Auto Racing
Four-time F1 champion calls change a ‘sanity check’
MONTMELO, Spain – Red Bull changed the chassis on Sebastian Vettel’s car in a move the struggling four-time Formula One champion calls a “sanity check.”
With Vettel’s dominance of F1 in jeopardy, Red Bull replaced the chassis with an old one he used during preseason testing, before starting practice at the Spanish Grand Prix this week.
“It’s more a sanity check rather than a real problem with the other chassis,” Vettel said. “So it’s just to try everything we can, and basically reset and start again.”
Vettel enters Sunday’s race in fifth place in the standings with 33 points, far from Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg’s competition-leading 79.
The massive rule book overhaul and the switch to V6 turbo hybrid engines this offseason has dislodged Vettel as the perennial favorite. He only has one podium finish through four races, marking his worst start since joining Red Bull.
MLB
Yankees to retire Torre’s 6, only leaving Jeter’s 2
NEW YORK – The Yankees will retire former manager Joe Torre’s No. 6, leaving Derek Jeter’s No. 2 as the last single digit in New York’s pinstripes.
Rich Gossage, Tino Martinez, Paul O’Neill and Torre also will be honored with plaques in Monument Park, the team said Thursday.
Torre’s number will be retired during a ceremony in Monument Park on Aug. 23. His number will join those of Billy Martin (1), Babe Ruth (3), Lou Gehrig (4), Joe DiMaggio (5), Mickey Mantle (7), Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey (8), Roger Maris (9), Phil Rizzuto (10), Thurman Munson (15), Whitey Ford (16), Don Mattingly (23), Elston Howard (32), Casey Stengel (37), Mariano Rivera (42), Reggie Jackson (44) and Ron Guidry (49).
NBA
Sterling’s wife will fight for her 50-percent share
LOS ANGELES – An attorney representing the estranged wife of Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling said Thursday that she will fight to retain her 50-percent ownership stake in the team.
The attorney also told The Associated Press that Shelly Sterling has been separated from her husband for the last year and is considering divorce.
Last week, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Donald Sterling from the NBA for life and urged league owners to force him to sell the team. The move came after a recording surfaced in which Sterling made racist comments.
Crawford of the Clippers the NBA’s oldest Sixth Man
LOS ANGELES – Jamal Crawford of the Los Angeles Clippers won the NBA Sixth Man Award on Thursday, becoming the oldest recipient and the first to do so with different teams.
The 34-year-old guard also was honored as the league’s best player off the bench while with the Atlanta Hawks in 2009-10.
Crawford led the league’s reserve players in scoring this season, averaging 18.6 points. He came off the bench in 45 of 69 games he played in, helping the Clippers to a 57-25 record, their best regular-season mark in franchise history.
Crawford received 57 first-place votes and 421 total points from a panel of 125 sports writers and broadcasters throughout the U.S. and Canada. Taj Gibson of Chicago finished second and San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili third.
Soccer
USA women’s soccer draws 1-1 with the Canadians
WINNIPEG, Manitoba – Sydney Leroux scored in the 78th minute to help the United States’ women’s soccer team tie Canada 1-1 on Thursday night in an exhibition game.
Leroux kicked Canadian Rebecca Quinn’s crossing header into the corner past goalkeeper Erin McLeod.
Kadeisha Buchanan scored for Canada in the first half.
Canada failed in its bid to beat the Americans for the first time since 2001.
Associated Press
