Edwards takes ’17 pit stop
In a stunning decision, NASCAR driver Carl Edwards is walking away from the final year of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing less than two months after nearly winning his first Cup championship, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press yesterday.
Joe Gibbs Racing scheduled a pair of news conferences today in which Edwards is expected to announce he will not drive the No. 19 Toyota next season. The second announcement is that reigning Xfinity Series champion Daniel Suarez will replace Edwards in the Cup Series.
The 37-year-old Edwards informed team owner Joe Gibbs right before Christmas that he no longer wanted to compete, the people told AP, confirming a decision first reported by Fox Sports.
“This is comparable to Barry Sanders’ retirement back in 1999, shocking and with loads of ability and time left in a very successful career,” said Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage.
Broken leg for ’Bama RB
Alabama tailback Bo Scarbrough fractured a bone in his lower right leg in the national championship game.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said Scarbrough’s injury won’t require surgery and he’s expected to fully recover.
Scarbrough was injured late in the third quarter of Monday night’s 35-31 loss to Clemson and didn’t return.
He had run for 93 yards with first-half touchdowns of 25 and 37 yards. . . .
Safety Jabrill Peppers decided to enter the NFL draft and skip his senior season at Michigan. The Heisman Trophy finalist is projected to be a first-round pick in April. . . .
Offensive tackle Rod Johnson, who has been a mainstay on Florida State’s line, will forgo his final season of eligibility to enter the NFL draft. . . .
The Mountain West Conference suspended three players and reprimanded six others for their roles in the benches-clearing brawl between UNLV and Utah State last week.
Eight players were ejected from Saturday’s game after the fight.
UNLV’s Katie Powell and Utah State’s Antoina Robinson have been issued a one-game suspension due to their ejections from the game. UNLV’s Paris Strawther is also suspended one game for her participation in the fight. . . .
The Cook County medical examiner says Northwestern women’s basketball player Jordan Hankins committed suicide in her dorm room earlier this week.
The office released the results of an autopsy a day after the body of the 19-year-old Hankins was found.
Dodgers, Jansen finalize deal
Kenley Jansen is coming back to close games for the Los Angeles Dodgers after finalizing an $80 million, five-year contract.
The 29-year-old free agent righthander earned his first All-Star selection last year. The contract was agreed to Dec. 12, subject to a physical. . . .
Suspended relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia and the New York Mets went through the formality of agreeing to a one-year contract worth $1,976,000, money he will not ever receive. . . .
Trainer Ron Ellis has been banned from entering any horses in the Breeders’ Cup world championships this fall after being sanctioned by the event for a positive drug test involving his horse that finished second in last year’s BC Sprint.
ManU nears final spot
Manchester United closed in on the final of the English League Cup by beating injury-hit Hull 2-0 in the first leg of their semifinal thanks to second-half goals by Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini.
The second leg is at Hull on Jan. 26 and United is a huge favorite to reach the final for a ninth time. Liverpool plays Southampton in the other semifinal, with the first leg today.
Meanwhile, ManU manager Jose Mourinho says the club is close to selling midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin to EPL rival Everton.