Sadler to drive a Ford

NASCAR

Sadler to drive a Ford

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Richard Petty Motorsports is finalizing elements of its 2010 program, beginning this weekend when Emporia's Elliott Sadler will race a Ford at Talladega Superspeedway.

Behind the scenes, the team is also shoring up its lineup. Team officials familiar with RPM's personnel moves said yesterday that sponsor Best Buy will move from Sadler's car next season to Petty's famed No. 43 with AJ Allmendinger as the driver.

Stanley will become the sole primary sponsor for Sadler. Both Best Buy and Stanley had shared Sadler's car this season.

Dick Thompson dies at 74

MARTINSVILLE - Dick Thompson, a pioneer in auto-racing public relations during nearly 40 years at Martinsville Speedway, died Wednesday. He was 74.

Mr. Thompson was working as a racing writer for The Roanoke Times in 1966 when the late Martinsville Speedway founder, H. Clay Earles, hired him to help publicize events at the track, said W. Clay Campbell, Earles' grandson and now the track's president.

Mr. Thompson was the track's first public relations director and was only the second full-time public relations representative in NASCAR, the speedway said.

Mr. Thompson's funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Martinsville. Burial will be at Roselawn Burial Park in Martinsville.

TENNIS

Safina withdraws; Williams is No. 1

DOHA, Qatar - Dinara Safina withdrew from WTA Sony Ericsson Championships because of a back injury, handing the year-end No. 1 ranking to Serena Williams.

Safina said the bone structure in her lower back is "starting to fracture" and that the injury has been bothering her for three months. She said doctors told her she will be sidelined for at least six weeks, and she may not be ready for the Australian Open in January.

Safina was serving at 1-1 in the first set against Jelena Jankovic when she stopped play, walked over to her chair and covered her face with a towel. She then told the chair umpire she could not continue.

Williams won her first match Tuesday and beat sister Venus 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) yesterday.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Bowl, ACC agree on extension

ATLANTA - The Chick-fil-A Bowl and the Atlantic Coast Conference agreed to a four-year extension that will keep the conference's first selection after the BCS coming to a game at the Georgia Dome. The bowl will have the first pick of ACC teams after the BCS selections through the 2013 season. This year's Chick-fil-A Bowl will be played Dec. 31.

GOLF

Whan hired as new LPGA chief

NEW YORK - The LPGA Tour picked Michael Whan as its new commissioner, turning to a former marketing executive in golf and hockey equipment to rebuild the tour's relationships with sponsors. Whan, 44, previously worked for TaylorMade Golf and Wilson Sporting Goods and most recently was president of Mission-Itech Hockey. He replaces Carolyn Bivens, who was forced out by players in July as the tour kept losing sponsors.

HOCKEY

Capitals' Laing has swine flu

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals said forward Quintin Laing has swine flu, making him at least the third NHL player to be diagnosed with the illness this week. Capitals spokesman Nate Ewell said Laing is being treated and kept away from the rest of the team. Laing sat out Washington's 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night and will miss at least the next two games.

• Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo will miss at least the next two games after sustaining a hairline fracture in one of his ribs.

NFL

Orlando Thomas dies at 37 of ALS

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - The Minnesota Vikings said former Vikings strong safety Orlando Thomas died Wednesday after battling Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was 37. Mr. Thomas began feeling symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2004, and the disease was diagnosed in 2007. Mr. Thomas was a hard hitter whose 22 career interceptions rank seventh in franchise history.

• Darvin Wallis, a longtime NFL assistant coach with Cleveland and Kansas City, has died at 60. Chiefs spokesman Bob Moore said Mr. Wallis died in Colorado on Friday. He said the cause of death was not immediately determined.

ELSEWHERE

• Zenyatta will put her 13-0 record on the line when she runs in the Breeders' Cup, most likely against the boys in the $5 million Classic. A total of 166 horses, including 37 from Europe, were pre-entered for the $25.5 million, 14-race Breeders' Cup world championships at Santa Anita on Nov. 6-7.

A jury in Helena, Mont., found that the maker of Louisville Slugger aluminum bats failed to adequately warn about the dangers the product can pose, awarding a family $850,000 for the 2003 death of their son in a baseball game. - From Wire Reports