THE HOT CORNER

1 AUTO RACING: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has ordered the closure of a small stock-car track that has allowed large crowds to gather repeatedly for weekend races, declaring it an “imminent hazard” for the spread of COVID-19. The order signed by Cooper’s health secretary says Ace Speedway in Alamance County, 65 miles northwest of Raleigh, is violating the governor’s executive order limiting outside mass assemblies to 25 people. Media outlets have reported crowds at the speedway exceeding 2,000 people.

2 PRO SOCCER: Manchester United abruptly canceled one of its friendlies ahead of the resumption of the Premier League after the opposing team’s manager tested positive for the coronavirus. Michael O’Neill, the manager of second-tier Stoke City, had tested negative in five previous rounds of COVID-19 checks before a positive result from a test administered Monday.

3 PRO HOCKEY: Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter has undergone surgery to repair a core muscle injury. The veteran Stanley Cup winner is expected to be fully healthy for next season. The 35-year-old Carter had 17 goals and 10 assists in 60 games.

PRO TENNIS: Players ranked 4 outside the top 500 in singles or the top 175 in doubles are eligible for grants worth up to $1,000 from the International Tennis Federation to help deal with the suspension of competition because of the pandemic. The ITF announced Wednesday specifics of a total relief fund worth more than $2.5 million.

5 PRO SOCCER: France’s highest administrative court Tuesday upheld the decision to cancel the rest of the domestic soccer season amid the coronavirus pandemic and suspended the relegations of Amiens and Toulouse to the second division.