DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Given a break or two here or there, Martin Truex Jr. believes hed have a monster season. He is pretty thrilled about the one hes had so far, anyway.Truex capped a standout summer season with his first Southern 500 victory at Darlington Raceway on Sunday night. He had started things with a dominant, record-setting win at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend.Im just humbled, he said.He knows, though, it couldve been even bigger.Truex was a breath away from taking the Daytona 500 over Denny Hamlin to start the season, and had seven other top 10s this year.With the team we have and the way weve been running, we could honestly be sitting here with seven, eight, nine wins, Truex said. With that said, weve got two (victories) and I really feel like weve got a legitimate shot at this championship.Truex will certainly be a strong contender when the 10-race Chase for a Championship starts at Chicagoland Speedway in two weeks. He reached the final race in Homestead last year among the last four standing and thinks everyone in the program has worked to improve their chances.Its been a good season, but it definitely could be a great season, he said.It was Truexs fifth career win and the second time his single-car Furniture Row Racing team has taken the checkered flag at the track Too Tough To Tame.Crew chief Cole Pearn guided Regan Smith to victory lane here in 2011. Then, the team was a novelty, a fun, fish-out-of-water tale of the little team that won a big race.Now, tiny Furniture Row is poised for a significant run as NASCARs best.To win two crown jewel races like this in one season is something youll never forget for sure, Pearn said. Youve got to take the highs when theyre here and then get back to work.---Things learned from the Southern 500.CHASE CHATTER: With one race left before NASCARs playoffs, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray remain the final three winless drivers who would qualify for the 16-team field. Ryan Newman is the first driver out, seven points behind McMurray heading to Richmond next Saturday night.SMOKE WILL BE MISSED: Tony Stewart will leave Sprint Cup without a victory at Darlington after finished 35th on Sunday night when his engine overheated and he went behind the wall. He was asked to the NASCAR hauler after spinning Brian Scott earlier in the race and when asked what happened, said simply, He wrecked.A TASTE OF SUCCESS: Kyle Larson nearly made it two straight wins before finishing third Sunday. The young driver, who earned his first Sprint Cup win last week at Michigan, led 45 laps and was out front with 38 laps to go. All in all, it was good to be a contender two weeks in a row, he said.THROWBACK CITY: The Southern 500s second straight throwback-themed weekend again looked like a success. The nostalgic paint schemes like the Matt Kenseths Tide Ride or Kevin Harvicks Busch Beer car thrilled fans and competitors both. Plus, drivers and teams took things deeper this year with vintage crew uniforms and crazy costumes. This is such a fun weekend with the throwback stuff, Larson said.DALE JR. COMEBACK: Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke at Darlington Raceway about three hours before the Southern 500 -- and two days after announcing ongoing recovery from a concussion had ended his season -- pledging that he intends to return to the Sprint Cup Series next February at the Daytona 500. Earnhardt said, at 41, his heart is still in racing and he believes hes as good as hes ever been behind the wheel. Doctors told him back during a previous concussion in 2012 hed return to form and Earnhardt says hes been told that once more. Earnhardt has heard others wonder if it is better for him to walk away instead of coming back. The sports most popular driver said hes got unfinished business to complete. Stitched Rockies Jerseys . The Barrie Colts defenceman, who impressed many with his play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship, is the top-ranked skater in the February rankings. He has 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 45 games with the Colts this season. Rockies Jerseys China . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. https://www.cheaprockiesjerseys.us/ . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Colorado Rockies Pro Shop . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Colorado Rockies Shirts .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. Immediately after a knockout win over Hector Lombard at UFC 199 in June, Dan Henderson stood in the Octagon and said he didnt know if hed ever fight again.Later that evening, Michael Bisping won the middleweight title and everything changed.Henderson, 46, will challenge Bisping for the 185-pound championship at UFC 204 this weekend in Manchester. Its a fight that never would have happened were it not for a bit of history between the two that dates back seven years.In 2009, Henderson floored Bisping with a right hand at UFC 100. It was arguably the highlight of Hendersons career, not to mention Bispings most memorable loss. That storyline opened the door for a Henderson title shot -- and one more trip to the Octagon.Win or lose, Henderson has said this will be the last fight of his career. Lets take a closer look at Hendos curtain call. Dont agree with the picks? Let me know on Twitter: @bokamotoESPN.Main eventMichael Bisping (29-7) vs. Dan Henderson (32-14) Middleweight championship Odds: Bisping -245; Henderson +205Its kind of crazy to think about: Bisping, at 37, is still younger than Henderson was the first time they fought.Henderson says constant questions and comments about his age have made him laugh in recent years, but can you really blame anyone for marveling at Dangerous Dans longevity? At 46, hes the oldest active fighter in the UFC.They say power is the last thing to go in a fighter, and boy has that rang true with Hendo. He is still always one right hand away from rewriting everything we think we know about a perceived outcome. And while his strategy to land that right hand has gotten somewhat predictable (knock an opponent off-balance with an inside leg kick, follow with the hammer), its worth noting his three recent finishes came under variations of that.Against Mauricio Shogun Rua?in their rematch, Henderson showed how lethal he can still be coming off a clinch and landing that right. Against an uber-aggressive Tim Boetsch (poor Boetsch, I think he overestimated how far gone Hendos chin was), Henderson landed the right hand as a counter, while in the process of moving backwards. And against Lombard in June, Henderson threw a head kick, followed by a clubbing back elbow he later said hed never practiced before.So, lets not completely relegate his chances of dethroning Bisping to that patented inside leg kick, overhand right combo -- but to be fair, yes, of course, were likely to see a lot of it.And right now, its difficult to bet on Bisping fallling victim to that again.dddddddddddd Possible? Certainly, yes. But were talking about a version of Bisping whose feints and footwork have navigated the treacherous waters of Anderson Silva counters and Luke Rockhold liver kicks in 2016. This is a very confident Bisping, one who has improved his wrestling since the first Henderson fight -- and is still, dont forget, nine years younger.Age and experience played to Hendersons favor at UFC 100. That was a big spot for Bisping at the time, fighting a former Pride champion on the biggest card in UFC history. He wasnt nearly as accustomed to the bright lights as Henderson was, and it showed. Bisping has talked exhaustively about being overtrained for that fight. He had signs of fatigue after the first round, which is highly uncharacteristic of him.This time, age is firmly in Bispings corner. Hendersons chin has been questionable for awhile. Even though he beat Lombard in his most recent fight rather spectacularly, he was also dropped in the first round, again. Although few expect this fight to go the distance, a five-round fight absolutely favors Bisping. Speed favors Bisping. And even the clinch, where Henderson holds a world class Greco-Roman background, Bisping wont be a fish out of water like he was in 2009 when they first met.Henderson generates a lot of power in small opportunities. Its a loaded gun at all times. Bispings defense will be heavily focused on that right hand though, and his feints have the ability to remove an opponents weapons by virtually not even giving them the opportunity to comfortably throw them. He will not be an easy target for the H Bomb, Hendersons vaunted right hand.Prediction: If Henderson wins, it will be pandemonium -- and perfectly in line with the upset-filled 2016 weve witnessed. But ... BISPING VIA THIRD-ROUND TKO.Featured undercard boutsVitor Belfort (25-12) vs. Gegard Mousasi (39-6-2), middleweights Belforts last performance against Ronaldo Souza in May left a lot to be desired. Hell have to look much, much better to have a shot against the well-rounded Mousasi. Prediction: Mousasi via TKO, round two.Jimi Manuwa (15-2) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (19-8), light heavyweights? Saint Preux has looked like a competent grappler and a complete novice, depending on whom hes fighting. It might be on his side in this matchup. Prediction: St. Preux submission. ' ' '