Johnson wins race, Byron takes pole
Jimmie Johnson triggered a wreck that wiped out nearly the entire 20-car field at Daytona, Fla., and zipped to the lead to win NASCAR’s rainshortened exhibition Clash.
Hours earlier, Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammates William Byron and Alex Bowman locked in the front row for the season-opening Daytona 500 in qualifying. Byron, 21, and Bowman, 25, comprise the youngest front row in the race’s history.
Johnson won for the first time with new crew chief Kevin Meendering. Johnson and longtime chief Chad Knaus split after last season and seven Cup championships, and Knaus is now with Byron.
“We still need a points race win to say we’re back in victory lane,” said Johnson, who failed to win a race for the first time in his career last season. “But it was a great first step today.”
Rain postponed final eliminations in the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at Pomona Raceway until Monday.
Wesley Matthews signed with the Indiana Pacers after being acquired and waived by the New York Knicks . ... Kyrie Irving is day to day with a strained right knee, the Boston Celtics announced.
Jose Ramirez retained his World Boxing Council 140pound title by majority decision over Jose Zepeda.
UCLA senior Katelyn Ohashi got her second perfect 10 of the season on her floor routine and Kyla Ross earned the highest all-around score by a UCLA gymnast since 2012 as the Bruins beat Washington 197.600-196.00 to improve to 8-0. — Blake Richardson
Four-star wide receiver Puka Nacua, a longtime USC commitment out of Orem, Utah, announced he will sign with Washington. — J. Brady McCollough
Romania upset defending champion Czech Republic 3-2 to reach the semifinals of the Fed Cup with France, Belarus and Australia, which edged the U.S. 3-2 after Ashleigh Barty and Priscilla Hon beat Danielle Collins and Nicole Melichar 6-4, 7-5 in doubles .. ... Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-2 in an all-French final of the Open Sud de France.
American Chris Corning and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand were crowned the snowboard slopestyle winners after the finals were canceled because of wind on the last day of the world championships.