Judge dismisses case against NASCAR
A federal judge Monday dismissed an antitrust lawsuit filed against NASCAR by a Kentucky track that was left off its premier racing circuit.
Kentucky Speedway alleged that NASCAR had conspired to leave the Sparta track and others out of the Sprint Cup – formerly known as the Nextel Cup – series despite their superior amenities.
Judge William O. Bertelsman threw out the speedway’s suit against NASCAR and the International Speedway Corp. in a ruling from U.S. District Court at Covington in northern Kentucky.
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the ruling “puts an end to any question about which locations and dates NASCAR can operate its races. Like other sports such as the NFL, MLB and the NBA, NASCAR can host its events where it decides is best for the sport and its fans.”
The speedway plans to appeal.
Baseball
Gossage leads pack
After falling short eight times in voting for Cooperstown, Goose Gossage was the leading returning candidate on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot.
Votes from 10-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America had to be in by Dec. 31, and totals were to be released today.
When Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn were elected last year, Gossage was third with 388 votes (71.2 percent), 21 shy of the 75 percent needed for election. Jim Rice was next with 346 (63.5 percent), followed by Andre Dawson at 309 (56.7) and Bert Blyleven at 260 (47.7).
Tainted by accusations of steroids use, Mark McGwire received just 128 votes (23.5 percent) in his first appearance on the ballot. Given Barry Bonds’ indictment on perjury and obstruction charges and allegations of performance-enhancing drug use against Roger Clemens, it will be interesting to see what happens to McGwire’s percentage.
Tim Raines and David Justice headed 11 first-time candidates on the 25-man ballot.
•Outfielder Jayson Werth and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a $1.7 million, one-year contract.
•Reliever Duaner Sanchez, sidelined by a shoulder injury since a July 2006 taxi accident, agreed to an $850,000, one-year contract with the New York Mets.
Miscellany
Lilly to miss Olympics
Kristine Lilly, captain of the U.S. women’s national team the past three years, is expecting her first child and will miss the Olympics.
Lilly, who has been part of all eight U.S. Women’s World Cup and Olympics teams, said she will not play any international soccer in 2008. In April, the team will try to qualify for the Beijing Games.
•Two former British police officers who fought corruption in horse racing and cricket are going to head tennis’ efforts to prevent match-fixing.
Ben Gunn, who has worked for the British Horseracing Authority, and Jeff Rees, who retired in November from the International Cricket Council’s security unit, were appointed by tennis’ governing bodies.
The sport’s leaders want to avoid more problems after a season that included a gambling investigation into a match involving No. 4-ranked Nikolay Davydenko and the suspensions of three players for betting on matches.
•The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the lifetime bans by the IOC of Austrian cross-country skiers Martin Tauber, Johannes Eder and Jurgen Pinter for involvement in a doping scandal at the 2006 Turin Games.
•A football player at Wingate University in North Carolina and his wife were charged with murder in the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend, a high school cheerleader.
Pernell Clayton Thompson, 20, and Yolanda Dee Thompson, 19, were being held at the Union County jail in Union, S.C, accused of killing 16-year-old Marisha Jeter, police said.
•Tammy Samuel-Balaz, one of the most important figures in Canadian thoroughbred racing, died in Toronto of cancer. She was 47.