Auto Racing
Hendrick inks top driver and sponsor through ’17
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Hendrick Motorsports locked up Jimmie Johnson and sponsor Lowe’s with a 2-year contract extension through the 2017 season.
The organization had previously signed crew chief Chad Knaus to an extension through 2018.
The extensions were finalized as Johnson prepared for the opening race of NASCAR’s playoffs. He’ll be seeking a seventh championship when the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup championship opens Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.
Haze clouds possibility of Singapore Grand Prix
SINGAPORE – Billowing smoke from Indonesian forest fires worsened Singapore’s air pollution, raising concern among organizers of the widely-anticipated Formula One night race this weekend.
The National Environment Agency said Singapore’s main air pollution index rose to 222 early Monday, the highest level in a year and above the official “very unhealthy” bandwidth of 200.
This is particularly taxing on young children, the elderly and those with heart and lung diseases. Also Monday, schools reopened after a weeklong term break.
The organizers of the Singapore Grand Prix were also keeping a close watch on the situation. The race will be held Friday to Sunday.
College Football
List of shelved starting quarterbacks grows longer
College football’s early-season injury bug is wreaking havoc with quarterbacks.
Notre Dame’s Malik Zaire fractured an ankle and South Carolina’s Connor Mitch separated his shoulder Saturday, joining a growing fraternity of quarterbacks with significant injuries. Zaire is out for the season. Mitch, who also has a bruised hip, is out four to six weeks.
Virginia Tech’s Michael Brewer, Kansas State’s Jesse Ertz, BYU’s Taysom Hill and Syracuse’s Terrel Hunt were injured in the season’s opening week. Hill, Hunt and Ertz are expected to miss the remainder of the season. Brewer will miss four to eight weeks.
Florida’s McElwain regrets profanity-laced tirade
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two days after berating running back Kelvin Taylor on the sideline, Florida head coach Jim McElwain said, “I’m not proud about it and neither is my mother.”
McElwain stopped short of apologizing for his profanity-laced tirade, during which he yelled at Taylor “look at me! Don’t look down! (Expletive) be a man!”
On Monday, McElwain said he regretted how it played out.
Taylor, the son of retired NFL running back Jacksonville Jaguars star Fred Taylor, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after making a throat-slash gesture following a touchdown in Saturday’s 31-24 victory against East Carolina.
When Taylor got to the sideline, McElwain laid into him in front of teammates, coaches and about 90,000 fans.
Soccer
FIFA probe could lead to more high-profile arrests
ZURICH – U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said she expects more indictments in a widening investigation of corruption implicating FIFA.
Lynch says “we do anticipate being able to bring additional charges against individuals and entities.”
In May, Lynch’s department indicted 14 soccer and marketing officials and unsealed six guilty pleas in a $150 million bribery and racketeering conspiracy.
Lynch did not comment Monday on whether FIFA President Sepp Blatter is targeted.
Associated Press
