Auto Racing
SAO PAULO — With a third consecutive Brazilian Grand Prix title Sunday, Nico Rosberg can match the feat of his famous father by winning the Formula One championship.
Standing in his way is Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton, the two-time defending champion.
If Hamilton wins on the hilly course in Sao Paulo, the season title will be decided in the final race in two weeks in Abu Dhabi.
Beyond the victory, there are several scenarios under which Rosberg could claim the season title, even if he doesn’t win the race. That depends on how far behind him Hamilton finishes.
Hamilton, who trails Rosberg by 19 points, can keep the title chase alive in Brazil but he can only claim the championship — it would be his fourth — in Abu Dhabi.
The two can expect little quarter. They should also expect a wet track with weekend rain in the forecast.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR driver Brian Scott plans to retire after next week’s season finale to spend more time with his family.
Scott is 28 and has been racing at NASCAR’s national level since 2007. He has two young children.
Albertsons Companies, Scott’s longtime sponsor, said it would terminate its NASCAR program after the season. However, Richard Petty Motorsports plans to field the No. 44 that Scott drove with a new sponsor and another driver.
Scott posted a statement about his decision on several social media platforms and explained the Sprint Cup schedule “has taken its toll” and caused him “to re-evaluate what I want in life for myself and for my family.”
Scott raced in the Truck Series through 2009, the Xfinity Series from 2010 until 2015 and joined RPM in the Cup Series this season.
College Football
DURHAM, N.C. — Daniel Jones ran for two scores and threw for another to help Duke upset No. 15 North Carolina 28-27 on Thursday night.
The redshirt freshman gave the defense fits all night with his mobility for the Blue Devils (4-6, 1-5 Atlantic Coast Conference), running for 94 yards as part of a ground game that kept moving the chains against the Tar Heels (7-3, 5-2, No. 17 CFP). Shaun Wilson ran for a game-high 107 yards and a score of his own, Duke finished with 227 yards rushing and converted 10 of 17 third-down chances.
That formula was on display at the end, as Duke took more than 6 minutes off the clock with a long drive from its own 1 before punting back to UNC.
The Blue Devils then came up with a final stop, with Alonzo Saxton II picking off Mitch Trubisky near midfield with 1:02 left on a night that ended with Duke players sprinting across the field to re-claim the Victory Bell presented to the winner of the long-running rivalry.
Golf
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Chris Kirk shot an 8-under 63 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.
Kirk had four birdies on each nine in his bogey-free round on Mayakoba’s Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon course.
The former University of Georgia player has two top-10 finishes in three starts in the new PGA Tour season, opening with a tie for eighth at Silverado and tying for second in Mississippi. He tied for 61st last week in Las Vegas, closing with rounds of 75 and 74.
He won the last of his four PGA Tour titles in 2015.
Ben Crane, Camilo Villegas and Gary Woodland were tied for second at 64.
Associated Press
