Family believes Stewart lost his temper in crash
The parents of a sprint car driver struck and killed last year by Tony Stewart believe a wrongful death lawsuit is the only way to hold the NASCAR star accountable. Pamela and Kevin Ward Sr. said Friday on “Good Morning America” they want “justice” for their 20-yearold son. “That’s what we want,” Pamela Ward said. “I don’t feel Tony meant to kill my son. But his actions killed my son. I think he lost his temper.” Kevin Ward Jr. was killed last August at Canandaigua ( N.Y.) Motorsports Park when he exited his car under caution in an apparent attempt to confront Stewart. As Ward Jr. walked down the track, he was struck by Stewart’s car. The Wards believe Stewart revved his engine and swerved toward Ward Jr. A grand jury last September cleared Stewart of any criminal wrongdoing. The Ontario County district attorney also added Ward was under the influence of marijuana the night of the incident. “I do not believe my son was impaired,” Pamela Ward said. The wrongful death suit filed Aug. 7 seeks unspecified damages.
BASEBALL
BOSTON — Fighting back tears, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell said Friday that he had a “highly curable” form of cancer and has taken a medical leave for the rest of the season to deal with lymphoma. The 53-year-old Farrell said bench coach Torey Lovullo will run the team in his absence. Farrell said he planned on being back with the team for spring training. Farrell said the cancer of the lymphatic system was discovered when he had hernia surgery in Detroit earlier this week. “I know we usually start out with the injury report. I’ll start out with myself on this one. Monday’s surgery for the hernia revealed that I have lymphoma,” he said before Friday night’s game. “Thankfully, it was detected in the hernia surgery. I can honestly tell you I’m extremely fortunate that it was found. Treatment will begin in the coming days,” he said.
CYCLING
STEAM BOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Olympic cyclist Taylor Phinney will continue his comeback from a devastating injury sustained more than a year ago when he starts next week’s USA Pro Challenge. He will be joined on the BMC Racing Team in his native Colorado by Tour de France stage winner Rohan Dennis. Phinney, 25, competed in last week’s Tour of Utah, where he finished 62nd in general classification and helped BMC to a second- place team finish. Phinney, whose best stage finish was third in the opening stage, also was awarded the “Fan Favorite” jersey. Utah was Phinney’s first race since his career- threatening crash in Chattanooga on May 26, 2014, during the USA Cycling Professional Championships. Two days after winning the time trial title, he suffered a broken leg during the road race after hitting a guardrail on Lookout Mountain’s Scenic Highway when he changed paths to avoid an official race motorcycle. Rosters for the USA Pro Challenge, a seven- day stage race, were announced Friday. The race begins Monday.
NCAA
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina uncovered possibly additional NCAA violations in women’s basketball and men’s soccer while preparing the response to its long- running academic scandal, the school announced Friday. Its response to the NCAA, due next week, has been delayed. The NCAA will set a date after a review of the new information, school officials said. During a 20- minute conference call with reporters, athletic director Bubba Cunningham twice referred to the school’s ongoing effort to “earn back trust. As painful as it is, it’s part of the Carolina culture that we want to know what happened, we want to understand it, we want to fix it,” he said.
GOLF
PORTLAND, Ore. — Canadian teen Brooke Henderson birdied three of her last four holes Friday for a 5- under 67 and the second-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Cambia Portland Classic. The 17- year- old Henderson had an 11-under 133 total at Columbia Edgewater for a one-shot lead over Caroline Masson, the German player who had the best round of the week with a 64. Playing in cool, breezy and sometimes wet conditions, Henderson grabbed the outright lead with an 8- foot birdie putt on the par-4 ninth, her 18th hole of the day. Henderson made her only bogey of the tournament at No. 11, but rebounded with birdies at 12, 14 and 3 before the late burst. Former Baylor School and Alabama standout Brooke Pancake was 10 shots off the lead.
FOOTBALL
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The NFL warned teams about fighting during games in response to interand intra-team altercations that have erupted in training camp, including the one that left New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith with a broken jaw. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, executive vice president Troy Vincent reminded all 32 teams on Friday that “fighting will not be tolerated.” Vincent asked coaches, general managers and club executives to remind players of the rules, and noted that the prohibition of fighting will be a point of emphasis for officials. “These rules are in place for the protection and safety of our players and to keep them on the field,” Vincent wrote. “As professionals, no matter how emotional the game becomes, there is nothing that should resort to fighting.”
LOS ANGELES — UCLA wide receiver Cordell Broadus, the son of rapper Snoop Dogg, is giving up football to concentrate on pursuing a career in film production. Broadus is an incoming freshman who signed with the Bruins in February after playing for Las Vegas high school powerhouse Bishop Gorman. He did not report to preseason camp with the football team. UCLA coach Jim Mora confirmed in a statement Friday that Broadus had decided to stop playing but will continue to attend UCLA.