Associated Press
CHARLOTTE ó Carl Edwards has seven wins this season and unbridled optimism about his potential.
What he doesn’t have ó and probably won’t get this year ó is a Sprint Cup championship.
But credit Edwards for refusing to wave the white flag on his title run. After all, he gained 15 points on Jimmie Johnson with his win Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Problem is, he’s still a whopping 183 points out with just three races left to dethrone Johnson.
It’s preposterous to think Johnson ó who only needs to finish ninth or better in the final three events to win his third consecutive title ó is suddenly going to slip and give Edwards any chance to steal the trophy. Edwards, however, won’t concede and is taking a commendable positive attitude into the final stretch.
“Listen, guys, anything can happen,” Edwards said. “As long as we’re within 130 points going to Homestead, we’re still going there to win the championship and it can happen.”
– ROCHESTER, N.Y. ó Eastman Kodak Co. is ending its 22-year sponsorship in NASCAR and putting more sports marketing dollars into professional golf.
BASEBALL
TAMPA, Fla. ó Colorado Rockies pitcher Luis Vizcaino was arrested Monday after police said he was driving under the influence. The 34-year-old reliever was bailed out of jail later in the day.
Officers said he was going 71 mph in a 45 mph zone early Monday. Police said Vizcaino’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot and he smelled of alcohol, with a blood-alcohol level just over the legal limit.
NBA
CHARLOTTE ó The Bobcats have waived forward Jermareo Davidson, leaving Charlotte one shy of the regular-season limit of 15 players.
Davidson was slow in learning coach Larry Brown’s system and appeared in only three of eight exhibition games. He fell behind journeyman Andre Brown in Brown’s rotation.
– NEW YORK ó Right name, not enough game.
Patrick Ewing Jr. was waived Monday by the New York Knicks, who got down to the 15-player limit by cutting the son of their career scoring leader.
SKATING
WEST ALLIS, Wis. ó Chad Hedrick edged rival Shani Davis in a 5,000-meter race, with both Olympic medalists shattering the Pettit National Ice Center record for the distance.
They skated in the same pair with Hedrick winning in 6 minutes, 16.23 seconds to shave 8 seconds off the mark of 6:24.25 he set Oct. 23, 2005. Davis was second in 6:19.66.
TENNIS
PARIS ó Two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin is considering retirement after a 6-0, 7-6 (4) loss to Juan Monaco in the first round of the Paris Masters on Monday.
Safin, a former top-ranked player and a three-time champion at the Paris tournament, wants a long break before making a decision.
NHL
ARLINGTON, Va. ó Alex Ovechkin will miss at least one game while in Russia to spend time with his ailing grandfather.
The NHL’s reigning MVP caught a flight home Monday morning and definitely will sit out the Washington Capitals’ game against the visiting Nashville Predators tonight after appearing in 203 straight games.
HORSES
LOUISVILLE, Ky. ó Kentucky racing authorities have postponed possible action on trainer Rick Dutrow over a drug test on one of his horses.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Monday said it wanted more information.
Dutrow’s horse Salute the Count had an excessive amount of the legal drug clenbuterol in his blood.
Clenbuterol allows horses to breathe easier while exercising. Its use is legal at low levels but considered a performance enhancer.