The Saugus High girls cross country team earned the No. 1 ranking in the Mile Split preseason national rankings.

Saugus won its third straight state championship last year. Led by junior Kaylin Mahoney, the reigning Division II state champion, Saugus has four returners from last year’s team. Stephanie Bulder, Karis Frankian and Amber Murakami join Mahoney on a talented team.

Canyon High graduate and NASCAR driver Greg Pursley makes his return to Iowa Speedway on Friday with a little redemption on his mind.

Pursley, a driver in the NASCAR Camping World Series West, had his worst finish of the season at Iowa Speedway in May. He was 12th, the only time he has finished outside the top 10 all year.

Pursley said he is thrilled his team gets a second chance to race at Iowa and improve on that performance in May.

He enters the race in third place in the West Series standing, 156 points out of first with two races remaining.