NASCAR
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Chase Elliott joined his father as winner of NASCAR’s annual All-Star race.
He earned the $1 million prize Wednesday in front of limited spectators at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Bill Elliott won the race in 1986. The race began in 1985 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and was held at that North Carolina track every year but one until it was moved as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tennessee officials allowed NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports to sell 30,000 tickets to the All-Star race. That led to its relocation from Charlotte because North Carolina would not authorize spectators for the event.
NFL
CLEVELAND (AP) — Myles Garrett’s on-field misbehavior last season damaged his public image. It didn’t change how the Cleveland Browns feel about him.
The team signed Garrett to a five-year, $125 million contract extension on Wednesday, making the talented edge rusher the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player. The deal includes $100 million guaranteed, according to NFL Network.
The timing of Garrett’s extension is surprising since the last time he played in a game it ended with him ripping off Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph’s helmet and striking him in the head with it. The shocking attack led to a six-game suspension for Garrett and questions about his character.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have made sure that the NFL rushing leader is sticking around for a few more years.
The Titans announced Wednesday they had agreed on a “multiyear extension” with Derrick Henry just before the NFL deadline for a long-term deal to avoid the running back having to play this season under the franchise tag.
Henry reportedly received a four-year deal for $50 million with $25.5 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.com.
SOCCER
LONDON (AP) — The Premier League transfer window will run for 10 weeks until Oct. 5.
The 2020-21 season is due to begin a month later than scheduled in September. The transfer window will open on July 27, the day after the pandemic-delayed season ends, the league said Wednesday following a decision by clubs.
Premier League clubs will have from Oct. 5-16 to sign players on loan or permanently from 72 teams in the English Football League.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) — Central Michigan is searching for an athletic director to replace Michael Alford, who is leaving to be a lead fundraiser for Florida State athletics.
The departure was announced Wednesday, less than a week after the Big Ten decided it would play only conference games in a move that will cost non-Power Five programs such as the Chippewas a lot of money.
Alford plans to stay at Central Michigan through the end of August before starting his job as CEO of Seminole Boosters, Inc., at Florida State.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NCAA gave the University of St. Thomas permission Wednesday to jump directly from Division III to Division I, the final clearance for a bold move born out of the Minnesota private school’s ejection from its conference for being too dominant.
The Tommies, who had secured a spot in the Summit League for all but three of their 22 varsity teams pending NCAA approval, announced they’ll join the Pioneer League for football and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for women’s hockey. The men’s hockey program is still in the process of finding a conference.
HORSE RACING
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert was suspended for 15 days on Wednesday by Oaklawn Park stewards and two of his horses were disqualified in Arkansas after testing positive for a banned substance.
The stewards said in a ruling that the suspension will run from Aug. 1 -15. They found Baffert violated Rule 1233, which states that a trainer shall ultimately be responsible for the condition of any horse that is entered regardless of the acts of any third parties.
His horses Charlatan and Gamine each tested positive for lidocaine in two rounds of testing after winning races at the Hot Springs, Arkansas, track on May 2. The stewards disqualified both horses and stripped them of their purse earnings. Charlatan’s owners lost $300,000 in purse money; Gamine’s owners forfeited $36,000.
LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. (AP) — Two horses have died after suffering racing injuries at Los Alamitos, which was put on probation by the California Horse Racing Board after a spike in horse fatalities.
Tacy, a 5-year-old mare, was pulled up while racing Sunday night at the Orange County track. She was later euthanized, according to the racing board’s website. Tacy was winless in seven career starts and had earnings of $6,015, according to Equibase. She was trained by Angela Aquino.
Alltime Favorite, a 2-year-old gelded quarter horse, was vanned off the track after suffering an injury in a race Saturday. The horse was initially evaluated for possible surgery, but was later euthanized. Trained by Monty Arrossa, the gelding had two wins in three career starts and earnings of $6,815, Equibase’s statistics showed.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Del Mar canceled racing for the upcoming weekend after 15 jockeys tested positive for COVID-19.
All the track’s riders and personnel who work in the jockeys’ room were tested by San Diego County public health officials at the request of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. Of the 15 positive tests, all were believed to be asymptomatic.
HONORS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Dave Roberts highlight the latest class for UCLA’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
The nine-member class was announced by the university Wednesday.
Lauren (Cheney) Holiday was a two-time gold medalist in women’s soccer (2008, ’12). Mike Powell, who remains the world record-holder in the long jump, is a two-time silver medalist (1992, ’96) and Adam Wright won silver in water polo in 2008. Gymnast Tasha Schwikert was a bronze medalist in 2000.
Other members of the class are Keira Goerl (softball) and Noelle Quinn (women’s basketball).
COURTS
PHOENIX (AP) — The father of a former Arizona State University linebacker has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university and NCAA, alleging his son’s suicide came during a mental breakdown caused by four concussions he suffered a few years earlier while playing college football.
Jason Franklin’s father, Gregg Franklin, alleged flawed concussion management protocols contributed to his son developing the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which was discovered after his 2018 death, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in federal court.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status to cover all now-deceased ASU football players from 1952 to 2015 who were diagnosed in life or death with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other neurodegenerative disorders.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A judge has denied a request by news organizations including The Associated Press to unseal court records involving the mental competency of billionaire Tom Benson when he rewrote his will to give his third wife ownership of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans sports franchises.
The news outlets argued public interest in the 2015 case had been heightened by revelations this year that Saints executives engaged in a behind-the-scenes public relations campaign to help the Archdiocese of New Orleans contain the fallout from a clergy abuse crisis.
OBITUARY
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — David Lewis, a key member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 1979 team that reached the NFC title game, has died. He was 65.
Lewis died Tuesday in Tampa. The cause was not immediately known, but he had struggled with health issues in recent years, according to Southern California, where he played in college.
He was a second-round pick at outside linebacker by the Buccaneers in 1977 and played for them until 1981, including an appearance in the 1980 Pro Bowl.
Lewis was among the defensive stars on the 1979 team that reached the NFC title game, capping the franchise’s “worst to first” transformation. The Bucs won 10 games that year after having won just seven in the franchise’s previous three seasons.
Lewis also played for the San Diego Chargers in 1982 and Los Angeles Rams in 1983.
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