Kobe Bryant is ready to cap a busy week by moving past another great on the NBAs career scoring list. Custom Utah Jazz Jerseys .Bryant needs just nine points in the Los Angeles Lakers game at Minnesota on Sunday night to surpass Michael Jordan, who is third on the leagues career scoring charts with 32,292 points.Its a huge honour to be here in this position, Bryant said this week. I cant believe Ive scored that many points, especially from where my career started, not playing and things like that. Its a huge honour. It wasnt something I thought about growing up as a kid. It was championships. The numbers arent something Ive ever started out to accomplish.Yet Bryant is poised to add another big number to his five NBA championship rings when the Lakers visit the Timberwolves.The 36-year-old Bryant likely would have surpassed Jordan a year ago, but he has made an impressive return from two major injuries which limited him to six games in an 18-month stretch before the start of this season. He even led the league in scoring until recently, dropping back to third with 25.4 points per game.Bryant stays in regular contact with Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Hornets, and has gained insight into the six-time NBA champions longevity.I think were both cursed with the obsession of trying to be the best that we can, Bryant said. Its a blessing and a curse at the same time.Lakers coach Byron Scott was there at Madison Square Garden for Bryants first NBA point when they were teammates in 1996, and he looks forward to witnessing Kobes latest achievement.From my standpoint and knowing Kobe like I do, I know he has an extreme amount of respect for MJ, Scott said. Hes probably the one guy Kobe wants to pass in a number of categories, and I think rings are one of them as well. I think for him, it will be very significant. It puts him in that category of the greatest players ever in this league.Bryant scored 22 points in the Lakers overtime victory at San Antonio on Friday night, going 7 for 22 while contributing several big assists down the stretch. He even ceded the biggest shot of the game to teammate Nick Young, who drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 7.4 seconds left.Bryant is finishing up a week that has included two victories for the struggling Lakers, a headline-grabbing trash-talk performance in practice, and his orchestration of the Lakers decision to wear I Cant Breathe shirts before their win over Sacramento on Tuesday. Bryant also spoke eloquently about the importance of questioning and protesting, citing his platform to affect change as an important aspect of American society.Bryant rarely practices with the Lakers these days while attempting to preserve his 36-year-old body for the 82-game grind, but he joined in an intense scrimmage Thursday before the club left on its road trip.While the media watched, Bryant was captured verbally shredding his teammates with trash talk that made national headlines, but isnt anything out of the ordinary for the competitive guard.Bryant laughed at the attention attracted by his words, saying they were just fun bantering back and forth.Once Bryant passes Jordan, who played parts of 15 seasons, only Karl Malone (36,928) and former Lakers centre Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) will be above him on the NBAs career list.Bryant is early in his 19th NBA season. He doesnt know whether hell play after his current contract expires following next season, although Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak suspects Bryant will retire.If surpassing Jordans career points total is Bryants final milestone on his rise, hell be grateful to sit alongside one of his heroes.Its not like a distraction or anything, Bryant said. Its not like its (not) going to happen. I just take it all in stride. Dante Exum Jersey . MLB executive Joe Torre ruled on Tuesday nights game at Wrigley Field that was called after 4 1-2 innings. The Cubs were declared the winners by a 2-0 score. Now, it is instead a suspended game that will resume at 4:05 p. Gordon Hayward Jersey . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. https://www.cheapjazzonline.com/348e-andrei-kirilenko-jersey-jazz.html . Jesus Navas bookended yet another huge home win for City by scoring after 14 seconds and again in second-half stoppage time, with Sergio Aguero also netting in each half to add to an own goal by Sandro and a brilliant strike by Alvaro Negredo.DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A part-time schedule is not ideal, but Pete Shepherd III has gotten practically every ounce of success out of it. In the two NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 starts this season, the Brampton, Ont., driver has a perfect record with June wins at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway and the half-mile oval at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park near Bowmanville, Ont. Add in the final few races of last season and the 27-year-old has three victories in his last four efforts. Despite the limited opportunities, Shepherd is not surprised at the success. "Im not surprised at all," he said. "We work hard on the car and behind the scenes a lot goes on for us to stay in step with the teams that race more often." Five total series wins in just 22 starts is more than staying in step. The results beg the what if question, but Shepherd doesnt spend a lot of time dwelling on that. "I can only do what I can do," he said. "We try to make the most of whats available and weve done pretty well with that recently." However, it doesnt mean that he doesnt get frustrated at times especially when watching television. "It doesnt matter if Im watching a Canadian Tire Series race or a (NASCAR) Sprint Cup Series race, it eats at me that I cant get out there more." Shepherd had some opportunities in the U.S. in his younger years, but the time wasnt right he laments in retrospect. "I was just too young. Today, there are some young guys doing some great things, but that wasnt really the case when I was down there," he said. "Ive matured so much and learned so much as a driver. So, yes, it bugs me." The undefeated driver comes into the Hudco Electric Supply 300 presented by G-Oil at Barrie (Ont.) Speedway as the defending champion and for as physical as the racing is on the .333-mile tri-oval Shepherd likes the fact that early trouble doesnt necessarily spell doom. "Its tough racing there, thats for sure, but youre never out of it there," he said. "I think last year we were down a couple laps early on. As long as you stay with it and protect your equipment as best you can, then you always have a chance there." Having not raced since mid-June, the driver of the National Exhaust/Diamond Material Handling Dodge is ready to get back on the track. "I cant wait," he said. "The crowd at Barrie is always great and the racing is never dull. I wish the race was tomorrow." Race: Hudco Electric Supply 300 presented by G-OilPlace: Barrie (Ont.) SpeedwayDate: Saturday, Sept. 8Time: 7 p.m. ETTV Schedule: TSN2, Sat. Sept. 24, 2 p.m. ET; RDS2, Fri., Oct. 4, 8 p.m. ETTrack Layout: .333-mile asphalt tri-oval2012 Winner: Pete Shepherd III2012 Pole Sitter: Steve MathewsEvent Schedule: Practice 1-1:30 p.m.; Final Practice 2-2:30 p.m.; Qualifying 4:45 p.m.; On-Track Autograph Session 5:30 p.m.; Driver Introductions 6:30 p.m.TRACK CONTACT: Diane Cunningham at 705-487-0279 or diane@barriespeedway.comTWITTER: @BarrieSpeedwayEVENT TWITTER HASHTAG: #Hudco300NASCAR IMC CONTACT: John Tejeda, (386) 500-3015 or jtejeda@nascar.com, @OnTheGoJT If photographs or graphics are needed for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, please contact Shon Sbarra at (704) 309-5493 or ssbarra@nascar.com FAST FACTS The Race: This is the 11th event of 12 in the 2013 season for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 and the seventh of eight oval track events on the schedule. This is the series ninth visit to the Barrie track. The Procedure: The starting field is 24 cars, including provisionals. The first 21 cars will qualify through two-lap time trials while the remaining three spots will be awarded through the provisional process. The race will be 300 laps covering 99. Carlos Boozer Jersey. 99 miles. The Track: Barrie Speedway opened in 1965 and has had substantial improvements made since 1999. At that time, the track was widened and lengthened from a .25-mile oval to its current unique .333-mile tri-oval configuration. The tri-oval and pit road are situated on the backstretch. The Records: The one-lap qualifying record for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at Barrie is 13.903 seconds (86.226 mph) set by Don Thomson Jr. on June 28, 2008. The 300-lap race record is held by D.J. Kennington at 1 hour, 40 minutes, 8 seconds established on Sept. 11, 2010 for an average speed of 59.860 mph. The History: Barrie Speedway has hosted more NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 events than any other track. Kennington leads all drivers with three wins including both visits in 2007 – the series inaugural season. Last year, Pete Shepherd III won a typically exciting race that was delayed a day due to rain. BARRIE RACE NOTES Dodge Dominant: Dodge has won seven of the eight previous Barrie Speedway events with D.J. Kennington (No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge) and Scott Steckly (No. 22 Canadian Tire/Sylvania Dodge) accounting for five of those. The only non-Dodge winner was the Chevrolet of Don Thomson Jr. in Sept. 2009. Little Separation: Barrie Speedway is close quarters competition from start to finish. Kennington holds the series mark for both largest and smallest margin of victory. He outdistanced Dave Whitlock by 1.453 seconds in Sept. 2007 and Thomson by a scant .015 seconds in the 2010 event. Long And Short Of It: The 300-lap Hudco Electric Supply-sponsored event in Barrie is one of three races scheduled for that number of laps. The Canadian Tire Series went 300 laps in July at Motoplex Speedway in Vernon, B.C., and on Aug. 17 at Riverside International Speedway in Antigonish, N.S. Barrie and Riverside are .333-mile tracks while Motoplex is a half-mile circuit. Home Tracks Update: Gord Shepherd leads the Wahta Springs Limited Late Model division by 34 points over Ron Quesnelle. In the Canestoga Property Management Thunder Cars Darryl St. Onge leads Rick Walt by just three points and Dave Doucette, in third, sits only five points back. Mike Gettliffe and Doug Butler are in a dead heat in the St. Onge Recreation Pure Stock division. LAST TIME OUT: Pintys presents the Clarington 200New Leader: With a fourth-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park D.J. Kennington took over the lead in the championship point standings by three over Scott Steckly. L.P. Dumoulin moved into the third spot – 21 points behind the leader – with the victory. Elite Group: Dumoulin joins J.R. Fitzpatrick and Andrew Ranger as multi-time winners on the road course at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. The three drivers account for seven of the eight series wins at the track with Kennington claiming the remaining victory. High-Water Marks: Martin Roy established a new career-best finish with a runner-up finish on the road course at CTMP. His previous high was fifth on four occasions. Marc-Antoine Camirand (6th) and Gary Klutt (7th) also established new career marks. Long Field: Thirty-six cars started the Pintys presents the Clarington 200. It was the largest field for a series race since 37 cars started at Montreals Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Aug. 2011. NEXT TIME OUT: Pintys 250 at Kawartha SpeedwayAs it has for the past six seasons, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 wraps up its season and crowns a new champion at Kawartha Speedway near Peterborough, Ont. The racy .375-mile oval will play host to the Pintys 250. A season ago, D.J. Kennington left nothing to doubt by winning the race to clinch his second series championship in three seasons. ' ' '