SEARS POINT, Calif. -- Ryan Hunter-Reay left the last Verizon IndyCar Series race at Watkins Glen International on Sept. 4 having just learned that his title sponsor DHL was on the brink of signing a contract extension through the 2020 season with Andretti Autosport. It was great news.Since then:? He and his wife Beccy welcomed a third child to their Florida home, a healthy baby boy named Rhodes, on Wednesday.? Later the same day, Beccys father, Bob Gordon, and his wife perished in what Orange County (Calif.) police are calling a murder-suicide.? Friday was Beccys birthday. Thats the same day Ryan went back to work, stepping into his No. 28 DHL Honda Indy car across the country at Sonoma Raceway to practice for the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma.? Sunday afternoon, Hunter-Reay and the Andretti Autosport team signed the contract extension and made the news public.Few people have experienced the wide spectrum of emotions that have affected Hunter-Reay over the past few days, yet once strapped into his bright yellow race car at Sonoma, he was at his level-headed best.In a season when most Honda cars have struggled for qualifying speed on road courses, Hunter-Reay advanced to the Firestone Fast Six for only the third time this year.While he understandably misses his wife and family, being in the company of his extended work family has brought the driver comfort at a difficult time.Absolutely, Hunter-Reay said Sunday, speaking to a small group of reporters after the media conference to announce his contract extension.Especially to be surrounded by a group of people I work so well with. They feel like family; theyre my friends. I know this is not about me, but being here is what everyone wanted and it has been a great bit of relief.Nothing can really prepare you for any of it, but on the professional side, things are going in the right direction and todays announcement is great news, he added. Im very happy about this and obviously its been a lot of highs and some lows. Its just been a wild ride for the past week and a half.Hunter-Reay has been though his share of professional stress and strife. After winning an Indy car race as a rookie in 2003 in the Champ Car World Series, he struggled to maintain a foothold in the sport over the next few years.He caught a break when Rahal Letterman Racing signed him in mid-2007, but even though he won a race, that ride fell through when the sponsor pulled out of racing and he faced several winters of uncertainty.Michael Andretti scraped together enough backing to sign Hunter-Reay to a three-race deal at the start of 2011, and once again, RHR came through by posting a win at Long Beach in his third start. The Andretti/Hunter-Reay combination has been together ever since, with DHL signing on as title sponsor in 2012.Now the most experienced American driver in the IndyCar Series is contracted for three years as opposed to three races.I was on the brink there in 2006-07, Hunter-Reay admitted. I was maybe a month or two away from going and doing something else with my life when Bobby Rahal gave me the chance at Rahal Letterman. Every time I got in the car I knew I had to prove myself immediately because it wasnt going to be a two-year deal where I could just take my time to develop.That fighting mentality was instilled at that time, when I was given opportunities and not a lot of time to prove myself.Beccy was a big part of Ryans support network in those tough times, and now the couple are established in the fabric of the IndyCar Series. Having grown up in a racing family (Bob Gordon was a well-known off-road racer, and brother Robby is a former Indy car and NASCAR star), she understands why it was so important for Ryan to get back into his work environment this weekend.That didnt make it any easier for Ryan.Beccy is doing amazing, Ryan said. Shes strong, and focusing on a newborn baby has been a blessing at this time. Its amazing how strong she is, how strong Robby has been, and her sisters Robyn and Hailey. Its blown me away because this is nothing you can prepare for. This isnt as simple as a life passing.Team owner Michael Andretti had no doubt that Hunter-Reay would be in the car this weekend. As a former driver, Michael knows that being in the car is the best sanctuary during emotional times for a racer.Michael famously continued competing in the 1992 Indianapolis 500 after his father Mario and brother Jeff were both hospitalized with significant leg injuries from crashes.Hes a professional, Andretti said. He even made the comment that hes so happy to be here at the racetrack and getting back in the car because hes able to just focus on that. Thats the best medicine. I know how he feels; Ive been there where I had to focus when there were outside things. It was always good to get in and just do your job and I know thats the way it is with him.I truly believe hes one of the best and its very important to have a talent like him on your team, Andretti added. Now hes got stability as well and thats huge. Its big for him, its big for us, its big for the team itself.Now in the most secure position of his career, its likely that the best is yet to come for Hunter-Reay. Hes won 16 races and the 2012 championship, making him the most successful American driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series, and at age 35, hes just hitting his prime.Hes the lead driver for Hondas flagship Indy car team, putting him in prime position to capitalize if the manufacturer can gain the upper hand over its competition from Chevrolet.And even though he has been put through a world of worry in the last week, the next four years look pretty much care-free.To not stress about a contract, I cant tell you how beneficial it is to the racing side, Hunter-Reay said. You dont have to think about the pressure involved in that. You can just go out there and put everything on the line and you know that if you over step the edge or if you try to make that pass and it doesnt work out, its not going to blow back on you.I know when we get this program sorted, were going to contend for championships. DJ LeMahieu Jersey .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Andres Galarraga Jersey . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. https://www.cheaprockiesjerseys.us/374t-phil-diehl-jersey-rockies.html . The mixed zone is not a place to make friends. Matt Holliday Jersey . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Eric Young Jersey . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. SAN FRANCISCO -- Atlanta Braves interim manager Brian Snitker thought young right-hander Mike Foltynewicz won more than just a ballgame Saturday night.He noted that the 24-year-old should benefit from the conditions under which he excelled at AT&T Park.Now hes hoping for the same for his young Sunday starter, Aaron Blair.This environment is great. What a great place to play, Snitker said after Saturdays 3-1 win. Any time you experience this atmosphere here, it can do nothing but prepare you to be a major leaguer.Blair might not have been adequately prepared when he made his major-league debut earlier this season for the Braves.The 24-year-old failed to win any of his first 11 starts, running up a 0-5 record and a 7.99 ERA.One of those drubbings occurred at the hands of the Giants on June 2. It was in a matchup with the same guy that Blair will duel Sunday, Giants ace Madison Bumgarner.Bumgarner not only shut out the Braves that day in a 6-0 win but contributed one of the Giants three home runs off Blair, who allowed six runs, five hits and four walks in four innings.The rookie was sent to Triple-A later that month, and things havent gone appreciably better there. He was just 2-4 with a 5.98 ERA in nine starts before getting the call to show up in San Francisco on Sunday.If theres good news for Blair, its that hell face a Giants team thats a bit banged up.Right fielder Hunter Pence has missed the last two games with a hamstring strain. He had an MRI on Saturday and likely wontt do anything but possibly pinch hit Sunday.ddddddddddddAnd Giants first baseman Brandon Belt complained of a sore neck shortly before game time Saturday, which got him scratched from the starting lineup.The Giants also rested star catcher Buster Posey, which helped Foltynewiczs cause. He responded with 7 2/3 strong innings in the win.We were a little short-handed, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said afterward. Sure, you are going to miss those guys. It unfortunately happens once in a while. And it happened tonight to us.The loss dropped the Giants two games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West at a time when the schedule indicates San Francisco should be making up ground.But while the Dodgers were beating the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs on Saturday, the Giants were losing for a third time this season to the last-place Braves.A former Dodger contributed big-time to the Giants demise Saturday night.Former longtime Dodgers and San Diego Padres outfielder Matt Kemp belted the eighth career home run at AT&T Park, a three-run shot that provided all the Braves scoring in their win.Its fun to play here, Kemp said. Its always good to beat this team, quiet the crowd down. They get riled up when they get up.Kemp will be matched up Sunday with Bumgarner, against whom he has gone just 11-for-57 (.193) in his career but with two homers. ' ' '