Bowyer halts skid in delayed victory
Clint Bowyer snapped a 190-race losing streak dating to 2012 with a dominating performance yesterday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
The victory by Bowyer continued the strong start to the NASCAR season for Stewart-Haas Racing, which has won four of the first six races to start the year.
Bowyer’s win was his first driving for SHR, the team he joined as Tony Stewart’s replacement last year. The move to SHR was supposed to turn Bowyer’s fortunes around, but his struggles continued through his first year in the No. 14 Ford.
He finally figured it out on the short track in Virginia and won for the first time since his victory at Charlotte in October 2012.
Bowyer had led just 145 combined laps the last four years and bettered that yesterday with 215 laps led and his first career Martinsville victory . . . .
Earlier in the day, John Hunter Nemechek staved off a bump from Kyle Benjamin in the final turn at Martinsville Speedway to win a Truck Series race that was postponed a day because of snow.
Yanks’ Bird out 6-8 weeks
Oft-injured New York Yankees first baseman Greg Bird will have surgery to remove a small broken spur on the outside of his right ankle and will be sidelined until late May. The Yankees said Bird is expected to return to game action in 6-8 weeks . . . .
Dusty Baker is re-joining the San Francisco Giants nearly 16 years after his departure as manager. The 68-year-old Baker, who was fired as skipper of the Washington Nationals after last season, will serve as a special adviser to CEO Larry Baer . . . .
The Tampa Bay Rays released reliever Dan Jennings to avoid paying most of his $2,375,000 salary. The 30-year-old left-hander went 3-1 with a 3.45 ERA in 77 games for the Rays and White Sox last season . . . .
Bartolo Colon signed another minor league contract with the Texas Rangers, who anticipate the 44-year-old righthander starting their fifth game . ...
A person familiar with the deal says the Arizona Diamondbacks and infielder Ketel Marte agreed to a $24 million, five-year contract.
Rams beef up ‘D’ with Suh
Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams, joining AllPro Aaron Donald on a potentially fearsome defensive front.
Suh was released by the Dolphins earlier this month when he declined to restructure his hefty contract after three seasons in Miami.
Suh’s deal in Los Angeles is worth $14 million, according to the NFL Network and ESPN . . . .
Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro defensive end Michael Bennett has surrendered to authorities in Houston on a charge that he injured a paraplegic woman as he tried to get onto the field after Super Bowl LI to celebrate with his brother . ...
The New York Giants signed safety Michael Thomas, who spent the last five seasons in Miami . ...
The Cleveland Browns re-signed free agent linebacker Tank Carder, who missed last year with a knee injury . ...
The Detroit Lions signed Jonathan Freeny, a free-agent linebacker who played with three teams last season, including the Patriots.
No Masters for Open champ
The Masters is assured its smallest field in 21 years with no more than 87 players. U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka notified Augusta National he would not be able to compete as he recovers from a left wrist injury . . . .
The Ryder Cup will return to Hazeltine in 2028, the first time a U.S. course will host the showcase event a second time . . . .
Ken Dorsey, who quarterbacked the Miami Hurricanes to the 2001 national championship, has been hired as an assistant athletic director at Florida International . . . .
Former MLB All-Star outfielder Albert Belle, 51, was arrested on charges of indecent exposure and extreme driving under the influence outside a soccer stadium in Arizona, the Salt River Police Department said . . . .
Sloane Stephens earned her biggest victory since winning last year’s U.S. Open, beating third-ranked Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals at the Miami Open in Key Biscayne, Fla.