The Isle of Man TT, the deadliest race on Earth, returned this weekend after two consecutive COVID cancellations. Sadly, so did the fatalities, Axios' Jeff Tracy and I write.

Driving the news: Five competitors died at this year's event, the second-most ever behind 1970 (six). Among them were Roger and Bradley Stockton, a father-son duo from England. Bradley was just 21.

• There are calls for the race to be banned, but competitors say they know the risks — and even families of the deceased want it to continue.
• The family of Mark Purslow, a 29-year-old who died this weekend, said they take solace in knowing that "if he was going to go this would be the way he would want to, and that he would be smiling."

The big picture: Overall, 265 competitors have died in races on the island's infamous 37.7-mile Mountain Course since the TT's 1907 debut.

• The race lost its world championship status in 1976 after a particularly bad spate of deaths (20 from 1970 to 1975), but the participants' love of the event has kept it going strong 50 years later.
• Another key to its survival is the economic boost it provides the small island nation. 46,000 visitors spent $46 million during the 2019 event, which is about one-third of the nation's annual tourism income.

How it works: This year's event comprised eight races across six different vehicle classes: five single-rider motorcycles and one with a passenger riding in a sidecar.

• The format for all races is time trial, with each competitor's start staggered by about 10 seconds. Schools are closed during race week and the day of the Senior TT is a public holiday.
• Prize money is paid out based on how you finish each lap, with more money awarded later in the race. If you win all six laps of the most prestigious race, the Senior TT, you get $22,000.

Between the lines: Plenty of motorcycle races feature riders streaking along at speeds that rival the 200 mph that competitors can reach at the Isle of Man TT. So why is this one so much more lethal?

• The primary reason is the course itself, which is not purpose-built for a high-speed motorcycle race.
• It's a 38-mile circuit through the mountains filled with blind turns on tree- and stonewall-lined roads, leaving little margin for error.

The last word: "The concept of mortality underpins everything here," per NYT. "It gives the race its prestige, opens it to criticism, makes it exhilarating, makes it terrifying. It puts the island on the map."

Go deeper: Tour the course (NYT)

The Lightning are four wins away from hoisting their third straight Stanley Cup, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Ronald Reagan was in the White House.

The big picture: Three-peats aren't just rare in the NHL. Only eight franchises have gone back-to-back-to-back in the history of the four major North American sports leagues, and it hasn't happened in 20 years.

• 🏒 NHL: Three teams on five occasions — Maple Leafs (1947-49, 1962-64); Canadiens (1956-60, 1976-79); Islanders (1980-83).
• 🏀 NBA: Three teams on five occasions — Lakers (1952-54, 2000-02); Bulls (1991-93, 1996-98); Celtics (1959-66).
• ⚾️ MLB: Two teams on four occasions — Yankees (1936-39, 1949-53, 1998-2000); Athletics (1972-74).
• 🏈 NFL: There have been no three-peats in the Super Bowl era. (The Packers did it twice in the earlier years: 1929-31 and 1965-67.)

Looking ahead: The Stanley Cup Final (Lightning vs. Avalanche) begins Wednesday in Denver. We'll break down the matchup in the days ahead.

Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have made a habit of pulverizing baseballs, and this weekend the party continued, Jeff writes.

Wild stat: Stanton cracked a 119.8-mph missile on Saturday, giving him and Judge 13 of the 15 hardest-hit home runs of the Statcast era (since 2015).

• Judge hit two HR of his own on Saturday, upping his MLB-leading total to 24. That trails only Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle for the most in Yankees history through 60 games.
• On Sunday, the whole team got in on the fun in an 18-4 rout of the Cubs, as New York improved to 44-16. The Bombers now have 98 dingers on the year, 14 more than the Braves in second place.

Speaking of New York ... The Mets reached 40 wins in their 62nd game. The only time they got there in fewer games? 1986, when they went on to win the World Series.

⚾️ 11 straight: After a slow start to the season, the defending champion Braves have won 11 straight games and are looking like October contenders once again.

⚽️ Núñez deal: Liverpool have agreed to sign Benfica forward Darwin Núñez in a deal that could reach €100 million, making it the most expensive transfer in club history.

💵 Sibling fights: Orioles CEO John Angelos has been sued by his brother over control of the team ... Chargers owner Dean Spanos has been sued by his sister, also over control of the team.

🏁 Historic win: Daniel Suárez became the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway.

🏀 Basketball is art: Fine art inspired by basketball — from balls to hoops to jerseys — is everywhere.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, extending his lead one-third of the way through a season that's increasingly being defined by mechanical failures, Jeff writes.

Race recap: Verstappen and teammate Sergio Pérez finished 1-2 in Baku, capitalizing yet again on the engine failures that have plagued Ferrari.

• Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. was forced to retire on lap 9 with "hydraulic issues" and teammate Charles Leclerc — leading at the time — did the same on lap 20 when his engine went up in smoke.
• Combined, Ferrari's drivers have failed to finish five times in the last six races. As with Leclerc on Sunday, they're often near the front of the pack when they're forced to retire. "It hurts," Leclerc told Sky Sports.

The big picture: Eight races into the 22-race season, Red Bull (279 points) holds a commanding lead over Ferrari (199) and Mercedes (161).

• Verstappen, whose 25th win tied him for ninth all-time, is Red Bull's primary weapon, but Pérez has excelled as their No. 2, with one win and four second-place finishes.
• Ferrari has proven they're contenders when their cars stay on the track, and in fact it was Red Bull with these issues earlier in the season. They figured it out — can Ferrari?
• Mercedes, the eight-time defending champs, have no wins and just four podiums. But Russell and Hamilton — who've finished every race — are quietly lurking in Ferrari's rearview.

What's next: F1 travels to Montreal this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix.

Go deeper: Three takeaways from Baku (SI)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Notre Dame stunned juggernaut Tennessee in this weekend's Super Regionals, marking the fifth time in the past eight seasons that the No. 1 seed failed to make the College World Series.

• Where it stands: Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas and Texas A&M have secured six of the eight CWS spots. The final two will be decided today.

ELMONT, N.Y. — Mo Donegal held off filly Nest to win the 154th Belmont Stakes, giving veteran trainer Todd Pletcher a 1-2 finish. Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike finished sixth. Full race.

• Wild stat: This is the fourth straight year that three different horses won the Triple Crown races. The last time that happened: 1926–29.

AUSTIN, Texas — The USMNT beat Grenada, 5-0, on Saturday and is now unbeaten in 26 straight home matches, tying a team record.

• Man of the match: Jesus Ferreira scored four goals, tying the USMNT single-game scoring record.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario — With his victory at the Canadian Open, Rory McIlroy passed Greg Norman in career wins — and made sure to let the rivals at LIV Golf know it.

• 🎥 Watch: Jim Nance interviews commissioner Jay Monahan (PGA Tour)

LONDON — Former Masters champ Charl Schwartzel won $4.75 million at LIV's inaugural event ($4 million first place; $750,000 team first place), which is more than he's won over the last four years combined.

• Go deeper: Recapping LIV's opening weekend (ESPN)

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands — Dutch wild card Tim van Rijthoven capped a fairytale run at the Libema Open by beating world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, 6-4, 6-1, in Sunday's men's final.

• The backdrop: Van Rijthoven, ranked 205th in the world, had never won a main-draw ATP match until this event, where he also beat No. 14 Taylor Fritz and No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The NBA Finals return to San Francisco tonight for Game 5 (9pm ET, ABC). With the series tied at 2-2, this is now a best-of-three showdown.

• The intrigue: Steph Curry was brilliant on Friday (43 points, 10 rebounds) and is carrying Golden State's offense right now.
• Lines: Spread: GS -4 | O/U: 212 | Money: GS -168, BOS +142

More to watch:

• ⚾️ Super Regionals: UConn (tied 1-1) at Stanford (4pm, ESPN2); Auburn (tied 1-1) at Oregon State (7:30pm, ESPN2) … Winner advances to CWS.
• ⚽️ World Cup qualifier: Peru vs. Australia (2pm, FS1) ... Winner clinches spot in Qatar.

The 2022 World Cup kicks off in roughly five months in Qatar, where the sixth champion of the century will be crowned.

• Question: Who are the five World Cup champions so far this century (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018)?
• Hint: Two continents.

Answer at the bottom.

Giphy

1. ⚾️ Catch of the year
2. ⚽️ From way out
3. ⚾️ Super athletic
4. 🏈 What a grab
5. ⚾️ Full extension
6. ⚾️ Over the wall
7. 🏀 Dope pass
8. ⚾️ Robbed
9. ⚾️ Way too casual
10. 🏒 Post to post

Watch all 10.