy in her voice, Reynolds offers a hilarious take on a small-town that’s built around a larger-than-life gossip queen that everyone knows. Through witty, vivid lyrics, the song paints a picture of “Betty,” “the woman who knows it all” and has a habit of spilling everyone’s secrets to her hairdresser.
While she may not be the most subtle or self-aware character, the song makes it clear that she is an essential part of every town, where news travels fast and no secret stays safe for long.
“She’ll start a little whisper, gets it blowin’ up the block/ Got a gossip garden growing in the Baptist parking lot/ She’s gonna judge you if you smoke it/ And she just might call the cops/ That woman she can’t cook but she can really stir the pot,” Reynolds sings on the chorus.
Charly Reynolds; Stir The Pot
The rising star admitted to having a strong attachment to the kind of reality shows she describes as “trash TV.” One day when she was tuned into The Real Housewives, she heard one of the characters say “she can’t cook, but she can stir the pot” and a lightbulb instantly went off.
“I was like, I’m writing that down. Don’t know what it’s going to be about, but I think that’s really funny. And so brought it to a write with Jessi Pugh and Blaine Younger and it just all came out,” she recalled. “We’re like, let’s just write about the small town drama and gossip. And it turned into one of my favorite songs immediately. And I love songs where I just get to create a character like Betty, the Lady in the song.”
Following the song’s release, an accompanying music video arrived that perfectly captures the wit and humor of the song as Reynolds steps into the role of the hairdresser who’s being fed all the town’s gossip. The minute Betty steps into the salon for her appt, she begins to spill all the tea to anyone who will listen.
The “Rodeo” singer explains that the video was just as fun to bring to life as the song itself because it was filmed alongside her friends who also tried their hand at acting.
“It is hilarious and different than my other ones because there’s actors in it who are just friends of mine that I was like, ‘You can do this. You would be a great actor in it.’ And they killed it,” she gushed.
Reynolds also joked that she took her character very seriously and quickly learned that trying to emulate a real hairdresser was no easy task.
“Honestly, it was so hard to do foils. I was like pretending with conditioner and I thought I could do it very easily and it was literally like the hardest thing I’ve ever done. So my real hairdresser friend put some in, so it looked like I could maybe do a little bit. Yeah, it was fun.”
Both “Stir the Pot” and “House to Come Home to” set the tone for the direction Charly Reynolds is moving in. She teased that there are a few more singles on the way that she is “very excited about” and those will eventually lead to her next album, set to arrive next spring.
“I feel like this music is very me and it tells like my actual stories. With the last album, I didn’t really care about that as much. I just wanted to write good songs and songs that I loved. But this one really, I resonate with each song a lot. And I just put a lot of work into being a better songwriter and being honest, I think is the biggest part. And “House to Come Home to” was like the start of that,” Reynolds shared. “I just love this new music and it’s very fun.”
She did make sure to note that her next single to be released is one that offers a bit more sarcasm and offers a “fun, Shania [Twain] vibe.” Fans will have to stay tuned to learn more about that and all the other new music currently in the works.
Reynolds has a slew of shows to look forward to in the coming months, including a free intimate performance at the L27 Rooftop Lounge as part of the 27LIVE Powered by Country Now. This stripped-back show will take place Tuesday, June 30 at the L27 Rooftop Lounge. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
