Miscellany

NASCAR, hoping to even out the competition in its premier Winston Cup series, has made its second modification this month to the rear spoiler of the new Ford Taurus.

The latest change, coming after the sanctioning body took a sampling of cars for wind-tunnel testing last week at Lockheed Aviation in Marietta, Ga., leaves the height of the Taurus rear spoiler intact at 4 inches, but cuts the width by 2 inches to 55.

All other spoiler and front airdam measurements on the Fords, the Chevrolet Monte Carlos and Pontiac Grand Prixs remain the same heading into the TranSouth Financial 400 on Sunday.

Air flowing over the top of the car hits the spoiler - a piece of sheet metal rising from the rear deck of the car, and causes downforce, or downward pressure on the car. That helps it stay solidly on the track through the turns.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison should add women’s ice hockey as an intercollegiate sport, with competition to start in the 1999-2000 season, a committee recommended.

Star forward Mia Hamm scored three times on her 26th birthday, leading the U.S. women’s soccer team past China 4-1 in the Algarve Cup at Louli, Portugal.