CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR’s most popular driver will stay with the most dominant race team at least through 2017.
Hendrick Motorsports on Thursday announced a five-year contract extension with Dale Earnhardt Jr., who heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend trying to clinch his first berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship in three years.
“It’s great to have it all wrapped up so quickly and far in advance,” said Earnhardt, who had another year left on the contract that began in 2008.
“Rick and I were on the same page from the first time we talked about it, so there wasn’t any sense in waiting. There were never any questions or hesitations from either of us. It was just, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ “
• Fastenala, a fastener distributor and supplier for the industrial and construction industry, agreed to sponsor Carl Edwards for 17 races in the Sprint Cup Series beginning next season. The deal came a little more than three weeks after Edwards ended his free agency by agreeing to a long-term deal with Roush Fenway Racing.
PGA Tour inks nine-year extension with networks
NORTON, Mass. — Even without Tiger Woods dominating golf, the PGA Tour announced its longest network television deal in history — one that secures broadcast rights for the next 10 years.
The tour agreed to a nine-year deal with CBS Sports and NBC Sports. PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem did not disclose financial terms, although he said there was an increase in the rights fee and players would see modest advances in prize money. And that’s without any assurance Woods — golf’s biggest television draw — could get back to the top of his game.
“In our business plan, we did not assume any golfer was going to be as dominant as Tiger had been in the past,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said. “Tiger played in a relatively small number of PGA Tour events, anyway. It would be great if he came back. It would be great if we were dominant again. But we were not assuming that in our numbers.”
• Nick Dougherty shot an 8-under-par 63 to lead Rory McIlroy by two shots after the first round of the European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland.
It’s McIlroy’s first tournament since injuring his right wrist three weeks ago.
“It’s totally fine,” McIlroy said. “I’m able to hit all the shots I want to and not lose any distance.”
Martin Kaymer, Lee Sung and Gary Boyd also were two shots behind the leader.
Footnotes.
Jockey Kent Desormeaux, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, was arrested on charges he tried to run over a traffic cop outside Saratoga Race (N.Y.) Course while driving his 2003 Porsche. The officer’s condition wasn’t released.
• Slovakian cyclist Peter Sagan scored a second Spanish Vuelta stage victory after winning a mass sprint to close the 104-mile 12th stage, while Britain’s Bradley Wiggins maintained a 7-second advantage over Sky teammate Christopher Froome for the overall lead.
• Sophomore forward Juwan Howard Jr., who averaged 9.3 points last season, is leaving the Western Michigan basketball team for personal reasons.
• The Columbus Crew and third-year coach Robert Warzycha reached agreement on a new multiyear contract.
Denver Post wire services
