SUZUKA, Japan -- There was nearly nothing to choose between the two Mercedes drivers during second practice for the Japanese Grand Prix as Nico Rosberg held a slim 0.072s margin over teammate Lewis Hamilton at Suzuka.Both Mercedes drivers improved on their first practice times, but there was very little to choose between them, with Hamilton 0.001s up in sector one, Rosberg 0.044s quicker in sector two and 0.029s faster in the final sector. Both drivers set their fastest time on the soft compound tyre before moving onto a nine lap run on the same tyres and then splitting run plans with Rosberg completing a long run on the mediums and Hamilton on the hards.Kimi Raikkonen was Mercedes closest competitor with a lap time just 0.323s shy of Rosbergs best effort. The Ferrari driver was 0.530s faster than teammate Sebastian Vettel, but still complained of understeer during the session.Max Verstappen split the two Ferraris but both Red Bulls had their soft tyre run interrupted by a Virtual Safety Car for Esteban Gutierrezs stricken Haas, which pulled to the side of the track with a turbo issue. As a result, Verstappen returned to the pits on his outlap and when he went out again he complained about a lack of tyre temperature and no grip. Daniel Ricciardos quick lap was also interrupted by the VSC and finished the session 12th overall.The absence of the second Red Bull in the top ten saw the Force Indias move up to sixth and seventh, with Sergio Perez 0.303s quicker than Nico Hulkenberg. Fernando Alonso was eighth fastest after McLaren-Honda fitted a new exhaust to his car following his accident in FP1. Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top ten, which was covered by 1.836s in total.Felipe Massa was 11th fastest ahead of Ricciardo and Romain Grosjean. Kevin Magnussen was 15th fastest in the Renault and was one of a handful of drivers who ran wide at various parts of the track. Magnussen and Raikkonen ran wide at the hairpin, while Felipe Nasr spun off at Spoon corner towards the end of the session, but the accolade for the most impressive incident had to go to Daniil Kvyat who completed a 360 degree spin coming on to the pit straight. The Toro Rosso driver went on the grass on the exit of the chicane and spun through the DRS marker board before catching the spin just as his car started pointing in the right direction again. With no major damage done, he completed the session with 27 laps and the 14th fastest time.Jenson Button finished 16th after spending much of the session complaining about the balance of his car. The 2009 world champion said it felt like McLaren had made no changes to the car despite numerous tweaks since the beginning of FP2. Esteban Gutierrez finished 17th but completed just 11 laps before his turbo issue, ahead of Jolyon Palmers Renault.Felipe Nasr finished 19th ahead of Manor pair Pascal Wehrlein and Esteban Ocon. Marcus Ericssons Sauber rounded off the timing screens.Cheap Football Jerseys .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Cheap NFL Jerseys Factory . Despite the cost, effort and an improved steroid test, its possible that very few -- if any -- positives will be detected, Dr. Richard Budgett told The Associated Press in an interview. "We just dont know what the results from Torino will be," Budgett said. http://www.jerseyschinanfl.com/ . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. NFL Gear From China . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Cheap NFL Jerseys China Online . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem.DEL MAR, Calif. -- The Grade 1 winner Hard Aces ended a nine-race losing streak with a grueling victory over Quick Casabalanca in Sundays $100,000 Cougar II Handicap at 1-1/2 miles on dirt at Del Mar.The 2-5 favorite, Hard Aces was tested through the final half-mile by 3-1 Quick Casablanca before winning the Grade 3 race by a half-length. The style of the win was familiar to Kosta Hronis, who owns the 6-year-old with his brother, Pete.When he puts his head down, hes a grinder, Kosta Hronis said.Hard Aces was timed in 2:30.55. The win could lead to a start in a stakes on Aug. 20 -- the $1 million Pacific Classic at 1-1/4 miles on dirt, or the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1-3/8 miles on turf.Sunday, Hard Aces was ridden by Santiago Gonzalez and led by as many as four lengths in the first half-mile. Gonzalez did not vigorously urge Hard Aces when the field ran through the stretch for the first time, allowing Quick Casablanca to draw within a head.Hard Aces maintained a narrow advantage through the first 1-1//4 miles, dogged by Quick Casablanca.dddddddddddd Through the final quarter-mile, Hard Aces was in front by at least a half-length, but was pressed by Quick Casablanca.He wont give you a big kick, but hell keep running, Hronis said.Quick Casablanca, the winner of the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Handicap on turf at Santa Anita in April, finished 2-1/4 lengths in front of Seves Road, who was followed by Energia Fribby.The race did not live up to expectations after the overnight was published on Thursday. Hoppertunity, third in the Dubai World Cup in March, was scratched because of an elevated temperature. The Hronis-owned Infobedad was scratched on Sunday morning.Hard Aces, a horse by Hard Spun, is trained by John Sadler. Hard Aces won the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in June 2015, and was third in the same race on June 25.Hard Aces has won 7 of 33 starts and earned $999,645. ' ' '