Auto Racing
Stewart adds ‘race series owner’ to long title list
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Tony Stewart purchased the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series, one of the oldest traveling winged sprint car tours in the country.
Stewart has also reached a separate deal with Shane Helms and Rob Hunter, principals of the Renegade Sprint Series, that will merge both series together under the All Star Circuit of Champions banner beginning this year.
The acquisition is just the latest in Stewart’s growing portfolio.
The three-time NASCAR champion also owns Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and fields two World of Outlaws cars out of Tony Stewart Racing. He also is co-owner of NASCAR’s four-team Stewart-Haas Racing, which won the Sprint Cup title last season with Kevin Harvick.
Boxing
Mayweather, Pacquiao trade numbers – fists to follow?
MIAMI – Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have finally met – in person.
And now talks might get serious about them meeting in the ring.
Mayweather and Pacquiao both were sitting courtside, directly across from one another, at a Miami Heat game Tuesday night. Mayweather went over to Pacquiao at halftime, the men shook hands and chatted briefly, then exchanged phone numbers.
Asked to clarify if the exchange meant the two fighters would negotiate directly about meeting in the ring, Pacquiao said that was the case.
Skiing
Usual suspects make U.S. world championships team
The U.S. Ski Team announced its roster for world championships next week in Beaver Creek, Colorado, and all the big names were on the squad, including Bode Miller, as he tries to return from back surgery.
Lindsey Vonn made the team, of course. So did Mikaela Shiffrin, Julia Mancuso and Ted Ligety, who won three titles at the 2013 world championships in Austria.
Miller has yet to compete in a World Cup race this season after having a herniated disk repaired in November. His race status for Beaver Creek still remains uncertain.
Vonn will be a heavy favorite in the downhill and Shiffrin in the slalom, an event the teenager won at the Sochi Olympics.
Soccer
United States men lose lead late in Chile friendly
Mark Gonzalez scored in the 66th and 75 minutes, rallying Chile to a 3-2 exhibition win over the United States on Wednesday night that sent the Americans to their first five-game winless streak since 2007.
The 27th-ranked Americans led 2-1 at halftime on goals by Brek Shea in the sixth minute and Jozy Altidore in the 31st around Roberto Gutierrez’s 10th-minute equalizer in the game played in Rancagua, Chile.
U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann unveiled a 3-5-2 formation in his team’s 2015 opener, but the Americans once again were tripped up by their habit of fading in the second half. With the defeat to No. 14 Chile, they have lost three games in a row for the first time since late 2009 and early 2010, and they have one victory in nine matches (1-5-3) since beating Ghana in their World Cup opener last June.
Spanish federation kicks back at Christiano Ronaldo
MADRID – Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended from Real Madrid’s next two matches after his violent outburst in last weekend’s league game that included kicking an opponent.
The federation’s disciplinary committee Wednesday banned Ronaldo from home games against Real Sociedad on Saturday and Sevilla on Feb. 4.
The two-game ban will mean Ronaldo will return for the derby at Atletico Madrid on Feb. 7.
Associated Press
