Auto Racing
NASCAR goes under the hood to overhaul its Hall of Fame
LAS VEGAS – NASCAR announced sweeping changes to the Hall of Fame election process Thursday.
Among the six changes: Drivers now are eligible if they have competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR or turned 55 in the calendar year before nominating day. Also, any member of the nominating committee or voting panel who appeared on the previous year’s ballot or current year’s ballot now will be recused from participation in the nominating or voting process while they are on the ballot.
Those were the only direct changes to enshrinement as NASCAR passed on forming a veterans’ committee or if fewer than five should be inducted each year.
Earnhardt Jr. is most popular; Stenhouse Jr. is top rookie
LAS VEGAS – Dale Earnhardt Jr. set a record Thursday with his 11th consecutive win as NASCAR’s most popular driver.
Earnhardt, who was presented with the NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver Award at the annual Myers Brothers luncheon, broke a tie with 16-time winner Bill Elliott for the most consecutive years as winner.
Earnhardt’s run has required renovations at JR Motorsports, where his trophies are kept. Two trophy cases have either had to be rebuilt or installed to hold his first 10 trophies.
Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon, Earnhardt’s teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, finished second and third in voting. Tony Stewart was fourth, and Danica Patrick was fifth.
LAS VEGAS – Winning rookie of the year honors required Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to beat his girlfriend on the track. At least twice, the on-track battles between Stenhouse and Patrick led to wrecks.
The two-time Nationwide Series champion finished 19th in the Sprint Cup standings.
College Football
Heisman Trophy candidate will not be charged
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Jameis Winston will not be charged with sexually assaulting a woman who accused him of raping her about a year ago, a prosecutor said Thursday.
State Attorney Willie Meggs made the announcement at a news conference, saying the woman’s memory lapses of the events last December were problematic, and there was not enough evidence to win a conviction.
Winston, 19, has led the Seminoles to a No. 1 ranking and a shot at a national championship if they defeat Duke on Saturday in the ACC championship game. As for the Heisman, many voters were waiting to see whether he would be charged before Monday’s ballot deadline. The trophy for the nation’s top player will be awarded Dec. 14.
Cycling
Di Luca joins Armstrong with a cycling ban for life
ROME – Former Giro d’Italia winner Danilo Di Luca was banned from cycling for life Thursday after a third doping offense, joining Lance Armstrong as one of the highest profile riders to be kicked out of the sport.
The Italian Olympic Committee’s anti-doping court issued the verdict after the 37-year-old Di Luca tested positive for the blood booster erythropoietin in a surprise test in April, five days before this year’s Giro.
Soccer
From Los Angeles to Chicago to the MLS Man on Fire
CHICAGO – Chicago Fire forward Mike Magee was selected Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player, capping a career season with the top individual prize.
Magee beat out Los Angeles’ Robbie Keane, Montreal’s Marco Di Vaio and New York’s Tim Cahill in a vote by club management, media and players.
Acquired by the Fire from L.A. on May 25, Magee scored 15 goals and had four assists in 22 games for Chicago. He had six goals before the trade, bringing his season total to 21, eclipsing his previous high of seven as a rookie in 2003.
Associated Press
