In brief: Mayfied granted injunction to race

Auto racing: Two months after a positive drug test for methamphetamines, Jeremy Mayfield is getting ready to return to NASCAR.

U.S. District Court Judge Graham Mullen on Wednesday issued a temporary injunction to allow the driver to get back behind the wheel at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.

“This is huge for us,” Mayfield said. “This means more to me probably than any race I’ve ever won or anything.”

Concluding the “likelihood of a false positive in this case is quite substantial,” Mullen said as he ruled in Mayfield’s favor after about two hours of arguments, including NASCAR’s contention that Mayfield is a danger to the sport after testing positive for high amounts of a dangerous, illegal drug.

But Mullen sided with Mayfield’s attorney, Bill Diehl, who argued the test results would only be accurate if Mayfield were a habitual meth user. If Mayfield used the drug at the levels the NASCAR test indicated, Diehl suggested Mayfield would be “either a walking zombie or he’s dead.”

Mayfield has denied using methamphetamines and said he didn’t know how he failed the May 1 random drug test. He was suspended eight days later.

Associated Press

Blackhawks sign free-agent Hossa

Hockey: The Chicago Blackhawks dipped deep into the NHL free-agent market by signing star forward Marian Hossa away from the Detroit Red Wings with a 12-year, $62.8 million contract.

Hossa, who surprisingly took a one-year deal with the defending champion Red Wings last summer, cashed in this time.

The four-time All-Star and 11-year NHL veteran has played on the Stanley Cup runner-up the last two seasons – while with the Penguins he lost to the Red Wings and this year with Detroit, he fell to Pittsburgh in the rematch.

Associated Press

R-Hawks to host Goldpanners

Baseball: The Spokane RiverHawks will host the Goldpanners of Alaska, celebrating their 50th anniversary as a summer collegiate baseball team, in an exhibition game on July 16 at 5 p.m. at Coeur d’Alene High School’s Ted Page Field.

RiverHawks manager Barry Matthews is a former player for the Goldpanners, who have several major league alumni.

The game is part of a multiple-state barnstorming tour for the Goldpanners, who will finish with a game at the National Baseball Congress Tournament in Wichita, Kan.

For ticket information call (509) 244-HAWK or visit www. spokaneriverhawks. com.